Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2025-04-11 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0783 HB 69 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(FIN) "An Act relating to the base student allocation; and providing for an effective date" was read the third time. Senator Kaufman moved the bill be returned to second reading for all amendments offered today. Without objection, the bill was returned to second reading. Amendment No. 1 was not offered. Amendment No. 2 was not offered. Senator Kaufman offered Amendment No. 3 : Page 1, line 1: Delete "the base student allocation" Insert "education; 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 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0784 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" Page 1, lines 3 - 6: Delete all material and insert: "* Section 1. AS 14.03.080(a) is amended to read: (a) A child of school age is entitled to attend (1) public school without payment of tuition during the school term in the school district in which the child is a resident subject to the provisions of AS 14.14.110 and 14.14.120; and (2) upon application to the school, any other noncorrespondence public school not located on a military installation that is selected by the child's parent, subject to provisions established by the school district under an enrollment policy; the policy must (A) consider the military status of a parent or guardian of the child; (B) address school capacity; the local school board of the district shall determine the capacity of schools in the district; (C) prioritize the placement of siblings in the same school and the placement of a child in a school at which the child's parent or guardian is employed; and (D) establish a procedure for appealing a denial of an enrollment application. * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.080 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (i) Each school district shall, for each school in the district, publish on the school district's Internet website or on the school's Internet webpage information about the school's capacity, enrollment, the number of applicants in the previous school year, the number of acceptances and denials in the previous school year, and the reasons for the denials. (j) In this section, "military installation" means a base, camp, post, station, yard, center, homeport facility for a ship, armory, or other installation under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense or the United States Coast Guard. * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.120(d) is amended to read: 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0785 (d) Annually, before the date set by the district under (e) of this section, each public school shall deliver to the department for posting on the department's Internet website and provide, in a public meeting of parents, students, and community members, a report on the school's performance and the performance of the school's students. The report shall be prepared on a form prescribed by the department and must include (1) information on accreditation; (2) results of norm-referenced achievement tests that measure student academic performance over time; (3) results of state standards-based assessments in language arts and mathematics; (4) a description, including quantitative and qualitative measures, of student, parent, community, and business involvement in student learning; (5) a description of the school's attendance, retention, dropout, and graduation rates as specified by the state board; (6) the annual percent of enrollment change, regardless of reason, and the annual percent of enrollment change due to student transfers into and out of the school district; (7) if Native language education is provided, a summary and evaluation of the curriculum described in AS 14.30.420; (8) the performance designation assigned the school under AS 14.03.123 and the methodology used to assign the performance designation, including the measures used and their relative weights; (9) other information concerning school performance and the performance of the school's students as required by the state board in regulation; and (10) information on the number, attendance, and performance of students enrolled in the school whose parents or guardians are on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, or the Alaska State Defense Force. * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.120(g) is amended to read: (g) To the extent allowable under state and federal privacy laws, each district shall annually report to the department information from the previous school year regarding (1) the number of students and teaching staff assigned to each classroom in grades kindergarten through 12 [THREE]; 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0786 (2) the number and percentage of students (A) in grades kindergarten through three who demonstrated improvement on expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening tool; (B) in grades kindergarten through three who performed below expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening tool, by grade; (C) in grades kindergarten through three who did not progress to the next grade and the reasons the students did not progress; (D) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four based on the statewide screening tool; (E) in grade three who progressed to grade four based on a waiver under AS 14.30.765(f); (F) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four based on an alternative standardized reading screening; (G) in grade three who demonstrated sufficient reading skills to progress to grade four based on a student reading portfolio; (3) the performance on the statewide screening tool of students in a grade above grade three who did not progress to grade four or who progressed to grade four based on a waiver under AS 14.30.765(f). * Sec. 5. AS 14.03.120 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (k) The department shall collaborate with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development under AS 44.31.020 to gather data on the progress of each high school graduating class in a district by collecting career, postsecondary education, and residency data on each student in the graduating class. The departments shall gather the data every five years for 20 years after the high school graduation date of the class. * Sec. 6. