03/11/2022 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

          SB 146-UNIVERSITY: TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS COST                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:06:40 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL NO. 146                                                               
"An Act relating to costs of  and charges for textbooks and other                                                               
course materials  required for University of  Alaska courses; and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOLLAND  noted there  was a  committee substitute  (CS) for                                                               
the committee to consider.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:06:54 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES  moved to adopt the  proposed CS for SB  146, work                                                               
order 32-LS1062\I, as the working document.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:07:07 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:07:15 AM                                                                                                                    
ED KING, Staff, Senator Roger  Holland, Alaska State Legislature,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska,  read the explanation of  changes between Version                                                               
B and Version I.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The Senate Education Committee Substitute makes three                                                                      
     changes:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     1. Added the phrase "to the extent practicable" on                                                                         
         page 1, line 13.                                                                                                       
     2. Included "low-cost" resources on page 2, line 5.                                                                        
     3. Pushed the effective date beyond the expected                                                                           
        completion time of the current university system                                                                        
        upgrade (now July 1, 2026).                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:07:41 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  removed  his  objection.   He  found  no  further                                                               
objection and CSSB 146 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:08:04 AM                                                                                                                    
SARA PERMAN, Government Relations  Manager, University of Alaska,                                                               
Anchorage, Alaska, stated that changes  to the fiscal note for SB
  were based  on the  concerns expressed  during the  previous                                                               
meeting. The  university reviewed the fiscal  note and determined                                                               
that $802,000 per  year is absorbed in  salaries since additional                                                               
people  are   not  being  hired.   Therefore  the  amount   is  a                                                               
productivity  cost  not  a  fiscal   cost  and  was  zeroed  out.                                                               
Therefore, it  has been  zeroed out.  A one-time  capital upfront                                                               
cost   of  $397,000   remains  for   consulting  and   Office  of                                                               
Information  Technology staff.  An upgrade  for the  university's                                                               
system remains  a cost  in the fiscal  note rather  than assuming                                                               
separate funding will pass.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:09:28 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BEGICH   acknowledged  the  work  of   the  sponsor  and                                                               
university in  producing SB  146. He  affirmed his  commitment to                                                               
upgrading  a  university  system  older than  one  of  his  staff                                                               
members. The system  is a critical component  of the university's                                                               
budget  request.   He  opined  that  the   Education  Committee's                                                               
influence would be helpful given  the difficulties the university                                                               
has experienced over the past few years.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:10:25 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  found  no  further   comments  or  questions  and                                                               
solicited a motion.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:10:46 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES moved to report the  CS for SB 146, work order 32-                                                               
LS1062\I,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:11:05 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND found  no objection and CSSB 146  was reported from                                                               
the Senate Education Standing Committee.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:11:28 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MYERS, Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor                                                               
of  SB 146,  thanked  the  committee and  the  chair's staff  for                                                               
putting together the  CS. He also thanked the  university for its                                                               
work  and  acknowledged  its need  for  an  upgraded  information                                                               
system. Pending funding, the system  is expected to be functional                                                               
by 2025, which moves the effective date for SB 146 to 2026.