Legislature(2021 - 2022)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/02/2021 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 19 EXTEND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCY TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
<Time Limit May Be Set>
+ SB 22 INTENSIVE MGMT SURCHARGE/REPEAL TERM DATE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
<Time Limit May Be Set>
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+ EO 119 Follow Up TELECONFERENCED
<Above Item Removed from Agenda>
                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                       March 2, 2021                                                                                            
                         9:03 a.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:03:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop called the  Senate Finance Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 9:03 a.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Click Bishop, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                                                                           
Senator Donny Olson (via teleconference)                                                                                        
Senator Bill Wielechowski                                                                                                       
Senator David Wilson                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Natasha von Imhof                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Emma  Torkelson, Staff,  Senator Josh  Revak; Doug  Vincent-                                                                    
Lang,  Commissioner,  Department  of   Fish  and  Game;  Tim                                                                    
Lamkin,   Staff,   Senator   Gary  Stevens;   Kris   Curtis,                                                                    
Legislative Auditor, Alaska Division of Legislative Audit.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Josh  Revak, Sponsor, Juneau; John  Sturgeon, Safari                                                                    
Club International, Alaska  Chapter, Anchorage; Al Barrette,                                                                    
Self,   Fairbanks;  Patrick   Pillai,  Executive   Director,                                                                    
Special Education  Service Agency; Heidi  Teshner, Director,                                                                    
Finance and  Support Services,  Department of  Education and                                                                    
Early Development, Juneau; Katie Botz, Self, Juneau.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB 19     EXTEND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCY                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          SB 19 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                     
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB 22     INTENSIVE MGMT SURCHARGE/REPEAL TERM DATE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
          SB 22 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                     
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 22                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act   repealing  the  termination  date   for  the                                                                    
     intensive management hunting license surcharge."                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:05:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOSH REVAK, SPONSOR, JUNEAU (via teleconference),                                                                       
discussed the Sponsor Statement:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Hunting is  a staple  of Alaskan culture  and essential                                                                    
    to the lives of many Alaskans. It is of the utmost                                                                          
     importance that  the wildlife populations  be carefully                                                                    
     maintained throughout our state so that future                                                                             
     generations  can continue  to  provide  food for  their                                                                    
     families and carry on this great Alaskan tradition. To                                                                     
     fulfill  this genuine  need for  conservation, wildlife                                                                    
     populations must be monitored to prevent over-hunting                                                                      
     and  to  promote   vibrant,  healthy,  and  sustainable                                                                    
     wildlife populations.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     In  1994,  the   legislature  initiated  an  "Intensive                                                                    
     Management Program" overseen by the Board of Game                                                                          
     which uses careful  observation and scientific analysis                                                                    
     to manage Alaska's game populations. Since then,                                                                           
     if a  population drops below  what is required  to meet                                                                    
     the needs of Alaskans and remain healthy, intensive                                                                        
     management (IM)  begins with an investigation  into the                                                                    
     causes of the low population numbers; whether                                                                              
     there is a habitat  concern, predator population shift,                                                                    
     spread of disease, etc. From here, the Board of Game                                                                       
     develops  policies to  meet  the identified  challenges                                                                    
     and maintain sustainable wildlife populations across                                                                       
     Alaska.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Originally funded  with general  budget appropriations,                                                                    
     hunters supported a bill in 2016 which placed a                                                                            
     surcharge ($10 for residents  and $30 for nonresidents)                                                                    
     on hunting licenses that lets the users directly fund                                                                      
     the  sustainability efforts  of the  IM program.  Since                                                                    
     its passage, an average of $4 million has been raised                                                                      
     every year by the  surcharge and matched federal grants                                                                    
     and the hunting community  and industry continues to be                                                                    
     in full support.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Currently,  the IM  surcharge has  a sunset  date which                                                                    
     will repeal it and jeopardize the ability of the Board                                                                     
     of  Game to  carry out  effective intensive  management                                                                    
     projects. SB 22 seeks to permanently repeal that                                                                           
     sunset date and allow the  IM program to continue their                                                                    
    sustainability efforts for the wildlife populations                                                                         
     that are  such an  important food source  for Alaskans.                                                                    
    With the passage of SB 22, the IM program will not                                                                          
     have  to  rely  on   the  availability  of  more  state                                                                    
     appropriations  or further  federal funding  as it  did                                                                    
     before   2016.  Ultimately,   careful  stewardship   of                                                                    
