02/14/2011 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                     February 14, 2011                                                                                          
                         9:02 a.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:02:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee                                                                            
meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
Senator Dennis Egan                                                                                                             
Senator Donny Olson                                                                                                             
Senator Joe Thomas                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lesil McGuire, Vice-Chair                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bettye Davis; Thomas Obermeyer, Staff for Senator                                                                       
Davis                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB   1    BD OF ED./EARLY DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL REPORT                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          SB 1 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                      
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 1                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act requiring the state Board of Education and                                                                         
     Early Development to provide an annual report to the                                                                       
     legislature."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:02:54 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:05:28 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BETTYE DAVIS  stated  that  SB 1  was  a bill  that                                                                    
required that Board of Education  to present a yearly report                                                                    
to   the  legislature.   She   remarked   that  the   annual                                                                    
presentations from  the University  had been  effective, and                                                                    
she felt that reports for K-12 would also be effective.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:06:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  stated that  the  meeting  was the  first                                                                    
hearing of the bill. He stated  that there was a zero fiscal                                                                    
note from the Department  of Education and Early Development                                                                    
(DEED).                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:07:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  queried the administration's position  on the                                                                    
bill. Senator  Davis stated that the  administration did not                                                                    
have an official position on the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  wondered what  specifically would  be covered                                                                    
in  the  bill. Senator  Davis  replied  that specifics  were                                                                    
outlined in the bill.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:08:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
THOMAS  OBERMEYER, STAFF  FOR SENATOR  DAVIS, presented  the                                                                    
Sponsor Statement  for SB 1  (copy on file). He  stated that                                                                    
"SB  1 requires  that the  Alaska State  Board of  Education                                                                    
shall prepare and present to  the legislature not later than                                                                    
the 30th day  of each regular session an  annual report that                                                                    
describes  the efforts  of the  Board to  develop, maintain,                                                                    
and  continuously  improve  a comprehensive  quality  public                                                                    
education system  as provided  for under  the bylaws  of the                                                                    
Board. The report to the  legislature must include a summary                                                                    
of  the  resolves  and rationales  provided  in  support  of                                                                    
policy  decisions;  program  and  curriculum  changes  made,                                                                    
discussed,  or  recommended   in  meetings;  and  additional                                                                    
information  relevant   to  efforts  made  to   improve  and                                                                    
maintain the  public education system. The  bill is intended                                                                    
to  create  a  greater dialogue  among  Alaska  legislators,                                                                    
Department of  Education and  Early Development  (DEED), and                                                                    
the  Board  of Education  which  meets  at least  quarterly.                                                                    
Since  Alaska legislators  appropriate over  $1 billion  per                                                                    
year  for  state public  education  which  is a  significant                                                                    
portion of the  state budget, they must be at  the center of                                                                    
the state's efforts to identify  strengths and weaknesses of                                                                    
the  current system,  help determine  a  public agenda,  set                                                                    
clear  goals  for  K-12  and   higher  education,  and  hold                                                                    
institutions accountable  for performance.  The only  way to                                                                    
achieve this  is through cooperation and  communication with                                                                    
the Board  and the Department. Legislators  take great pride                                                                    
and tremendous amounts  of time and effort  every session in                                                                    
trying   to    provide   the   best    possible   education,                                                                    
scholarships, and  funding for  Alaska students.  The annual                                                                    
report  required by  this  bill will  assist  both DEED  and                                                                    
legislators  early   in  each   session  in   assessing  new                                                                    
programs,  curriculum changes,  goals  and priorities  which                                                                    
may   require  more   information   or  administrative   and                                                                    
legislative action during session."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:12:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SB  1   was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee   for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 9:13 AM.