SCS CSHB 69(EDC): "An Act relating to education; relating to classroom sizes in public schools; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to education reports; relating to the collection of data on the progress of high school graduating classes in the state; relating to a student academic performance improvement recognition program; relating to charter schools; relating to correspondence study programs; relating to the required local contribution of a city or borough school district; relating to the base student allocation; relating to the provision of special education and related services; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; relating to the duties of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; and providing for an effective date."
00 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(EDC) 01 "An Act relating to education; relating to classroom sizes in public schools; relating to 02 open enrollment in public schools; relating to education reports; relating to the 03 collection of data on the progress of high school graduating classes in the state; relating 04 to a student academic performance improvement recognition program; relating to 05 charter schools; relating to correspondence study programs; relating to the required 06 local contribution of a city or borough school district; relating to the base student 07 allocation; relating to the provision of special education and related services; relating to 08 reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in 09 public schools; relating to the duties of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board; 10 establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; and providing for an effective date." 11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 12 * Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read:
01 Sec. 14.03.065. Maximum classroom size. Each school district shall establish 02 and make available to the public a target average class size policy for each grade level. 03 The target average class size for pre-kindergarten through grade six may not exceed 23 04 and the target average class size for grades seven through 12 may not exceed 30. The 05 policy may exclude mixed grade classes and courses in art, library, music, computer 06 science, vocational-technical, and physical education. The policy must include 07 procedures to reduce class sizes when the school district determines a reduction is 08 appropriate. 09 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.080(a) is amended to read: 10 (a) A child of school age is entitled to attend 11 (1) public school without payment of tuition during the school term in 12 the school district in which the child is a resident subject to the provisions of 13 AS 14.14.110 and 14.14.120; and 14 (2) upon application to the school, any other public school located 15 outside the child's residential school district that is selected by the child's parent, 16 subject to provisions established by the school district under an enrollment 17 policy; the policy must 18 (A) consider the military status of a parent or guardian of 19 the child; 20 (B) address school capacity; the local school board of the 21 district shall determine the capacity of schools in the district; 22 (C) prioritize the placement of siblings in the same school 23 and the placement of a child in a school at which the child's parent or 24 guardian is employed; and 25 (D) establish a procedure for appealing a denial of an 26 enrollment application. 27 * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.080 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 28 (i) Each school district shall, for each school in the district, publish on the 29 school district's Internet website or on the school's Internet webpage information about 30 the school's enrollment policies and the enrollment application process. 31 * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.120(d) is amended to read:
01 (d) Annually, before the date set by the district under (e) of this section, each 02 public school shall deliver to the department for posting on the department's Internet 03 website and provide, in a public meeting of parents, students, and community 04 members, a report on the school's performance and the performance of the school's 05 students. The report shall be prepared on a form prescribed by the department and 06 must include 07 (1) information on accreditation; 08 (2) results of norm-referenced achievement tests that measure 09 student academic performance over time; 10 (3) results of state standards-based assessments in language arts and 11 mathematics; 12 (4) a description, including quantitative and qualitative measures, of 13 student, parent, community, and business involvement in student learning; 14 (5) a description of the school's attendance, retention, dropout, and 15 graduation rates as specified by the state board; 16 (6) the annual percent of enrollment change, regardless of reason, and 17 the annual percent of enrollment change due to student transfers into and out of the 18 school district; 19 (7) if Native language education is provided, a summary and 20 evaluation of the curriculum described in AS 14.30.420; 21 (8) the performance designation assigned the school under 22 AS 14.03.123 and the methodology used to assign the performance designation, 23 including the measures used and their relative weights; 24 (9) other information concerning school performance and the 25 performance of the school's students as required by the state board in regulation; and 26 (10) information on the number, attendance, and performance of 27 students enrolled in the school whose parents or guardians are on active duty in the 28 armed forces of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, the Alaska National 29 Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, or the Alaska State Defense Force. 30 * Sec. 5. AS 14.03.120(g) is amended to read: 31 (g) To the extent allowable under state and federal privacy laws, each district