     Alaska's  wildlife  resource   is  what  will  maintain                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska's  longstanding    connection  to   hunting  for                                                                    
     generations to  come and SB  22 directly  supports that                                                                    
     mission.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:07:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EMMA  TORKELSON, STAFF,  SENATOR  JOSH  REVAK, continued  to                                                                    
address the legislation.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman queried  the other  category of  exemption,                                                                    
besides the elderly.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Torkelson replied  that hunters  that qualified  for an                                                                    
income-based   hunting   license   were  exempt   from   the                                                                    
surcharge.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:10:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  remarked that there were  several people in                                                                    
rural  Alaska  that were  heavily  dependent  on hunting  to                                                                    
supplement  their food  source.  He  wondered whether  there                                                                    
would be an acceptance for  an exempt status for subsistence                                                                    
hunters.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator   Revak  replied   that  he   would  entertain   and                                                                    
examination of  an amendment. He  explained that  the intent                                                                    
of the  bill was increase populations  in areas specifically                                                                    
used for subsistent hunting.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman surmised that the  intent of the bill was to                                                                    
"add" to  general funds, rather  than supplant the  funds to                                                                    
continue the management of the resource.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Revak replied in the affirmative.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman was  glad to  see that  the funds  could be                                                                    
used to turnaround and issue,  and wished the department had                                                                    
the same philosophy.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson wondered  whether  deer,  caribou, and  moose                                                                    
were the only animals covered by the legislation.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Torkelson deferred to the  commissioner of Department of                                                                    
Fish and Game (DFG).                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson specifically  wondered whether  there was  an                                                                    
inclusion of muskox.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson wondered whether the  user groups included the                                                                    
big game hunters from out of state.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Revak replied that anyone  who bought a tag that did                                                                    
not fall under  the exemptions would be  contributing to the                                                                    
fund, including the out of state hunters.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:15:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman asked  for an  outline  of the  geographic                                                                    
dispersion of the revenue generation.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  wondered whether he would  be classified as                                                                    
"elderly."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Revak replied in the affirmative.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman wondered whether  there could be a staggered                                                                    
surcharge for instate versus out of state hunters.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Revak  replied that he  did not want  to complicated                                                                    
the  bill and  leave funds  on the  table, but  was open  to                                                                    
suggestions.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Torkelson furthered  that  currently,  in statute,  the                                                                    
surcharge for residents  was $10, and the  surcharge for out                                                                    
of state residents  was $30. Therefore, there  was already a                                                                    
difference.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  wondered if  there  was  a difference  for                                                                    
intensive management.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Torkelson replied that she  could not speak to intensive                                                                    
management.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  stated that  he had been  in charge  of the                                                                    
DFG budget for over 20 years,  so he was "well aware of that                                                                    
fact."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:19:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  VINCENT-LANG,  COMMISSIONER,  DEPARTMENT OF  FISH  AND                                                                    
GAME,  explained  that  the intensive  management  (IM)  law                                                                    
allowed  for  DFG  to  identify  moose,  caribou,  and  deer                                                                    
populations that  were an especially important  food source.                                                                    
Therefore,  determining  that   populations  remained  large                                                                    
enough  to provide  food security  for  Alaskans through  an                                                                    
adequate and sustained harvest. He  stated that DFG's IM law                                                                    
was funded  from a  series of  capital budgets.  He remarked                                                                    
that hunters  became concerned about  the future of  IM when                                                                    
the capital funds ran out.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman stressed  that  there  were not  dedicated                                                                    
funds,   because   of   the  word,   "designated"   in   the                                                                    
constitution. He  wanted to hear about  the potential offset                                                                    
with other general funds.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Vincent-Lang  replied that the  surcharge would                                                                    
go  into  the  Fish  and  Game  Fund,  which  was  the  only                                                                    
"dedicated" fund in the state.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:26:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman felt  that the  federal government  should                                                                    
follow the state's hunting closures in the wintertime.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Vincent-Lang agreed.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski  asked  for   an  explanation  of  the                                                                    
federal match.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Vincent-Lang  replied that  the money  could be                                                                    
used  to match  the federal  funds three  to one.  He stated                                                                    
that most of the money  would be used for research assessing                                                                    