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.122. Student academic performance improvement recognition program. The department shall develop a program to provide recognition to school districts, schools, school staff, and students in a school whose efforts lead to improvement of student academic performance over time for 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0787 students in the school, as measured by norm-referenced achievement tests that measure student academic performance over time. As part of the program, the department shall provide special recognition to a school at which 75 percent or more of the school's students show improvement in academic performance, as measured by norm-referenced achievement tests that measure student academic performance over time. The department may, subject to appropriation, provide financial incentive payments to the school as part of the special recognition. * Sec. 7. AS 14.03.250(a) is amended to read: (a) A local school board shall prescribe an application procedure for the establishment of a charter school in that school district. The application procedure must allow an application for the following school year to be filed at any time during the school year, and must include provisions for an academic policy committee consisting of parents of students attending the school, teachers, and school employees and a proposed form for a contract between a charter school and the local school board, setting out the contract elements required under AS 14.03.255(c). * Sec. 8. AS 14.03.253(b) is amended to read: (b) In an appeal to the state Board of Education and Early Development of a denial of a charter school application under (a)(3) of this section, the state board shall determine, based on the record, whether the commissioner's findings are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law. The state board shall issue a written decision within 45 [90] days after the state board receives an appeal. * Sec. 9. AS 14.03.255(c) is amended to read: (c) A charter school shall operate under a contract between the charter school and the local school board. A contract must contain the following provisions: (1) a description of the educational program; (2) specific levels of achievement for the education program; (3) admission policies and procedures; (4) administrative policies; (5) a statement of the charter school's funding allocation from the local school board and costs assignable to the charter school program budget; (6) the method by which the charter school will account 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0788 for receipts and expenditures; (7) the location and description of the facility; (8) the name of the teacher, or teachers, who, by agreement between the charter school and the teacher, will teach in the charter school; (9) the teacher-to-student ratio; (10) the number of students served; (11) the term of the contract, not to exceed a term of 10 years; (12) a termination clause providing that the contract may be terminated by the local school board for the failure of the charter school to meet educational achievement goals or fiscal management standards, or for other good cause; (13) a clause providing that the local school board may only terminate a contract under the standards and procedures established in AS 14.03.256; (14) a statement that the charter school will comply with all state and federal requirements for receipt and use of public money; (15) [(14)] other requirements or exemptions agreed on [UPON] by the charter school and the local school board. * Sec. 10. AS 14.03.255 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (e) A local school board may establish simplified procedures and standards for a renewal of a contract in good standing, as defined by the local school board, between the local school board and a charter school. * Sec. 11. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.256. Charter school termination. (a) A local school board may terminate a contract between the local school board and a charter school only if the charter school has (1) failed to comply with a condition or material term of the contract or AS 14.03.250 - 14.03.290; or (2) intentionally or fraudulently misrepresented, in whole or in part, material facts or circumstances upon which the contract was made. (b) Before termination of a contract under this section, the local school board shall give the charter school written notice of the local school board's intent to terminate the contract. The local school board shall also provide the charter school with a 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0789 reasonable opportunity, as determined by the local school board, to cure any deficiency that is the basis for the termination if the local school board determines that curing the deficiency is appropriate under the circumstances. (c) A local school board shall provide in writing the reasons for terminating or denying renewal of a charter school contract. (d) A charter school whose contract is terminated under this section may file an appeal with the superior court under the Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure. (e) If a charter school whose contract is