02/15/1996 03:05 PM House HES

 HB 30 - SCHOOL DRESS CODES                                                  
                                                                               
 Number 047                                                                    
                                                                               
 JIM SIMEROTH, Kenai Peninsula Education Association, testified from           
 Kenai that he had no problem with this bill requiring students to             
 wear a uniform and certainly no problem with prohibiting students             
 from wearing the specified clothing.  He questioned the exclusion             
 in Section 1, (b)(3) and said if we have uniforms in the school,              
 then let's have all the students wear uniforms.                               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS said she believes the parent has a right to              
 decide whether they want their child to wear a uniform or not.                
 Since this is a permissive bill, it should be permissive to the               
 point of allowing a parent to opt out of the program.                         
                                                                               
 Number 115                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE said along those same lines, he thought there            
 were certain types of constitutional questions when it gets into              
 religious practices, etc.  The exclusion in (b)(3) allows the                 
 necessary flexibility for parents to decide.                                  
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE pointed out the religious concerns were addressed in           
 the bill and that school districts currently have the ability to do           
 this.  He asked if there was further testimony on HB 30.  Hearing             
 none, he closed the meeting to public testimony.                              
                                                                               
 Number 152                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved to pass HB 30 out of committee with             
 individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note.  Hearing            
 no objection, HB 30 moved from the House HESS Committee.