populations of moose, caribou, and  deer, and their predator                                                                    
populations. He stated that a  portion of the funds was also                                                                    
used without match to conduct the predator control.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wielechowski  wondered  whether  there  was  a  low                                                                    
income exemption for the surcharge.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Vincent-Lang replied  that everyone  in Alaska                                                                    
is a subsistence user, unlike  under federal law. Therefore,                                                                    
anyone considered "low income" would only pay five dollars.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop surmised that some  of the money be used for                                                                    
ariel surveys.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner Vincent-Lang agreed.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  wondered what other  funds DFG  referred to                                                                    
when "this will also free up other funds."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Vincent-Lang replied  that  if  there were  no                                                                    
surcharge, the  department would need  to dip into  the Fish                                                                    
and  Game   Fund  to  conduct  ongoing   activities  in  the                                                                    
department.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:31:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman   felt  that  if,  for   some  reason,  the                                                                    
legislation  sunsets,  there  should be  an  examination  of                                                                    
general funds for matching.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  wondered whether  any funds had  been left                                                                    
on the table through the federal government.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner  Vincent-Lang  remarked  that it  had  been  an                                                                    
issue  for a  few years,  so they  were trying  to reconcile                                                                    
that  issue. He  stressed that  there could  be an  issue of                                                                    
leaving money on the table without the legislation.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman queried  the  dollars and  years that  the                                                                    
money was lost.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Commissioner   Vincent-Lang    agreed   to    provide   that                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:34:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:35:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN  STURGEON, SAFARI  CLUB INTERNATIONAL,  ALASKA CHAPTER,                                                                    
ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference),  spoke  in  support of  the                                                                    
legislation, and felt that the program should not sunset.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:36:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AL   BARRETTE,   SELF,   FAIRBANKS   (via   teleconference),                                                                    
testified  in support  of the  bill. He  shared that  he had                                                                    
seen increases  in some of  the game populations  because of                                                                    
the program. He  offered that the bill could  be amended, to                                                                    
add to the fee of a hunting license permanently.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB  22  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:38:19 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:40:32 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 19                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the special education service                                                                            
     agency; and providing for an effective date."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:41:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIM  LAMKIN,  STAFF,  SENATOR GARY  STEVENS,  explained  the                                                                    
legislation:                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     SB 19 would extend the sunset date for the Special                                                                         
     Education Service Agency (SESA) to June 30, 2029.                                                                          
     SESA offers services not provided by any other                                                                             
     government or private sector agency in the State of                                                                        
     Alaska.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     SESA is a public agency, created in 1986 under Alaska                                                                      
     statute AS 14.30.600. It is governed by the                                                                                
     Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special                                                                             
    Education. SESA was created to assist Alaska school                                                                         
     districts   to  serve   children  with   low  incidence                                                                    
     disabilities.   Technical   assistance,   provided   by                                                                    
     specialists  with  advanced  training  and  specialized                                                                    
     disability  experience,  is  provided  at  no  cost  to                                                                    
     school districts.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Specifically, SESA is tasked to provide:                                                                                   
     (A)  itinerant outreach  services to  students who  are                                                                    
     deaf, deaf-blind, mentally retarded,                                                                                       
     hearing   impaired,  blind,   and  visually   impaired,                                                                    
     orthopedically disabled, health-impaired in                                                                                
     other ways, and severely  emotionally disturbed, and to                                                                    
     students with multiple disabilities;                                                                                       
     (B)   special  education   instructional  support   and                                                                    
     training of local school district special                                                                                  
     education personnel; and                                                                                                   
     (C)  other services  appropriate  to special  education                                                                    
     needs.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     SESA  must  be  reauthorized   this  session  to  avoid                                                                    
     discontinuation  of these  services  beginning July  1,                                                                    
     2021.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     SESA  performs an  effective and  efficient service  to                                                                    
     school districts educating students with low incidence                                                                     
     disabilities.  SESA  employs 11  education  specialists                                                                    
     who provided services to 45 school districts and more                                                                      
     than 200  students during the last  school year. During                                                                    
     this time, SESA also provided 320 onsite                                                                                   