01 shall annually report to the department information from the previous school year 02 regarding 03 (1) the number of students and teaching staff assigned to each 04 classroom in grades kindergarten through 12 [THREE]; 05 (2) the number and percentage of students 06 (A) in grades kindergarten through three who demonstrated 07 improvement on expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening tool; 08 (B) in grades kindergarten through three who performed below 09 expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening tool, by grade; 10 (C) in grades kindergarten through three who did not progress 11 to the next grade and the reasons the students did not progress; 12 (D) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to 13 progress to grade four based on the statewide screening tool; 14 (E) in grade three who progressed to grade four based on a 15 waiver under AS 14.30.765(f); 16 (F) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to 17 progress to grade four based on an alternative standardized reading screening; 18 (G) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to 19 progress to grade four based on a student reading portfolio; 20 (3) the performance on the statewide screening tool of students in a 21 grade above grade three who did not progress to grade four or who progressed to grade 22 four based on a waiver under AS 14.30.765(f). 23 * Sec. 6. AS 14.03.120 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 24 (k) The department shall collaborate with the Department of Labor and 25 Workforce Development under AS 44.31.020 to gather data on the progress of each 26 high school graduating class in a district by collecting career, postsecondary 27 education, and residency data on each student in the graduating class. The departments 28 shall gather the data every five years for 20 years after the high school graduation date 29 of the class. 30 (l) If a school district fails to meet a target average class size established by 31 the district under AS 14.03.065, the district shall include in the district's report
01 prepared under (d) of this section an explanation of the district's plan to meet the target 02 average class size. 03 * Sec. 7. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 04 Sec. 14.03.122. Student academic performance improvement recognition 05 program. The department shall develop a program to provide recognition to school 06 districts, schools, school staff, and students in a school whose efforts lead to 07 improvement of student academic performance over time for students in the school, as 08 measured by norm-referenced achievement tests that measure student academic 09 performance over time. As part of the program, the department shall provide special 10 recognition to a school that shows 75 percent or greater improvement in student 11 academic performance for students in the school, as measured by norm-referenced 12 achievement tests that measure student academic performance over time. The 13 department may, subject to appropriation, provide financial incentive payments to the 14 school as part of the special recognition. 15 * Sec. 8. AS 14.03.253(b) is amended to read: 16 (b) In an appeal to the state Board of Education and Early Development of a 17 denial of a charter school application under (a)(3) of this section, the state board shall 18 determine, based on the record, whether the commissioner's findings are supported by 19 substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law. The state board shall 20 issue a written decision within 45 [90] days after the state board receives an appeal. 21 * Sec. 9. AS 14.03.255(c) is amended to read: 22 (c) A charter school shall operate under a contract between the charter school 23 and the local school board. A contract must contain the following provisions: 24 (1) a description of the educational program; 25 (2) specific levels of achievement for the education program; 26 (3) admission policies and procedures; 27 (4) administrative policies; 28 (5) a statement of the charter school's funding allocation from the local 29 school board and costs assignable to the charter school program budget; 30 (6) the method by which the charter school will account for receipts 31 and expenditures;
