Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/01/2014 08:30 AM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB278 | |
| HB127 | |
| HB21 | |
| HB127 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 278 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 127 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 21
"An Act relating to the length of a school week; and
providing for an effective date."
9:19:18 AM
ANDY MILLS, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE COMMISSIONER,
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, expressed his apology that
the fiscal note was not addressed in the committee's prior
hearing of HB 21.
Co-Chair Stoltze asked for further explanation of the
fiscal note.
Mr. Mills discussed the new fiscal note from Department of
Administration, Centralized Administrative Services. He
noted changes in the prior year's CS necessitating an
additional table. The change required reprogramming and
other changes at the Division of Retirement and Benefits.
He discussed the cost estimates listed in the fiscal note.
The reprogramming was related to communication between the
division and the federal government. He stated that the
Central Retirement System (CRS) was the system that allowed
for tracking of the retiree data for the division.
Calculation systems, found on the division's website
provided self-assessment tools that allowed employees to
track their retirement. Statements were delivered to the
members and brochures were sent to notify employees about
the change to the system.
9:22:31 AM
Vice-Chair Neuman wondered about the fiscal note's proposed
$100 thousand dollar expense. He stated that the Department
of Administration received approximately $100 million in
capital budget items related to Integrated Resources
Information Services (IRIS) upgrades. He asked whether the
changes needed for the legislation could be made with
already existing resources.
9:23:27 AM
Representative Costello asked about the state's approach to
programmers. She expressed confusion regarding the payment
of computer programmers already employed by the department.
Mr. Mills replied that certain programmers would absorb the
changes proposed in the fiscal note. The numbers were for
outside contracted costs. He stated that an alternate
schedule might seem simple, but the brochures were a fixed
cost.
9:25:37 AM
Representative Costello discussed her experience as a
teacher for Service High School. She wondered how the
employee hours could be translated into portions of the
year as outlined in the bill. She wondered if the
department could apply retirement benefits for a teacher
contracted for one-half of the year.
Mr. Mills replied that the schedule proposed in the bill
was an alternate schedule. He noted that utilization of the
uncodified code would have spawned multiple alternative
calendars. He suggested that further information be
provided by the division.
Representative Costello asked if the state moved from
hiring full-time to contractual programmers, would the
charge to the state change. She wondered why the practice
of contractual programmers was not utilized.
9:28:45 AM
Co-Chair Austerman commented that the state reduced the
number of days for a retiree from 172 to 150. He asked if
the change increased the retirement cost to the state. He
asked about the changes needed in the retirement system as
a result of the legislation.
Representative Wilson stated that the bill would not allow
for an employee's premature retirement. The shorter school
weeks would equal a full year of school.
Co-Chair Austerman noted that the days allowing for one
year's worth of retirement had changed.
Representative Wilson explained that fewer days were needed
because the days were longer.
Co-Chair Austerman did not understand the concept.
Co-Chair Stoltze understood that the teachers were
currently eligible for retirement and the changes in the
bill allowed that continuity of accrual despite the shorter
work/school weeks.
Co-Chair Austerman requested further understanding of the
cumulative effect of the legislation.
Co-Chair Stoltze asked Mr. Mills if he could envision an
addition of a new employee under the proposed calculation.
Mr. Mills assumed that a full year would lead to an
insignificant difference in time accrual.
9:31:55 AM
Representative Thompson stated dissatisfaction with the
fiscal note. He understood that the part-time teachers
worked a certain amount of days. He did not understand why
new statements would be required. He assumed that the cost
of the statements was built into the division's budget.
Mr. Mills replied that the fiscal note included a large
number of contractor costs. He noted that the fiscal note
would increase in its request if the entire change required
contractual programmers.
9:34:08 AM
Vice-Chair Neuman OFFERED a conceptual AMENDMENT to zero
out fiscal note one from the Department of Administration,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) number 64. He MOVED
that the Department of Administration absorb the cost of
the changes proposed in the legislation.
Co-Chair Stoltze supported the change. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Fiscal note 1 from the
Department of Administration, OMB component number 64 was
changed to reflect ZERO fiscal impact.
Co-Chair Stoltze RESCINDED the prior action made to move
the bill out of committee. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered. CSHB 21 (FIN) was back before the committee.
9:36:17 AM
Representative Gara OFFERED a conceptual AMENDMENT. He
pointed to page 2, line 18, section C addressing the
reduction of school days and the provision of retirement
benefits. He stated that some school districts would reduce
school hours by 20 percent. He noted the minimum
instruction hours mandated by the legislation was 740 hours
for lower and 900 hours for higher grades. He noted that
many schools had greater than 1000 instructional hours.
Representative Gara discussed page 2, line 3 and the
commissioner's ability to reduce instructional days, as
long as instructional hours remained comparable. He stated
that the commissioner had reduced school days below 180
days in one community recently. The legislation reduced the
number of hours further. He expressed concern about cutting
the number of school hours.
Representative Gara MOVED the conceptual amendment to
retain page 2, line 18 through page 3, line 9.
Co-Chair Stoltze stated that the committee would not accept
such a conceptual amendment. He requested a written
amendment.
