Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/03/2003 03:04 PM House HES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 165-COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Number 1063 CHAIR WILSON announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 165, "An Act relating to community schools; and providing for an effective date." REPRESENTATIVE GATTO moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS), labeled 23-GH1105\H, Ford, 3/29/03 as the working document. There being no objection, Version H was before the committee. Number 1063 CHAIR WILSON reminded the committee that members wanted language inserted in the bill that would show the legislature's intent for school districts to continue offering community schools programs. Chair Wilson turned attention to Section 1, subsection (b), which reads: It is the intent of this Act to encourage local school districts to maintain community schools. CHAIR WILSON said this language makes it clear that it is not the intent of the legislature to eliminate community schools programs; just the funding for them. Number 1110 REPRESENTATIVE GATTO suggested that previous findings show that school districts supply schools, buildings, heat, custodians, paint, summer maintenance, and so forth, and are a major contributor to community schools. He said this bill simply removes a portion of the funding, and he suggested that schools are not giving anything up and are still substantially contributing. Number 1138 REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said it is her understanding that this bill will place the community school concept in uncodified law. That being the case, she said community schools have not been repealed, rather it has been moved it into some "nether world." She said it is not in the statute books, but it is out there as a vague thing. Representative Cissna said she has been involved in community schools and she has done some projects through them, and she knows the power of community schools programs and how very inexpensive they are through the volunteer work that people give. She said she has some real concerns with eliminating the language that currently exists in statute. Number 1205 REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER told the committee she opposes the bill, but not because her district really suffers from it like the Yupiit School District in communities such as Akiachak, Akiak, Tuluksak in which the state's portion is 22.27 percent. She said [those communities] certainly are contributing a lot. Representative Kapsner said she knows a lot of other communities do not have those kinds of resources available; some communities such as the Copper River, Cordova, Craig, Delta Greely, Denali, Kodiak, Klawock, and Northwest Arctic School Districts are being paid 100 percent. She pointed out that a number of schools are in communities that are not a representation of that community; she said those are immersion schools, and it is a means by which an assimilation process occurs. She said it is valuable to have the community come into the building and take part in adult education. REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said if the legislature is going be an advocate for life-long learning and support adult basic education, then it is important to support community schools. In some cases, she said the adults may have lived there when there was not a school or their parents could not afford for them to go to "Mt. Edgecumbe or Copper River." Representative Kapsner said now [adults] may want to get a certificate or diploma and it is important to support them. She stated she is opposed to the bill moving from committee. Number 1294 REPRESENTATIVE WOLF told the committee that he supports this bill. He announced that he is a supporter of the community school program and he understands the value of volunteer help. Therefore, he offered any community school program in the state to contact his office and for help in finding corporate funds to continue the programs. Representative Wolf said through the use of permanent fund money investments in corporate America, Alaskans have billions of dollars in stocks. Representative Wolf said there is not a better community match for community schools. At some point, he said it is important that communities rely on themselves to obtain these funds, but his office will help any community schools program in the state to find corporate funds. Number 1356 REPRESENTATIVE WOLF moved to report CSHB 165(HES) out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. Number 1370 REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA objected. Number 1399 A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Wilson, Gatto, Coghill, Seaton, and Wolf voted in favor of moving CSHB 165(HES) out of committee. Representatives Cissna and Kapsner voted against it. Therefore, CSHB 165(HES) was reported out of the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee by a vote of 5-2.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|