01 (7) the location and description of the facility; 02 (8) the name of the teacher, or teachers, who, by agreement between 03 the charter school and the teacher, will teach in the charter school; 04 (9) the teacher-to-student ratio; 05 (10) the number of students served; 06 (11) the term of the contract, not to exceed a term of 10 years; 07 (12) a termination clause providing that the contract may be terminated 08 by the local school board for the failure of the charter school to meet educational 09 achievement goals or fiscal management standards, or for other good cause; 10 (13) a clause providing that the local school board may only 11 terminate a contract under the standards and procedures established in 12 AS 14.03.256; 13 (14) a statement that the charter school will comply with all state and 14 federal requirements for receipt and use of public money; 15 (15) [(14)] other requirements or exemptions agreed on [UPON] by the 16 charter school and the local school board. 17 * Sec. 10. AS 14.03.255 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 18 (e) A local school board may establish simplified procedures and standards for 19 a renewal of a contract in good standing, as defined by the local school board, between 20 the local school board and a charter school. 21 * Sec. 11. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 22 Sec. 14.03.256. Charter school termination. (a) A local school board may 23 terminate a contract between the local school board and a charter school only if the 24 charter school has 25 (1) failed to comply with a condition or material term of the contract or 26 AS 14.03.250 - 14.03.290; or 27 (2) intentionally or fraudulently misrepresented, in whole or in part, 28 material facts or circumstances upon which the contract was made. 29 (b) Before termination of a contract under this section, the local school board 30 shall give the charter school written notice of the local school board's intent to 31 terminate the contract. The local school board may also provide the charter school
01 with a reasonable opportunity, as determined by the local school board, to cure any 02 deficiency that is the basis for the termination if the local school board determines that 03 curing the deficiency is appropriate under the circumstances. 04 (c) A charter school whose contract is terminated under this section may file 05 an appeal with the superior court under the Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure. 06 * Sec. 12. AS 14.03.260(a) is amended to read: 07 (a) A local school board shall provide an approved charter school with an 08 annual program budget. The budget shall be not less than the amount generated by the 09 students enrolled in the charter school less administrative costs retained by the local 10 school district. Administrative costs are [,] determined by applying the indirect cost 11 rate approved by the department up to eight [FOUR] percent or the actual accrued 12 administrative costs, whichever is less. Costs directly related to charter school 13 facilities, including rent, utilities, and maintenance, may not be included in an annual 14 program budget for the purposes of calculating the [FOUR PERCENT] cap on 15 administrative costs under this subsection. A local school board shall provide a charter 16 school with a report itemizing the administrative costs retained by the local school 17 board under this section. The "amount generated by students enrolled in the charter 18 school" is to be determined in the same manner as it would be for a student enrolled in 19 another public school in that school district and includes funds generated by grants, 20 appropriations, federal impact aid, the required local contribution, the local 21 contribution under AS 14.17.410(c), special needs under AS 14.17.420(a)(1), and 22 secondary school vocational and technical instruction under AS 14.17.420(a)(3). A 23 school district shall direct state aid under AS 14.11 for the construction or major 24 maintenance of a charter school facility to the charter school that generated the state 25 aid, subject to the same terms and conditions that apply to state aid under AS 14.11 for 26 construction or major maintenance of a school facility that is not a charter school. 27 * Sec. 13. AS 14.03.300 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 28 (c) Each district that provides a correspondence study program, and the 29 department if the department provides a correspondence study program, shall prepare 30 an annual report that includes 31 (1) the number of students enrolled in the program;
01 (2) the demographic information of the students enrolled in the 02 program; 03 (3) a detailed record of each student allotment provided under 04 AS 14.03.310 and of each expenditure made with the allotment; 05 (4) a random sample of 25 percent of services and materials purchased 06 under AS 14.03.310(b)(1); 07 (5) assessment and proficiency scores of the students enrolled in the 08 program; and 09 (6) a review of curricula that have been provided by the program or 10 purchased using allotment funds. 11 (d) A district shall submit a report required under (c) of this section to the 12 department, and the department shall provide the report to the state Board of 13 Education and Early Development. If the department provides a correspondence study 14 program, the department shall also submit to the state board the department's report 15 required under (c) of this section. 16 * Sec. 14. AS 14.03.310(a) is amended to read: 17 (a) Except as provided in (e) and (f) of this section, the department or a 18 district that provides a correspondence study program may provide an annual student 19 allotment to a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the correspondence study 20 program for the purpose of meeting instructional expenses for the student enrolled in 21 the program as provided in this section. 22 * Sec. 15. AS 14.03.310 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 23 (f) The department or a district that provides a correspondence study program 24 may only provide an annual student allotment to a parent or guardian of a student 25 enrolled in the correspondence study program if, during the previous semester, the 26 student 27 (1) participated in a state standards-based summative assessment or an 28 alternative assessment approved by the department; or 29 (2) submitted a student portfolio based on criteria established by the 30 department in regulation. 31 (g) The requirements of (f) of this section do not apply to the first semester a