9:39:33 AM
Representative Costello appreciated Representative Gara's
point. She stated that the statute dictated minimum hours
constituting a day. School districts often exceeded the
requirements. She stated that the opportunity for shorter
days existed, yet districts chose not to take advantage.
She stated that the proposed legislation addressed
alternative schedules versus shorter teaching time. She
mentioned the concept of year-round school as another
option for an alternative schedule. She mentioned a study
in the committee members' packets related to improved
results in math and reading with alternative schedules. She
believed that the concept of minimum school hours per day
was already in statute and did not belong in the bill. She
stated that the policy call was unique and demanded an
opinion from the House Education Committee. She spoke about
the school board and public's involvement in all decisions
related to school week changes. The proposed legislation
was tied to the wishes of the parents and education
community. She opposed the conceptual amendment offered by
Representative Gara.
Representative Wilson stated that a school district could
choose a four-day school week without the proposed
legislation. She noted that the issue of teacher retirement
was the reason for the proposed legislation. Because the
teachers were working more days and hours in one district,
the full-years' worth of retirement was not accessible.
Upon the bill's inception, she asked the commissioner about
the constitution of a full work day. She opined that the
bill had flexibility without the amendment.
Co-Chair Stoltze stated that an amendment was not before
the committee.
Representative Munoz discussed Representative Costello's
reference to the report. She noted that in the report,
Montana shifted to a four-day week, but retained the 1000
hour requirement. She wondered why the bill shifted the
requirement in Alaska.
Representative Wilson replied that the hours in statute
were used to determine the bill's proposal. She stated that
each district used a different number of total hours. She
suggested that instituting one number for the entire state
might negatively impact some districts. She discussed the
issue with the commissioner and proposed that the problem
be addressed in a separate bill with a study about whether
an increase in hours would provide a better education for
Alaska's students.
Vice-Chair Neuman asked about page 2, lines 3-6 related to
the commissioner's approval of plans. He wondered why the
section was changed. He understood the local control issue,
but he opined that an alternative view from the
commissioner would prove advantageous.
9:46:57 AM
Representative Wilson stated that the commissioner would
review the plan with a checklist. The mechanism mandated
community meetings. She believed that the communities would
make the best judgments for their unique area needs. The
commissioner would approve the plans, based on the
checklist.
Vice-Chair Neuman asked for details about the checklist.
Representative Wilson stated that the community meeting
must address a plan for days/hours needed during the
shortened school week. The plan was then submitted to the
commissioner who reviewed it for necessary components. She
stated that outcomes were reviewed using standardized test
scores.
9:49:03 AM
Representative Gara opined that a problem arose in removing
the commissioner's discretion. He pointed to page 2, line
11, "if the school district shows that they are providing
the minimum of instruction" he stated that upon community
approval, the decision would be made. He stated that the
commissioner could allow for an alternative schedule under
current law. The commissioner was not amenable to a
reduction to 700 instructional hours. Current law retained
the districts with greater than statutory minimum
instructional hours. The bill mandated the commissioner's
approval of the statutory minimum following community
members' decision.
9:51:52 AM
Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to REPORT CSHB 21 (FIN) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying revised fiscal notes. Representative Munoz
OBJECTED. She wished to see the amended fiscal note prior
to reporting out the bill.
Representative Gara apologized that he did not have a
written amendment.
9:53:07 AM
Representative Costello shared that her office worked
tirelessly reviewing hours of school days. She stated that
a school currently following state law would pay a large
organizational price for the proposed mandate. She urged
the legislature to revisit the issue of minimum
instructional hours. She cautioned the committee to review
all pertinent information before proposing a minimum number
of instructional hours to all Alaskan schools.
9:54:23 AM
Representative Gara apologized for not having his amendment
available in writing. He agreed with Representative
Costello and did not recommend that the committee mandate a
minimum number of instructional hours. He noted that the
commissioner currently decided the minimum number of
instructional hours based on his determination of an
adequate number of school hours to protect academic
achievement. He pointed to page 2, lines 3-6 indicating
that the commissioner could approve the number of days and
the number of instructional hours. The bill required an
acceptance of the school district's decision to instruct
for the minimum number of allowable hours. He disagreed
with the bill for that one reason. He wished to continue to
allow the commissioner to make the decision regarding the
minimum number of instructional hours for each individual
proposal.
9:56:12 AM
Representative Wilson stated that the commissioner would
not allow a four-day school week without the legislation.
She stated that the commissioner had denied all requests
for a four-day school week.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Holmes, Neuman, Thompson, Wilson, Costello,
Edgmon, Stoltze, Austerman
OPPOSED: Guttenberg, Munoz, Gara
The MOTION PASSED (8/3).
CSHB 21 (FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with no
recommendation and with one new zero fiscal note from the
Department of Education and Early Development and one new
zero fiscal note from the Department of Administration.
9:58:54 AM
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 278 CS WORKDRAFT FIN 28-GH2716-G.pdf |
HFIN 4/1/2014 8:30:00 AM |
HB 278 |
| HB 278 Summary of Changes HB 278 - CS(FIN).pdf |
HFIN 4/1/2014 8:30:00 AM |
HB 278 |