terminated under this section files an appeal with the superior court, the board may independently audit the finances of the charter school. * Sec. 12. AS 14.03.300 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (c) Each district that provides a correspondence study program, and the department if the department provides a correspondence study program, shall prepare an annual report that includes (1) the number of students enrolled in the program; (2) the demographic information of the students enrolled in the program; (3) a detailed record of each student allotment provided under AS 14.03.310 and of each expenditure made with the allotment; (4) a random sample of 25 percent of services and materials purchased under AS 14.03.310(b)(1); (5) assessment and proficiency scores of the students enrolled in the program; and (6) a review of curricula that have been provided by the program or purchased using allotment funds. (d) A district shall submit a report required under (c) of this section to the department, and the department shall provide the report to the state Board of Education and Early Development. If the department provides a correspondence study program, the department shall also submit to the state board the department's report required under (c) of this section. * Sec. 13. AS 14.07.168 is amended to read: Sec. 14.07.168. Report to the legislature. Not later than the 30th legislative day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall prepare and present in person to the legislative 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0790 committees having jurisdiction over education an annual report that describes the efforts of the board to develop, maintain, and continuously improve a comprehensive quality public education system, as provided for under the bylaws of the board. The report must include (1) a summary of the resolves and rationales provided in support of policy decisions made under AS 14.03.015; (2) program and curriculum changes made, discussed, or recommended in meetings held under AS 14.07.125; (3) additional information relevant to efforts made to improve and maintain the public education system; (4) a summary of implementation and utilization of the consortium established under AS 14.30.800, including a review of consortium effectiveness and the participation rates of districts, teachers, and students; (5) the information reported to the board under AS 14.03.300(d). * Sec. 14. AS 14.07.168, as amended by sec. 23, ch. 40, SLA 2022, is amended to read: Sec. 14.07.168. Report to the legislature. Not later than the 30th legislative day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall prepare and present in person to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education an annual report that describes the efforts of the board to develop, maintain, and continuously improve a comprehensive quality public education system, as provided for under the bylaws of the board. The report must include (1) a summary of the resolves and rationales provided in support of policy decisions made under AS 14.03.015; (2) program and curriculum changes made, discussed, or recommended in meetings held under AS 14.07.125; (3) additional information relevant to efforts made to improve and maintain the public education system; (4) the information reported to the board under AS 14.03.300(d). * Sec. 15. AS 14.17.410(c) is amended to read: (c) In addition to the local contribution required under (b)(2) of this section, and except as provided in (g) of this section, a city or borough school district in a fiscal year may make a local contribution of not more than the greater of 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0791 (1) the equivalent of a two mill tax levy on the full and true value of the taxable real and personal property in the district as of January 1 of the second preceding fiscal year, as determined by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development under AS 14.17.510 and AS 29.45.110; or (2) 23 percent of the total of the district's basic need for the fiscal year under (b)(1) of this section and any additional funding distributed to the district in a fiscal year according to (b) of this section. * Sec. 16. AS 14.17.410 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (g) A city or borough school district may exceed the voluntary local contribution limit established in (c) of this section only if the contribution made in excess of the limit is not for current expenditures as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7713(4) or 34 C.F.R. 222.161(c). * Sec. 17. AS 14.17.430 is amended to read: Sec. 14.17.430. State funding for correspondence study. Except as provided in AS 14.17.400(b), funding for the state centralized correspondence study program or a district correspondence program, including a district that offers a statewide correspondence study program, includes an allocation from the public education fund in an amount equal to the ADM of the correspondence program [CALCULATED BY MULTIPLYING THE ADM OF THE CORRESPONDENCE PROGRAM BY 90 PERCENT]. * Sec. 18. AS 14.17.470 is amended to read: Sec. 14.17.470. Base student allocation. The base student allocation is $6,657 [$5,960]. * Sec. 19. AS 14.30.010(b) is amended to read: (b) This section does not apply if a child (1) is provided an academic education comparable to that offered by the public schools in the area [, EITHER] by (A) attendance at a private school in which the teachers are certificated according to AS 14.20.020; (B) tutoring by personnel certificated according to AS 14.20.020; or (C) attendance at an educational program operated in compliance with AS 14.45.100 - 14.45.200 by a religious or other private school; 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0792 (2) attends a school operated by the federal