01 student is enrolled in a correspondence study program. 02 * Sec. 16. AS 14.07.168 is amended to read: 03 Sec. 14.07.168. Report to the legislature. Not later than the 30th legislative 04 day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall prepare and present in 05 person to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education an annual 06 report that describes the efforts of the board to develop, maintain, and continuously 07 improve a comprehensive quality public education system, as provided for under the 08 bylaws of the board. The report must include 09 (1) a summary of the resolves and rationales provided in support of 10 policy decisions made under AS 14.03.015; 11 (2) program and curriculum changes made, discussed, or 12 recommended in meetings held under AS 14.07.125; 13 (3) additional information relevant to efforts made to improve and 14 maintain the public education system; 15 (4) a summary of implementation and utilization of the consortium 16 established under AS 14.30.800, including a review of consortium effectiveness and 17 the participation rates of districts, teachers, and students; 18 (5) the information reported to the board under AS 14.03.300(d). 19 * Sec. 17. AS 14.07.168, as amended by sec. 23, ch. 40, SLA 2022, is amended to read: 20 Sec. 14.07.168. Report to the legislature. Not later than the 30th legislative 21 day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall prepare and present in 22 person to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education an annual 23 report that describes the efforts of the board to develop, maintain, and continuously 24 improve a comprehensive quality public education system, as provided for under the 25 bylaws of the board. The report must include 26 (1) a summary of the resolves and rationales provided in support of 27 policy decisions made under AS 14.03.015; 28 (2) program and curriculum changes made, discussed, or 29 recommended in meetings held under AS 14.07.125; 30 (3) additional information relevant to efforts made to improve and 31 maintain the public education system;
01 (4) the information reported to the board under AS 14.03.300(d). 02 * Sec. 18. AS 14.17.410(c) is amended to read: 03 (c) In addition to the local contribution required under (b)(2) of this section, 04 and except as provided in (g) of this section, a city or borough school district in a 05 fiscal year may make a local contribution of not more than the greater of 06 (1) the equivalent of a two mill tax levy on the full and true value of 07 the taxable real and personal property in the district as of January 1 of the second 08 preceding fiscal year, as determined by the Department of Commerce, Community, 09 and Economic Development under AS 14.17.510 and AS 29.45.110; or 10 (2) 23 percent of the total of the district's basic need for the fiscal year 11 under (b)(1) of this section and any additional funding distributed to the district in a 12 fiscal year according to (b) of this section. 13 * Sec. 19. AS 14.17.410 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14 (g) A city or borough school district may exceed the voluntary local 15 contribution limit established in (c) of this section only if the contribution made in 16 excess of the limit is not for current expenditures as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7713(4) or 17 34 C.F.R. 222.161(c). 18 * Sec. 20. AS 14.17.470 is amended to read: 19 Sec. 14.17.470. Base student allocation. The base student allocation is $6,960 20 [$5,960]. 21 * Sec. 21. AS 14.30.010(b) is amended to read: 22 (b) This section does not apply if a child 23 (1) is provided an academic education comparable to that offered by 24 the public schools in the area [, EITHER] by 25 (A) attendance at a private school in which the teachers are 26 certificated according to AS 14.20.020; 27 (B) tutoring by personnel certificated according to 28 AS 14.20.020; or 29 (C) attendance at an educational program operated in 30 compliance with AS 14.45.100 - 14.45.200 by a religious or other private 31 school;
01 (2) attends a school operated by the federal government; 02 (3) has a physical or mental condition that a competent medical 03 authority determines will make attendance impractical; 04 (4) is in the custody of a court or law enforcement authorities; 05 (5) is temporarily ill or injured; 06 (6) has been suspended or expelled under AS 14.03.160 or suspended 07 or denied admittance under AS 14.30.045; 08 (7) resides more than two miles from either a public school or a route 09 on which transportation is provided by the school authorities, except that this 10 paragraph does not apply if the child resides within two miles of a federal or private 11 school that the child is eligible and able to attend; 12 (8) is excused by action of the school board of the district at a regular 13 meeting or by the district superintendent subject to approval by the school board of the 14 district at the next regular meeting; 15 (9) has completed the 12th grade; 16 (10) is enrolled in 17 (A) a state boarding school established under AS 14.16; or 18 (B) a full-time program of correspondence study approved by 19 the department; in those school districts providing an approved correspondence 20 study program, a student may be enrolled either in the district correspondence 21 program or in the centralized correspondence study program; 22 (11) is equally well-served by an educational experience approved by 23 the school board as serving the child's educational interests despite an absence from 24 school, and the request for excuse is made in writing by the child's parents or guardian 25 and approved by the principal or administrator of the school that the child attends; 26 (12) is being educated in the child's home by a parent or legal 27 guardian; 28 (13) is enrolled in a public school in a district in which the child 29 does not reside as permitted under AS 14.03.080(a)(2). 30 * Sec. 22. AS 14.30.186(a) is amended to read: 31 (a) Special education and related services shall be provided by
