02/26/2014 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

              HJR  1-CONST. AM: EDUCATION FUNDING                                                                           
1:15:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KELLER announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE  JOINT  RESOLUTION  NO.  1,  Proposing  amendments  to  the                                                               
Constitution of  the State  of Alaska relating  to state  aid for                                                               
education.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:15:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KELLER, noting  that  there  have been  over  24 hours  of                                                               
testimony  and over  135 testifiers  on  the language  in HJR  1,                                                               
announced that  HJR 1 is  before the committee  for consideration                                                               
and vote.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:16:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG advised he opposes  HJR 1 as he believes                                                               
it  overturns  a  fundamental  provision   in  the  Alaska  State                                                               
Constitution, which prohibits  the use of direct  aid for private                                                               
education,  and urged  that the  constitution not  be amended  in                                                               
this manner.   He noted  that a majority  of people he  has heard                                                               
testify  and who  have contacted  him are  in opposition  to this                                                               
change.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:19:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX  questioned how  one reconciles  the Blaine                                                               
Amendment  with  performance scholarships  that  can  be used  at                                                               
private  and religious  colleges.   She  recalled  that money  is                                                               
granted under capitol grants for  private and sometimes religious                                                               
pre-school transportation,  as is  the case  in Fairbanks  and in                                                               
Kodiak parochial schools.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  stated   he  has  performed  extensive                                                               
research on  this provision  since the 1980s  and found  that tax                                                               
credits  for  contributions to  public  and  private colleges  in                                                               
Alaska is  not considered direct  aid as the taxpayer  would make                                                               
the contribution.   In  regard to scholarships,  he noted,  it is                                                               
similar in that  it is not a  direct aid to the  university as it                                                               
was  to  benefit each  student  receiving  a scholarship.    With                                                               
respect to  the transportation  issue, he  advised that  he could                                                               
not  answer as  he  is not  an  expert on  school  funding.   The                                                               
question  in this  matter  is should  the  [Blaine Amendment]  be                                                               
repealed  in order  to provide  direct aid  [to private  schools]                                                               
which is in  opposition to the basic principle  of separation [of                                                               
church and state], he opined.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:23:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRUITT moved  to report  HJR 1  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
note.   There being  no objection,  HJR 1  was reported  from the                                                               
House Judiciary Standing Committee.