Legislature(2009 - 2010)BELTZ 211

03/13/2009 08:00 AM Senate EDUCATION


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled,
Including:
+= SB 102 RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 102(EDC) Out of Committee
+= SB 18 POSTSECONDARY MEDICAL EDUC. PROG. TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 18(EDC) Out of Committee
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
              SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         March 13, 2009                                                                                         
                           8:04 a.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bettye Davis, Vice Chair                                                                                                
Senator Donald Olson                                                                                                            
Senator Gary Stevens                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Charlie Huggins                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 18                                                                                                              
"An Act increasing the number of students pursuing a medical                                                                    
education who are provided postsecondary educational services                                                                   
and programs; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
     MOVED CSSB 18(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 102                                                                                                             
"An Act relating to compulsory school attendance; relating to                                                                   
the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor; and                                                                    
relating to school disciplinary action and truancy."                                                                            
     MOVED CSSB 102(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB  18                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: POSTSECONDARY MEDICAL EDUC. PROG.                                                                                  
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
01/21/09       (S)       PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/09                                                                                

01/21/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

01/21/09 (S) EDC, FIN 02/27/09 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 211 02/27/09 (S) Heard & Held 02/27/09 (S) MINUTE(EDC) 03/13/09 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 211 BILL: SB 102 SHORT TITLE: RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) DAVIS 02/06/09 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/06/09 (S) EDC, JUD, FIN 02/23/09 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 211 02/23/09 (S) Heard & Held 02/23/09 (S) MINUTE(EDC) 03/13/09 (S) EDC AT 8:00 AM BELTZ 211 WITNESS REGISTER SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI Alaska State Legislature Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 18 as sponsor. ROD BETIT, President Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA) Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 18. TOM OBERMEYER, aid to Senator Davis State Capital Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Read the sponsor statement for SB 102. ACTION NARRATIVE 8:04:55 AM VICE CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS called the Senate Education Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Stevens, Olson and Davis. SB 18-POSTSECONDARY MEDICAL EDUC. PROG. 8:05:12 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 18 and said it is her desire to pass it out of committee this morning. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said he does not have much to add to his th previous testimony of February 27. The Anchorage Daily News did run a positive editorial on this bill and Senator Olson's bill SB 102. 8:06:15 AM ROD BETIT, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), Juneau, AK, spoke in support of SB 18. He thinks it is prudent to make periodic increases in the number of students the state supports at the University of Washington Medical School. There is complementary legislation on the table this session as well, that ASHNHA thinks is equally important, but this would enhance their ability to ensure that students continue to be educated with the intent to return to work in Alaska. He served on the Alaska Physician Supply Task Force, which determined two years ago that Alaska was 300 physicians short of the need. This is a key step to further improve on the number of physicians available to give care in this state. 8:07:08 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS closed public testimony on SB 18 and asked the will of the committee. SENATOR OLSON moved to report CSSB 18 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). VICE-CHAIR DAVIS delayed taking action on SB 18 awaiting a quorum. SB 102-RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY 8:07:58 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 102. TOM OBERMEYER, staff to Senator Davis, said SB 102 increases compulsory school attendance relating to the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and relating to school disciplinary action and truancy. This bill increases the compulsory school attendance age to 18; at the same time it necessarily amends the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor from 16 to 18. He mentioned that in the members' packets is the National Education Association's (NEA) 12-point plan and the first item on their list was increasing the compulsory school age. It has been supported by school districts and superintendents throughout the state. 8:09:30 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at ease. 8:10:31 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS called the meeting back to order and made a brief statement about SB 102. SB 102 has been endorsed by teachers, the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), many school superintendents and others. This bill is just one of the steps the state needs to take to try to help students finish school; many kids are not graduating and, although keeping them in school until 18 is not the whole answer, it is part of it. She stressed that 16 is too young an age to make the decision to drop out of school and this will provide more time to engage kids and get them through to graduation. She clarified that it is not the intent of this bill to require students to stay in school if they have earned sufficient credits for graduation; those who have enough credits to graduate before age 18 may do so. She added that many kids who drop out do so not because they are failing, but for lack of interest; she thinks we can do something about that, and she would like to move this bill forward. 8:13:19 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS called a brief at ease awaiting a quorum. SB 18-POSTSECONDARY MEDICAL EDUC. PROG. 8:14:40 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS returned attention to SB 18. SENATOR OLSON moved to report CS for SB 18, referred to as Version S, from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. Hearing no objection, CSSB 18(EDC) moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee. SB 102-RAISE COMP. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE/TRUANCY 8:15:18 AM VICE-CHAIR DAVIS returned attention to SB 102. SENATOR OLSON moved to report CS for SB 102, referred to as Version R, from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. Hearing no objection, CSSB 102(EDC) moved from the Senate Education Standing Committee. 8:16:15 AM There being no further business to come before the committee, Vice-Chair Davis adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee at 8:16 a.m.

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