01 (1) a borough or city school district for a child with a disability 02 residing within the district or attending a school in the district under 03 AS 14.03.080(a)(2); 04 (2) the board of a regional educational attendance area operating a 05 school in the area for a child with a disability residing in the area served by the school 06 or attending a school in the area under AS 14.03.080(a)(2); 07 (3) the borough, city school district, or regional educational attendance 08 area in which a treatment institution, as that term is defined in AS 47.14.990, juvenile 09 detention facility or juvenile treatment facility, as those terms are defined in 10 AS 47.12.990, or a correctional facility is located for a child with a disability placed at 11 the facility; 12 (4) a state boarding school established under AS 14.16 for a child with 13 a disability enrolled at a state boarding school; or 14 (5) a school district that provides a statewide correspondence study 15 program for a child with a disability who is enrolled in the program. 16 * Sec. 23. AS 14.30.186(e) is amended to read: 17 (e) If the parent of a child with a disability elects to educate the child as 18 allowed under AS 14.30.010(b)(1) - (12) [AS 14.30.010(b)], the child may not be 19 compelled to receive the special education and related services provided under 20 AS 14.30.180 - 14.30.350. 21 * Sec. 24. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 22 Sec. 14.30.773. Reading proficiency incentive grants. (a) Subject to 23 appropriation, a school district is eligible to receive a reading proficiency incentive 24 grant of not less than $450 for each student 25 (1) entering kindergarten who does not demonstrate kindergarten 26 readiness as shown by a comprehensive assessment for kindergarten readiness 27 approved by the department; 28 (2) in kindergarten through grade three who performs below proficient 29 or proficient based on a standards-based assessment approved by the department and 30 administered in the fall. 31 * Sec. 25. AS 14.33 is amended by adding a new section to read:
01 Article 5. Wireless Telecommunications Devices. 02 Sec. 14.33.300. Wireless telecommunications device policy. (a) Each school 03 district shall adopt a policy that regulates the possession and use of nonschool-issued 04 wireless telecommunications devices during regular school hours, including lunch and 05 passing periods. Each school district shall share this policy with parents or guardians, 06 students, volunteers, and school employees. If a school district's policy prohibits the 07 use of nonschool-issued wireless telecommunications devices, the policy must allow 08 exceptions for students to use a wireless telecommunications device for medical or 09 translation purposes, in the event of an emergency, or when a teacher or administrator 10 of the school grants permission to a student to use a wireless telecommunications 11 device for educational purposes. 12 (b) This section does not authorize a person to monitor, collect, or access 13 information related to a student's use of a wireless telecommunications device. 14 (c) In this section, "wireless telecommunications device" means any portable 15 wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data 16 communication between two or more parties. 17 * Sec. 26. AS 23.15.820(a) is amended to read: 18 (a) The Alaska Workforce Investment Board shall 19 (1) administer the Alaska technical and vocational education program 20 established in AS 23.15.820 - 23.15.850; 21 (2) facilitate the development of a statewide policy for a coordinated 22 and effective technical and vocational education training system in this state and, to 23 the extent authorized by federal and state law, plan and coordinate federal, state, and 24 local efforts in technical and vocational education programs; 25 (3) adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) 26 to carry out the purposes of AS 23.15.820 - 23.15.850; 27 (4) facilitate the development and implementation of a statewide 28 policy and procedure that provides for the acceptance of credit or hours toward a 29 degree or technical program offered by a vocational or technical training center in the 30 state for an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence of successful completion of 31 relevant military education, training, or service as a member of the armed forces of the