government; (3) has a physical or mental condition that a competent medical authority determines will make attendance impractical; (4) is in the custody of a court or law enforcement authorities; (5) is temporarily ill or injured; (6) has been suspended or expelled under AS 14.03.160 or suspended or denied admittance under AS 14.30.045; (7) resides more than two miles from either a public school or a route on which transportation is provided by the school authorities, except that this paragraph does not apply if the child resides within two miles of a federal or private school that the child is eligible and able to attend; (8) is excused by action of the school board of the district at a regular meeting or by the district superintendent subject to approval by the school board of the district at the next regular meeting; (9) has completed the 12th grade; (10) is enrolled in (A) a state boarding school established under AS 14.16; or (B) a full-time program of correspondence study approved by the department; in those school districts providing an approved correspondence study program, a student may be enrolled either in the district correspondence program or in the centralized correspondence study program; (11) is equally well-served by an educational experience approved by the school board as serving the child's educational interests despite an absence from school, and the request for excuse is made in writing by the child's parents or guardian and approved by the principal or administrator of the school that the child attends; (12) is being educated in the child's home by a parent or legal guardian; (13) is enrolled in a public school in a district in which the child does not reside as permitted under AS 14.03.080(a)(2). * Sec. 20. AS 14.30.186(a) is amended to read: (a) Special education and related services shall be provided by 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0793 (1) a borough or city school district for a child with a disability residing within the district or attending a school in the district under AS 14.03.080(a)(2); (2) the board of a regional educational attendance area operating a school in the area for a child with a disability residing in the area served by the school or attending a school in the area under AS 14.03.080(a)(2); (3) the borough, city school district, or regional educational attendance area in which a treatment institution, as that term is defined in AS 47.14.990, juvenile detention facility or juvenile treatment facility, as those terms are defined in AS 47.12.990, or a correctional facility is located for a child with a disability placed at the facility; (4) a state boarding school established under AS 14.16 for a child with a disability enrolled at a state boarding school; or (5) a school district that provides a statewide correspondence study program for a child with a disability who is enrolled in the program. * Sec. 21. AS 14.30.186(e) is amended to read: (e) If the parent of a child with a disability elects to educate the child as allowed under AS 14.30.010(b)(1) - (12) [AS 14.30.010(b)], the child may not be compelled to receive the special education and related services provided under AS 14.30.180 - 14.30.350. * Sec. 22. 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 (1) kindergarten through grade three who performs at grade level or demonstrates improvement on expected grade-level skills on the statewide screening tool adopted by the department under AS 14.30.760; and (2) grades four through six who performs at grade level or demonstrates a measure of increased proficiency on a standards-based assessment in language arts. (b) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this section. * Sec. 23. AS 14.33 is amended by adding a new section to read: Article 5. Wireless Telecommunications Devices. 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0794 Sec. 14.33.300. Wireless telecommunications device policy. (a) Each school district shall adopt a policy that regulates the possession and use of nonschool-issued wireless telecommunications devices during regular school hours, including lunch and passing periods. Each school district shall share this policy with parents or guardians, students, volunteers, and school employees. If a school district's policy prohibits the use of nonschool-issued wireless telecommunications devices, the policy must allow exceptions for students to use a wireless telecommunications device for medical or translation purposes, in the event of an emergency, or when a teacher or administrator of the school grants permission to a student to use a wireless telecommunications device for educational purposes. (b) This section does not authorize a person to monitor, collect, or access information related to a student's use of a wireless telecommunications device. (c) In this section, "wireless telecommunications device" means any portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two or more parties. * Sec. 24. AS 23.15.820(a) is amended to read: (a) The Alaska Workforce Investment Board shall (1) administer the Alaska technical and vocational education program established in AS 23.15.820 - 23.15.850; (2) facilitate the development of a statewide policy for a coordinated and effective technical and vocational education training system in this state and, to the extent authorized by federal and state law, plan and coordinate federal, state, and local efforts in technical and vocational education programs; (3) adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) to carry out the purposes of AS 23.15.820 - 23.15.850; (4) facilitate the development and implementation of a statewide policy and procedure that provides for the acceptance of credit or hours toward a degree or technical program offered by a vocational or technical training center in the state for an applicant