SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE March 13, 1996 9:40 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Lyda Green, Chairman Senator Mike Miller Senator Johnny Ellis Senator Judy Salo MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Loren Leman, Vice-Chairman COMMITTEE CALENDAR -- CONFIRMATION HEARINGS: State Medical Board - Keith Brownsberger, M.D.; Beverly Fletcher; Donald Hudson, D.O.; Sara Isto, M.D.; Suzanne Lombardi; and Donald Olson, M.D. Professional Teaching Practices Commission - Peggy Conner Jones; Bruce Johnson; Marsha Van Abel; and Jacquie Whitmore SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25 Relating to supporting home schooling and establishing Alaska Home Education Week. PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION SCR 25 - No previous action to record. WITNESS REGISTER Senator Mike Miller State Capitol Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Prime sponsor of SCR 25. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 96-19, SIDE A Confirmations  Number 001 CHAIRMAN GREEN called the Senate Health, Education and Social Services (HESS) Committee to order at 9:40 a.m. She asked if anyone had any objections to the following State Medical Board nominees: Keith Brownsberger, M.D.; Beverly Fletcher; Donald Hudson, D.O.; Sarah Isto, M.D.; Suzanne Lombardi; and Donald Olson, M.D. There were no objections. Number 035 SENATOR MILLER moved that those names be passed out of committee with individual recommendations to the full body. Hearing no objections, it was so ordered. CHAIRMAN GREEN listed the following names of the Professional Teaching Practices Commission nominees: Peggy Conner Jones, Bruce Johnson, Marsha Van Abel, and Jacquie Whitmore. SENATOR MILLER moved that those names be passed out of committee with individual recommendations to the full body. Hearing no objections, it was so ordered. Number 095 SCR 25 ALASKA HOME EDUCATION WEEK  CHAIRMAN GREEN introduced SCR 25 as the next order of business. SENATOR MILLER, Prime Sponsor, explained that SCR 25 would establish a Home Education Week, October 13-19, 1996. He pointed out that there are letters of support in the committee packets. This would ask the departments, school districts, and home educating parents to work together. The Fairbanks area has been very supportive of home educators. Senator Miller noted that both of his children had been home educated through the Fairbanks North Star Borough District. CHAIRMAN GREEN mentioned that in her district, if all the home schooled children returned to public school, three new buildings would be needed. SENATOR MILLER said that Rick Cross has estimated that about a third of the students in Senator Miller's district are either in home schooling or other private education situations. SENATOR ELLIS did not have a problem with the resolution. He supported the ability for a parent to chooses to home school their children. Senator Ellis expressed concern with page 2, lines 12 and 17; is there currently a problem that the resolution would correct? SENATOR MILLER clarified that the language attempted to ensure that a problem would not occur. In Senator Miller's experience, the school districts have been very helpful in accommodating home schooling. Number 152 SENATOR MILLER moved that SCR 25 be moved out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. Hearing no objections, it was so ordered. CHAIRMAN GREEN informed those on line for the confirmations that the applicants' names had been forwarded to the full body. She explained that the teleconference line was down when those names were passed out of committee. There being no further business before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 9:49 a.m.