     consultations with school districts.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The latest  AK Legislative  Budget and  Audit Committee                                                                    
    Report affirms: "SESA meets a valid public need by:                                                                         
     (1)  assisting school  districts in  providing students                                                                    
     affected by low incidence disabilities (LID) an                                                                            
     education that meets their unique needs;                                                                                   
     (2)    affording   opportunities    to   enhance    the                                                                    
     capabilities of school district teachers and                                                                               
     paraprofessionals; and                                                                                                     
     (3) providing LID and special education resources                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:43:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin highlighted the Sectional Analysis (copy on                                                                          
file):                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:  Extends the  sunset date  for SESA  to June                                                                    
     30, 2028.                                                                                                                  
     Section 2:  Provides for  a retroactive  effective date                                                                    
     in  the event  the bill  doesn't pass  before June  30,                                                                    
     2021.                                                                                                                      
     Section  3: Provides  for an  immediate effective  date                                                                    
     upon its passage.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:44:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK  PILLAI,   EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,   SPECIAL  EDUCATION                                                                    
SERVICE  AGENCY (via  teleconference), (SESA)  spoke from  a                                                                    
prepared  testimony  related  to  the  presentation  titled,                                                                    
"Introduction" (copy on file).                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai read from his prepared statement:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     This  is the  homepage of  SESA's website.  It provides                                                                    
     online  access to  program  services  and resources,  a                                                                    
     lending  library,  online professional  development  e-                                                                    
     modules, and  an easy process  for school  districts to                                                                    
     submit online  referrals for  SESA service.  The yellow                                                                    
     text,  the  agency's  mission statement,  reflects  the                                                                    
     agency's  focus   on  addressing  the   unique  special                                                                    
     education  needs  of  students, parents,  and  teachers                                                                    
     across  Alaska's 54  school  districts, via  year-round                                                                    
     onsite   and   distance  delivered   consultation   and                                                                    
     training.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:45:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     SESA's  legacy  of  special education  support  evolved                                                                    
     from the  intent of P.L.  94-142, the  Individuals with                                                                    
     Disabilities  Education Act  of  1975. Reauthorized  in                                                                    
     2004 and amended in 2015  as the Every Student Succeeds                                                                    
     Act.  The law  mandates a  free and  appropriate public                                                                    
     education to students  with disabilities. SESA activity                                                                    
     assists  parents   and  school  district   staff,  make                                                                    
     tangible,      through     specialized      educational                                                                    
     interventions,   the  services   mandated  by   special                                                                    
     education law.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The Statute  establishing SESA,  specifically addresses                                                                    
     technical assistance  and service to students  with low                                                                    
     incidence disabilities.  Low incidence  disabilities is                                                                    
     defined in the  literature as occurring in  less than 1                                                                    
     percent  of the  total  population. The  rarity of  the                                                                    
     disability  manifests   in  the  reality   of  possible                                                                    
     infrequent need  by a district, and,  as a consequence,                                                                    
     special  education  services   therefore  not  normally                                                                    
     available. An example is a  situation of one child with                                                                    
     deafness in a rural school  district, with no access to                                                                    
     a sign  language interpreter,  and a  special education                                                                    
     teacher with  no prior experience  working with  a deaf                                                                    
     child.   SESA  affords   such  sites,   access,  to   a                                                                    
     specialist with  an endorsement  in deaf  education. In                                                                    
     addition  to consultation,  support and  training other                                                                    
     supplementary services are  available, e.g., assistance                                                                    
     with  application   of  mini-grants,   programming  and                                                                    
     setting   up  assistive   technology,  cross   district                                                                    
     trainings, etc.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Although Alaska  Statute 14.30.630(b) states  that SESA                                                                    
     shall focus  on provision  of low  incidence disability                                                                    
     services,  it  does  under eligibility  of  service  in                                                                    
     AS14.30.350,  indicate that  SESA may  provide services                                                                    
     to  disability  categories  other  than  low  incidence                                                                    
     disabilities.  It is  through  this qualification  that                                                                    
     SESA provides services to  students with autism. School                                                                    
     district   requests  for   autism  services   currently                                                                    
     comprise   a  SESA   autism   caseload  exceeding   100                                                                    
     students. Requests for in-servicing  staff on the topic                                                                    
