ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE  February 8, 2010 8:05 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Cathy Engstrom Munoz, Vice Chair Representative Bryce Edgmon Representative Peggy Wilson Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Paul Seaton, Chair Representative Wes Keller Representative Berta Gardner COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 295 "An Act relating to the grant of certain state land to the University of Alaska; relating to the duties of the Board of Regents; relating to deposits made to the Alaska permanent fund received from certain lands conveyed to the University of Alaska; ratifying and reauthorizing certain prior conveyances of land to the University of Alaska; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED CSHB 295(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 235 "An Act relating to professional student exchange program availability and conditions for loan forgiveness." - MOVED CSHB 235(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE   PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 295 SHORT TITLE: UNIVERSITY LAND GRANT SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR 01/19/10 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/19/10 (H) EDC, RES, FIN 01/27/10 (H) CRA REFERRAL ADDED AFTER EDC 01/29/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 01/29/10 (H) Heard & Held 01/29/10 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 02/05/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 02/05/10 (H) Heard & Held 02/05/10 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 02/08/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 BILL: HB 235 SHORT TITLE: PROF STUDENT EXCHANGE LOAN FORGIVENESS SPONSOR(s): MUNOZ 04/16/09 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/16/09 (H) EDC, FIN 01/22/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 01/22/10 (H) Heard & Held 01/22/10 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 02/01/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 02/01/10 (H) Heard & Held 02/01/10 (H) MINUTE(EDC) 02/08/10 (H) EDC AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106 WITNESS REGISTER WENDY REDMOND, Executive Vice President University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Participated in the discussion, during the hearing on HB 295. DICK MYLIUS, Director Division of Mining, Land and Water Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Commented to the amendment to HB 295. KENDRA KLOSTER, Staff Representative Cathy Munoz Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an amendment and responded to questions on HB 235. ACTION NARRATIVE 8:05:42 AM VICE CHAIR CATHY ENGSTROM MUNOZ called the House Education Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:05 a.m. Representatives Munoz, P. Wilson, Edgmon, and Buch, were present at the call to order. HB 295-UNIVERSITY LAND GRANT  8:05:58 AM VICE CHAIR MUNOZ announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 295, "An Act relating to the grant of certain state land to the University of Alaska; relating to the duties of the Board of Regents; relating to deposits made to the Alaska permanent fund received from certain lands conveyed to the University of Alaska; ratifying and reauthorizing certain prior conveyances of land to the University of Alaska; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date." 8:09:01 AM VICE CHAIR MUNOZ closed public testimony. 8:09:06 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON, offered an amendment, [the amendment consisted of two amendments labeled 26-GH2829\A.2, Bullock, 2/6/10, and 26-GH2829\A.1, Bullock, 2/4/10], which read: Page 9, line 22: Delete "Parcel Number PA.1002, Mite Cove" Insert "Parcel C18" Page 9, line 7: Delete "December 1, 2011" Insert "January 1, 2013" Page 9, line 9: Delete "June 30, 2012" Insert "June 30, 2013" REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON referred to page 9, line 7, and said: Communities that became boroughs, during this time, ... would be able to pick their land before the university got theirs. ... Wrangell, [is] now a borough ... [and] DNR has said how much land they are going to get, and it's way, way, less than what has been the average in the past, and so they are appealing that. ... Because of that appeal we need to extend that date. 8:12:02 AM REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON objected for discussion. 8:12:24 AM WENDY REDMOND, Executive Vice President, University of Alaska, requested clarity, and said: Was the intent to replace this parcel in Pelican with the parcel that had been chosen originally, before we changed it to this one. REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON explained that, rather than switch it, the parcel is being dropped out, which is considered to be a cleaner move and avoids complication. MS. REDMOND commented that it seems an unfortunate move, as the university may have been able to help out the city of Pelican, but stated continued support for the bill, as amended. 8:13:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON removed his objection. VICE CHAIR MUNOZ, hearing no further objection, announced that the amendment was adopted. 8:15:23 AM DICK MYLIUS, Director, Division of Mining, Land and Water, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said: On the amendment, regarding Wrangell and the change of dates: This allows the city more time to select those lands, but they're still constrained by the deadlines that are in AS 29.65. ... AS 29.65 will actually control the schedule for the city. REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON stated that Wrangell city officials do understand the parameters that they will be working under for the land selection. 8:19:01 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to report HB 295, 26-GH2829\A, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 295(EDC) was reported from the House Education Standing Committee. 8:19:38 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:20 a.m. to 8:24 a.m. HB 235-PROF STUDENT EXCHANGE LOAN FORGIVENESS  8:24:23 AM VICE CHAIR MUNOZ announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 235, "An Act relating to professional student exchange program availability and conditions for loan forgiveness." 8:24:41 AM KENDRA KLOSTER, Staff, Representative Cathy Munoz, Alaska State Legislature, directed attention to a memorandum from Mary Ellen Beardsley, dated 2/2/10, addressed to Diane Barrans, to explain the proposed change to page 2, line 11, and read: The language of HB 235 is mandatory and does not allow ACPE [Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education] to issue PSEP [Professional Student Exchange Program] loans without the loan forgiveness benefit. There is a funding concern as it relates to this mandatory language. There needs to be an ability on the part of ACPE to issue PSEP loans to participants without the loan forgiveness benefit ... MS. KLOSTER explained that the purpose for inserting "If money has been appropriated for this purpose", is to allow loans without the loan forgiveness benefit to be made by ACPE should the legislature not fund the program, regardless of whether the legislature funds the program. Additionally, on page 2, following line 25, alignment language has been inserted in Section 4, to bring subsection (a) into accord with existing AS 14.44.025 subsection (b). Next, the definition of medical assistance, as defined under AS 47.07, is being inserted on page 2, line 30. Finally, on page 2, line 31, the question of how large facilities would have billings submitted, is addressed by having bills submitted by the practice. 8:28:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON moved Amendment 1, labeled 26-LS0913\R.5, Chenoweth/Mischel, 2/8/10, which read: Page 2, line 11: Delete "The" Insert "If money has been appropriated for the purpose, the" Page 2, line 20: Delete "In addition to other loan forgiveness benefits available to a participant," Insert "If money has been appropriated for the purpose, and as an alternative to loan forgiveness benefits provided under (a) of this section," Page 2, following line 25: Insert a new paragraph to read: "(2) practices in the state in a field of study described in AS 14.44.025(b) for not less than 750 hours during the year;" Renumber the following paragraphs accordingly. Page 2, line 30: Delete "in the state," Insert "as provided in AS 47.07," Page 2, line 31: Delete "participant's" Page 2, line 31, following "billings": Insert "submitted by the practice" There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 8:29:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON moved to report HB 235, 26-LS0913\R, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 235(EDC) was reported from the House Education Standing Committee. ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:31 a.m.