Legislature(2021 - 2022)DAVIS 106

02/14/2022 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 259 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND; 25/75 POMV SPLIT TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 259 Out of Committee
+= SB 10 FREE/REDUCED TUITION FOR ESSENTIAL WORKER TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
        SB 10-FREE/REDUCED TUITION FOR ESSENTIAL WORKER                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:08:53 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be CS  FOR SENATE  BILL NO.  10(FIN) am,  "An Act  establishing a                                                               
grant  program  to  provide to  essential  workers  and  laid-off                                                               
workers  the tuition  and fees  to  attend certain  postsecondary                                                               
institutions."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:09:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TOM  BEGICH, Alaska State Legislature,  as prime sponsor,                                                               
offered a brief introduction to CSSB 10(FIN) am.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:10:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
L?KI TOBIN, Staff, Senator Tom  Begich, Alaska State Legislature,                                                               
staff  for Senator  Begich, prime  sponsor,  reviewed the  fiscal                                                               
note  for  CSSB 10(FIN)  am  and  noted the  program's  operating                                                               
budget will be attributed to the federal COVID relief funds.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:12:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SANA   EFIRD,   Executive    Director,   Alaska   Commission   on                                                               
Postsecondary  Education,  Department   of  Education  and  Early                                                               
Development,  observed  the  original   fiscal  note  pointed  to                                                               
general funds  but this  would change.   To administer  the grant                                                               
program,  Alaska  Commission  on Postsecondary  Education  (ACPE)                                                               
assumed  it  would  need  one and  a  half  full-time  equivalent                                                               
financial  aid operations  analysts  to oversee  and process  the                                                               
awards, at  $187,500 for the  first year.  After  initial set-up,                                                               
for the next two years, only  one half-time position is needed at                                                               
$63,200.  This  cost does  not  represent  new positions,  but  a                                                               
realignment of  duties to  administer the  program.   She pointed                                                               
out the attached companion fiscal  note addresses funding for the                                                               
Alaska  Student Loan  Corporation.   The corporation's  positions                                                               
are currently  funded by  loan corporation  receipts, but  if the                                                               
positions assume  new duties associated  with the  grant program,                                                               
the funding  source switches  to the  funds supporting  the grant                                                               
program.  Ms. Efird said the  start-up of the grant program would                                                               
use the  current student aid  application portal, needing  a one-                                                               
time  cost  to  retool  the portal,  plus  an  additional  annual                                                               
maintenance   cost  for   the  next   two   years,  of   $10,000.                                                               
Additionally, the  fiscal note  adds $6,000  for legal  costs and                                                               
$2,500,000 per fiscal year for grants.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:16:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND moved  to adopt Amendment 1  to CSSB 10(FIN)am,                                                               
labeled 32-LS0127\N.A.1, Marx, 2/10/22, which read as follows:                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 10:                                                                                                           
          Delete "2021"                                                                                                         
          Insert "2022"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 11:                                                                                                           
          Delete "2025"                                                                                                         
          Insert "2026"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 12:                                                                                                           
          Delete "2026"                                                                                                         
          Insert "2027"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:17:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND  explained the amendment updates  the deadlines                                                               
contained  in  CSSB  10(FIN)am,  as the  original  dates  in  the                                                               
legislation had passed.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:18:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS  withdrew his  objection.  There  being no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:18:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that CSSB  10(FIN), as amended, was held                                                               
over.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 259 oppose.pdf HEDC 2/14/2022 8:00:00 AM
HB 259