     of  autism,  continues  to  increase  each  year.  Many                                                                    
     requests  are   for  school   wide  or   district  wide                                                                    
     trainings  when numbers  of  students  with autism  are                                                                    
     high. Larger  districts have higher  numbers. Anchorage                                                                    
     700, Fairbanks 169, Kenai 110  and Juneau 78 and Kodiak                                                                    
     38. Most  rural remote schools have  numbers that range                                                                    
     from 0 to 23.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:48:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop asked for the numbers in rural Alaska by                                                                        
region.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai agreed to provide that information.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:48:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     SESA's logic  model captures the  design of  process to                                                                    
     deliver specialized services  to parents, students, and                                                                    
     school districts. The intent is  to address the gap via                                                                    
     solutions that  promote not  only availability  of SESA                                                                    
     services,  but increases,  through onsite  and distance                                                                    
     support, the local capacity of  the individual site and                                                                    
     the  school  district.  This approach  is  critical  to                                                                    
     meeting  the needs  of rural  schools  and of  creating                                                                    
     broad participant  training to address  staff turnover.                                                                    
     Through  trainings  provided  to school  districts  via                                                                    
     common platforms, collaboration  and networking amongst                                                                    
     teachers  and  paraprofessionals   is  increased.  This                                                                    
     leads to  sharing of resources, reduces  isolation, and                                                                    
     ultimately promotes  retention of  teachers, especially                                                                    
     in rural remote areas of the state.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     As   part   of   operational  process,   SESA   created                                                                    
     benchmarks  to  guide  specialist delivery  of  a  high                                                                    
     standard   of  service.   The   benchmarks  provide   a                                                                    
     threshold   of   expectation  and   guides   specialist                                                                    
     evaluation  for  continuous   improvement.  A  flow  of                                                                    
     service delivery includes:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Contact with district  staff to establish relationship,                                                                    
     identify site need, to plan TA.                                                                                            
     Complete activities of  file maintenance and compliance                                                                    
     review                                                                                                                     
     Prioritize site  need as targeted (some  local capacity                                                                    
     but site needs service),  intensive (no local capacity-                                                                    
     greatest need  for service), general  (capacity present                                                                    
     but needs minimal guidance on how to proceed).                                                                             
     Create  a  technical   assistance  objective  based  on                                                                    
     review and site communication.                                                                                             
     Provide technical assistance and training                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Slide   8   demystifies   technical   assistance!   The                                                                    
     continuum    of    services   includes    observations,                                                                    
     assessments,  educational  interventions,  modeling  of                                                                    
     strategies,     in-service     trainings,     assistive                                                                    
     technology,  and many  more pertinent  activities based                                                                    
     on requests from the  child's educational team members.                                                                    
     It  also  includes  other services  such  as  assisting                                                                    
     families  when they  visit ANMC  for medical  services,                                                                    
     organizing  and facilitating  orientation and  mobility                                                                    
     training in  the larger city  of Anchorage for O  and M                                                                    
     exposure  to  navigate   pavements,  streetlights,  and                                                                    
     traffic.   Specialists  also   work  with   vendors  to                                                                    
     troubleshoot  assistive technology  when teachers  call                                                                    
     with complaints of device non-functionality.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:51:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Using feedback from our annual  public audit and sunset                                                                    
     legislative  audits  SESA  has  designed  a  management                                                                    
     system to  include metrics  for program  and specialist                                                                    
     evaluation. Post service  satisfaction surveys are both                                                                    
     emailed  to service  recipients  and  are available  on                                                                    
     each  specialist's  I-pad   to  make  service  feedback                                                                    
     easier  to collect.  Feedback is  shared and  discussed                                                                    
     with    individual    specialists,    and    collective                                                                    
     information   is  shared   with  all   specialists  for                                                                    
     continuous  improvement  of individual  and  agencywide                                                                    
     performance.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     In   addition  to   specialist  evaluation,   the  SESA                                                                    
     management  system  is  designed  to  collect  data  on                                                                    
     various  aspects of  agency  activity.  An activity  is                                                                    
     designated as  any service contact  that is  15 minutes                                                                    
     or  more.  Service  contact less  than  15  minutes  is                                                                    
     captured  in  communication   logs.  Metrics  focus  on                                                                    
     mission  centric   activities  such  as   site  travel,                                                                    
     creation  of educational  materials,  training and  in-                                                                    
     services and  writing of student service  reports. Data                                                                    
     is analyzed  to understand variables  impacting service                                                                    
     and variables impacting the SESA budget.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     This  slide  is  a  visual example  of  the  customized                                                                    
     management  system SESA  has  designed  to ensure  data                                                                    
     driven  decision  making.  Individual  reports  provide                                                                    
     data  on specialist  activity allowing  for measurement                                                                    
     of  productivity, number  of  reports completed  within                                                                    
     agency timeframe of  10 working days from  date of site                                                                    
     visit,  schools and  sites  requesting service,  active                                                                    
     and   historical   student   caseloads   by   district,                                                                    
     location, and school, etc.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Both legislative  audits, and the program  component of                                                                    
     annual  public audits,  run  tests  of compliance  with                                                                    
     regard  to  process,  procedure and  special  education                                                                    
     laws and regulations. This section  of the database was                                                                    
     created  in   response  for  specific  data   and  with                                                                    
     feedback from  auditors. Following a  recommendation of                                                                    
     the SESA Board  to go green, SESA  management worked to                                                                    
     eliminate  paper files.  All of  SESA's student  record                                                                    
     keeping is  now electronic.  The compliance  element of                                                                    
     the SESA database  drives quarterly compliance reviews.                                                                    
     This  section   of  the  database  earns   praise  from                                                                    
     auditors  for  its  elegant  simplicity  of  compliance                                                                    
     review.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Slide  13  captures, in  red,  the  number of  students                                                                    
     attending Alaska's  schools, in any given  year between                                                                    
     2011  and  2020.  The  solid  blue  line  captures  the                                                                    
     steadily increasing  numbers of students on  SESA's low                                                                    
     incidence  caseload.  Increasing  numbers  of  students                                                                    
     with  LID means  greater need  for SESA  services. High                                                                    
     turnover of  staff in many  districts often  drives the                                                                    
     need for  repeated trainings for new  staff, especially                                                                    
     first year  teachers who may be  encountering any given                                                                    
     disability for the first time.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman looked at the legislative report, and                                                                          
noted that there were three students in Juneau, but 38 in                                                                       
Sitka and Ketchikan combined.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop stated that his office would provide the                                                                        
question.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin  stated that there  was a threshold at  which the                                                                    
district  needed to  apply their  own  resources, and  there                                                                    
were also  the type of  disabilities that factored  into the                                                                    
issue.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:00:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman wanted a more  detailed answer in reference                                                                    
to the formula.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:00:48 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
HEIDI  TESHNER,  DIRECTOR,  FINANCE  AND  SUPPORT  SERVICES,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT,  JUNEAU (via                                                                    
teleconference),  introduced  herself.  She  explained  that                                                                    
number of  participants in the  program varied based  on the                                                                    
needs of the  students. The funding itself was  based on the                                                                    
adjusted average  daily membership  multiplied by  $18.65 as                                                                    
set out in statute.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  wondered how  long the  rate of  $18.65 had                                                                    
been in effect.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Teshner  replied  that  she  did  not  have  the  exact                                                                    
timeframe.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin explained that current formula was set in 2013.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Slide 14  is a history  of SESA fund balance  from 2013                                                                    
     and  projected  to 2023.  The  cycle  captures the  low                                                                    
     funds  usually  seen  at  the end  of  a  sunset  cycle                                                                    
     (2013), higher  funds at the  middle of the  cycle, and                                                                    
     the trending  to lower fund  balance at the end  of the                                                                    
     cycle  as a  result  of increasing  costs. The  typical                                                                    
     scenario  is  slightly different  in  2021  due to  two                                                                    
     premium  holidays  of  health insurance,  two  unfilled                                                                    
     specialist  vacancies, unspent  travel  funds in  COVID                                                                    
     times, $175,000 in  discretionary funding received from                                                                    
     DEED  to assist  SESA to  hire two  new specialists  in                                                                    
     2019,    and    to    boost   fund    balance    beyond                                                                    
     reauthorization,   without  knowing   when  a   funding                                                                    
     increase  may next  be  feasible.  SESA's last  funding                                                                    
     increase was  in 2014, fifteen years  post the previous                                                                    
     funding  increase.   At  the end  of  this fiscal  year                                                                    
     (2021), due  to the  impact of  COVID-19 on  travel, we                                                                    
     anticipate adding $120,000 to  fund balance. At the end                                                                    
     of  FY22, factoring  for cost  increases we  anticipate                                                                    