who provides satisfactory evidence of successful completion of relevant military education, training, or service as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the United States Reserves, the National Guard of any state, the Military Reserves of any state, or 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0795 the Naval Militia of any state; (5) partner with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, the Department of Education and Early Development, and school districts in the state to (A) provide to each high school student an opportunity to take a career or college entrance examination or assessment; and (B) establish a recognition program for high schools at which 90 percent or more of the school's students take at least one career or college entrance examination or assessment. * Sec. 25. AS 44.31.020 is amended to read: Sec. 44.31.020. Duties of department. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall (1) enforce the laws and adopt regulations under them concerning employer-employee relationships, including the safety, hours of work, wages, and conditions of workers, including children; (2) accumulate, analyze, and report labor statistics; (3) operate systems of workers' compensation and unemployment insurance; (4) gather data reflecting the cost of living in various locations of the state upon request of the director of personnel under AS 39.27.030; (5) operate the federally funded employment and training programs under 29 U.S.C. 2801 - 2945 (Workforce Investment Act of 1998); (6) administer the state's program of adult basic education and adopt regulations to administer the program; and (7) administer the programs of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center and adopt regulations to administer the programs, including regulations that set rates for student tuition and room and board and fees for the programs and services provided by the department regarding the Alaska Vocational Technical Center; (8) gather data on the progress of each high school graduating class in a district by collecting career, postsecondary education, and residency data on each student in the graduating class; the department shall gather the data required under this paragraph every five years for 20 years 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0796 after the high school graduation date of each high school graduating class; the department shall publish a biennial report on the data gathered under this paragraph; in this paragraph, "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990. * Sec. 26. AS 14.03.080(g)(2) and 14.03.300(b) are repealed. * Sec. 27. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: TASK FORCE ON EDUCATION FUNDING. (a) The Task Force on Education Funding is established as a joint task force of the Alaska State Legislature. (b) The task force shall (1) analyze the state of public education funding and the current accountability provisions for schools and districts in the state; (2) evaluate internal and external factors leading to school absenteeism and identify district and state level intervention and incentive tools relating to school absenteeism; (3) analyze and make recommendations on effective policies relating to school major maintenance and school construction; (4) evaluate and recommend health insurance, group insurance, and ways to reduce property and building insurance for public school facilities; (5) make recommendations relating to public education funding and accountability provisions for schools and districts in the state; and (6) submit a report of findings and recommendations of the task force to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives not later than the first day of the First Regular Session of the Thirty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature and notify the members of the legislature that the report is available. (c) The task force consists of six members as follows: (1) three members of the senate, at least one of whom is a member of the minority, appointed by the president of the senate; the president of the senate shall select one of the members to serve as co- chair of the task force; (2) three members of the house of representatives, at least one of whom is a member of the minority, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; the speaker of the house of representatives shall select one of the members to serve as co-chair of the task force. (d) A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same manner 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0797 as the original selection or appointment. (e) The task force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs. The task force may meet between and during legislative sessions. A majority of the members of the task force constitute a quorum. The task force may conduct meetings in person, telephonically, or by electronic means, as directed by the co-chairs. (f) The task force may request data and other information from the Department of Education and Early Development. (g) The legislative staff of the members of the task force shall serve as staff for the task force. The task force may hire staff and contract for services necessary to carry out the duties of the task force under the procedures adopted by the legislative council governing procurement of services, subject to the approval of the legislative council and the legislative council making funds available for that purpose. (h) The task force expires on January 31, 2027. * Sec. 28. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: APPLICABILITY. Sections 8 - 11 of this Act apply to a contract that becomes legally binding on or after the effective date of secs. 8 - 11 of this Act. * Sec. 29. Section 14 of this Act takes effect on the effective date of sec. 23, ch. 40, SLA 2022. * Sec. 30. