Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2025-04-30 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1058 HB 57 Message dated April 28 was read stating pursuant to the Senate request, the House has returned: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(EDC) am "An Act relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; and providing for an effective date." and SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S "An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools; relating to education reports; relating to charter schools; relating to student transportation funding; relating to secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless 2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1059 telecommunications devices in public schools; relating to the use of tax revenue from highly digitized businesses; relating to the duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; and providing for an effective date." Senator Giessel moved the Senate rescind its previous action in passing SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S. Without objection, the Senate rescinded its previous action. SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S was before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Senator Giessel moved and asked unanimous consent the Senate return to second reading for the purpose of rescinding previous action in adopting Amendment No. 26 and consideration of a specific amendment, that being Amendment No. 27. Without objection, the bill was returned to second reading. Senator Giessel moved the Senate rescind its previous action in adopting Amendment No. 26. Without objection, the Senate rescinded its previous action. Senators Yundt, Tobin, Wielechowski, Bjorkman, Dunbar, Kawasaki, Gray-Jackson, Claman, Cronk offered Amendment No. 27 : Page 1, line 2: Delete "relating to the base student allocation;" Insert "relating to secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants;" Page 1, line 3, following "schools;": Insert "relating to the use of tax revenue from highly digitized businesses;" Page 4, following line 11: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 5. AS 14.17.420(a) is amended to read: 2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1060 (a) As a component of public school funding, a district is eligible for special needs and secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding and may be eligible for intensive services funding as follows: (1) special needs funding is available to a district to assist the district in providing special education, gifted and talented education, vocational education, and bilingual education services to its students; a special needs funding factor of 1.20 shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); (2) in addition to the special needs funding for which a district is eligible under (1) of this subsection, a district is eligible for intensive services funding for each special education student who needs and receives intensive services and is enrolled on the last day of the count period; for each such student, intensive services funding is equal to the intensive student count multiplied by 13; (3) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding available under (1) and (2) of this subsection, secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding is available to assist districts in providing vocational and technical instruction to students who are enrolled in a secondary school; a secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor of 1.023 [1.015] shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); in this paragraph, "vocational and technical instruction" excludes costs associated with (A) administrative expenses; and (B) instruction in general literacy, mathematics, and job readiness skills. * Sec. 6. AS 14.17.420 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (d) If the legislature increases the secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor under (a)(3) of this section, a district shall budget for and spend on secondary school vocational and technical instruction an amount equal to the increase in the funds generated for the district by the increase to the secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor under (a)(3) of this section." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1061 Page 4, following line 14: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 8. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.30.773. Reading proficiency incentive grants. (a) Subject to appropriation, a school district is eligible to receive a reading proficiency incentive grant of not less than $450 for each student in kindergarten through grade six who, at the end of the school year, (1) performs at grade-level reading proficiency; or (2) demonstrates improvement on a reading screening tool approved by the department, on a standards-based assessment in language arts approved by the department, or on a student portfolio in language arts approved by the department. (b) If insufficient funding is appropriated to provide all grants authorized under this section, the grants shall be distributed pro rata to eligible school districts." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 4, following line 31: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 10. AS 43.20 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: Sec. 43.20.149. Highly digitized businesses tax revenue. The tax amounts collected from a highly digitized business under AS 43.20 shall be separately accounted for and may be appropriated to the Department of Education and Early Development. The Department of Education and Early Development shall use funds appropriated under this section to fund reading proficiency incentive grants awarded under AS 14.30.773. If the amount appropriated to the Department of Education and Early Development exceeds the amount necessary to award grants under AS 14.30.773 for the fiscal year, the department shall use the remaining balance of the appropriation to fund secondary school vocational and technical instruction. The department shall distribute the secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding to secondary schools on a pro rata basis." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1062 Page 7, line 8, following "APPLICABILITY.": Insert "(a)" Page 7, line 9, following "date": Insert "of sec. 3" Page 7, following line 9: Insert new material to read: "(b) Section 6 of this Act applies to an increase to the secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor under AS 14.17.420(a)(3) that takes effect on or after the effective date of sec. 6 of this Act. * Sec. 14. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: CONDITIONAL EFFECT. AS 14.17.420(a), as amended by sec. 5 of this Act, AS 14.17.420(d), enacted by sec. 6 of this Act, AS 14.30.773, enacted by sec. 8 of this Act, and AS 43.20.149, enacted by sec. 10 of this Act, take effect only if SB 113 or a substantially similar bill that effectuates the sales factor, as determined under AS 43.19 (Multistate Tax Compact), as the apportionment factor for highly digitized businesses is passed by the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature and enacted into law. * Sec. 15. If secs. 5, 6, 8, and 10 of this Act take effect, they take effect 181 days after the effective date of the section of SB 113 or a substantially similar bill that effectuates the sales factor, as determined under AS 43.19 (Multistate Tax Compact), as the apportionment factor for highly digitized businesses." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 7, line 10: Delete "This" Insert "Except as provided in sec. 15 of this Act, this" Senator Yundt moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 27. Without objection, Amendment No. 27 was adopted. SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S (reengrossed) was automatically in third reading. 2025-04-30 Senate Journal Page 1063 The question being: "Shall SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S(reengrossed) "An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools; relating to education reports; relating to charter schools; relating to student transportation funding; relating to secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; relating to the use of tax revenue from highly digitized businesses; relating to the duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; and providing for an effective date" pass the Senate?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 57(FIN) am S(reengrossed) Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) YEAS: 17 NAYS: 3 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bjorkman, Claman, Cronk, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Kaufman, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Olson, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski, Yundt Nays: Hughes, Myers, Shower and so, SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(FIN) am S (reengrossed) passed the Senate. Senator Giessel moved and asked unanimous consent the vote on the passage of the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause(s). Without objection, it was so ordered and the bill was referred to the Secretary for engrossment.