     using $578,000 from  fund balance. This is  as a result                                                                    
     of the  impact of a  CPI index increase of  6.3 percent                                                                    
     over  the  last  7  years and  compounding  salary  and                                                                    
     health  benefit  increases  to  stay  competitive  with                                                                    
     hiring.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:06:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson wondered whether SESA had any Coronavirus                                                                        
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai replied in the negative.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The recently  completed legislative audit  concurs that                                                                    
     SESA  meets the  needs of  students with  low incidence                                                                    
     disabilities,    provides   professional    development                                                                    
     opportunities   to   teachers  and   paraprofessionals,                                                                    
     provides  special education  resources  to parents  and                                                                    
     school   district   staff,   and   concludes   with   a                                                                    
     recommendation     for     an    8-year     legislative                                                                    
     reauthorization.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:06:46 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     SESA   is  requesting   reauthorization,  to   continue                                                                    
     providing the  key services identified by  the state of                                                                    
     Alaska,  as being  important to  the full  academic and                                                                    
     social development  of a child with  a disability. This                                                                    
     includes  all the  activities  of technical  assistance                                                                    
     reviewed earlier in the presentation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pillai continued to read from his prepared statement:                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     SESA's customized database allows  us to run reports of                                                                    
     agency productivity.  The slide captures  activities of                                                                    
     technical assistance, of  schools and districts served,                                                                    
     of trainings (customized  and general) conducted onsite                                                                    
     and  via distance  delivery, and  an analysis  of funds                                                                    
     saved  with   SESA's  investment  in   technologies  of                                                                    
     distance delivery.  Savings are more than  indicated on                                                                    
     slide  17 since  savings  are also  realized with  site                                                                    
     consultation provided via distance delivery.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman wondered whether the department or                                                                              
administration supported the legislation.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Teshner replied that DEED supported the legislation.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman queried department's  position on the amount                                                                    
of funding that had not been increased since FY 13.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Teshner replied  that  the department  did  not have  a                                                                    
position on  the amount,  but were  supportive of  SESA. She                                                                    
felt that matching funds would be worth addressing.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin  felt that the  Ms. Curtis would  provide further                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:09:54 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,   LEGISLATIVE  AUDITOR,  ALASKA   DIVISION  OF                                                                    
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, discussed the audit (copy on file).                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Curtis continued to discuss the audit.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Curtis stated that the audit had one recommendation.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:15:24 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  wondered whether  the recommendation  was to                                                                    
allow  more students  to receive  services or  to make  them                                                                    
ineligible for services.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Curtis replied  that the  recommendation was  simply to                                                                    
improve documentation.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  wondered whether Anchorage  was exempt                                                                    
from the program.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Curtis  replied that  there  should  not be  many  SESA                                                                    
students  in  large  districts, because  it  was  considered                                                                    
supplemental to "help fill the holes. "                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:19:05 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
KATIE  BOTZ, SELF,  JUNEAU  (via  teleconference), spoke  in                                                                    
support of the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB 19 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
10:25:18 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m.                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
01_SB019_SESA_SponsorStatement.pdf SEDC 2/5/2021 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
08_SB019_SESA_Research_LBA-Audit_Full-Report_03April2020.pdf SEDC 2/5/2021 9:00:00 AM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
SB 19 - Summary-of-Changes_from A to B.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
SB 19 - Sectional_version B.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
SB 19 - SESA_Presentation_Pillai_05Feb2021.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
SB 22 Sponsor Statement 2-12-21.pdf HRES 3/24/2021 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/26/2021 1:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SRES 2/15/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 22
SB 22 APHA Letter of Support 2.4.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SRES 2/15/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 22
SB 22 DWC IM Activities and Spending FY18-FY20 Support 2.10.21.pdf HRES 3/24/2021 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/26/2021 1:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SRES 2/15/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 22
SB 22 RHAK Letter of Support 1.27.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SRES 2/15/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 22
SB 22 Support Doc DF&G Hunting License Surcharge Revenue 1.21.21.pdf HRES 3/24/2021 1:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB22 DF&G IM Info Sheet Support 2.5.21.pdf HRES 3/24/2021 1:00:00 PM
HRES 3/26/2021 1:00:00 PM
SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SRES 2/15/2021 3:30:00 PM
SB 22
SB 22 Support Letter ADF&G 2.9.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 22 Support Letter Fairbanks F&G Advisory Board 2.12.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 22 Support Letter SCI Kenai 2.15.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 22 Testimony 2.15.21.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 19 - NEW FN DEED 021521.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19
SB 22 02.14.2021 SCI AK Support.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 22 Support Claus.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 22
SB 19 SESA_Support Letters_bundled_as of 24Feb2021.pdf SFIN 3/2/2021 9:00:00 AM
SB 19