01 United States, the United States Reserves, the National Guard of any state, the 02 Military Reserves of any state, or the Naval Militia of any state; 03 (5) partner with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary 04 Education, the Department of Education and Early Development, and school 05 districts in the state to 06 (A) provide to each high school student an opportunity to 07 take a career or college entrance examination or assessment; and 08 (B) establish a recognition program for high schools at 09 which 90 percent or more of the school's students take at least one career 10 or college entrance examination or assessment. 11 * Sec. 27. AS 44.31.020 is amended to read: 12 Sec. 44.31.020. Duties of department. The Department of Labor and 13 Workforce Development shall 14 (1) enforce the laws and adopt regulations under them concerning 15 employer-employee relationships, including the safety, hours of work, wages, and 16 conditions of workers, including children; 17 (2) accumulate, analyze, and report labor statistics; 18 (3) operate systems of workers' compensation and unemployment 19 insurance; 20 (4) gather data reflecting the cost of living in various locations of the 21 state upon request of the director of personnel under AS 39.27.030; 22 (5) operate the federally funded employment and training programs 23 under 29 U.S.C. 2801 - 2945 (Workforce Investment Act of 1998); 24 (6) administer the state's program of adult basic education and adopt 25 regulations to administer the program; and 26 (7) administer the programs of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center 27 and adopt regulations to administer the programs, including regulations that set rates 28 for student tuition and room and board and fees for the programs and services 29 provided by the department regarding the Alaska Vocational Technical Center; 30 (8) gather data on the progress of each high school graduating 31 class in a district by collecting career, postsecondary education, and residency
01 data on each student in the graduating class; the department shall gather the 02 data required under this paragraph every five years for 20 years after the high 03 school graduation date of each high school graduating class; the department shall 04 publish a biennial report on the data gathered under this paragraph; in this 05 paragraph, "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990. 06 * Sec. 28. AS 14.03.300(b) is repealed. 07 * Sec. 29. AS 14.03.310(c) is repealed July 1, 2026. 08 * Sec. 30. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 09 read: 10 TASK FORCE ON EDUCATION FUNDING. (a) The Task Force on Education 11 Funding is established as a joint task force of the Alaska State Legislature. 12 (b) The task force shall 13 (1) analyze the state of public education funding and the current accountability 14 provisions for schools and districts in the state; 15 (2) evaluate internal and external factors leading to school absenteeism and 16 identify district and state level intervention and incentive tools relating to school absenteeism; 17 (3) analyze and make recommendations on effective policies relating to school 18 major maintenance and school construction; 19 (4) evaluate and recommend health insurance, group insurance, and ways to 20 reduce property and building insurance for public school facilities; 21 (5) make recommendations relating to public education funding and 22 accountability provisions for schools and districts in the state; and 23 (6) submit a report of findings and recommendations of the task force to the 24 senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives not later than the first day 25 of the First Regular Session of the Thirty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature and notify the 26 members of the legislature that the report is available. 27 (c) The task force consists of six members as follows: 28 (1) three members of the senate, at least one of whom is a member of the 29 minority, appointed by the president of the senate; the president of the senate shall select one 30 of the members to serve as co-chair of the task force; 31 (2) three members of the house of representatives, at least one of whom is a
01 member of the minority, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; the speaker 02 of the house of representatives shall select one of the members to serve as co-chair of the task 03 force. 04 (d) A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original 05 selection or appointment. 06 (e) The task force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs. The task force may meet 07 between and during legislative sessions. A majority of the members of the task force 08 constitute a quorum. The task force may conduct meetings in person, telephonically, or by 09 electronic means, as directed by the co-chairs. 10 (f) The task force may request data and other information from the Department of 11 Education and Early Development. 12 (g) The legislative staff of the members of the task force shall serve as staff for the 13 task force. The task force may hire staff and contract for services necessary to carry out the 14 duties of the task force under the procedures adopted by the legislative council governing 15 procurement of services, subject to the approval of the legislative council and the legislative 16 council making funds available for that purpose. 17 (h) The task force expires on January 31, 2027. 18 * Sec. 31. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 19 read: 20 APPLICABILITY. Sections 8 - 12 of this Act apply to a contract that becomes legally 21 binding on or after the effective date of secs. 8 - 12 of this Act. 22 * Sec. 32. Section 17 of this Act takes effect on the effective date of sec. 23, ch. 40, SLA 23 2022. 24 * Sec. 33. Section 15 of this Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 25 * Sec. 34. Except as provided in secs. 32 and 33 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 26 2025.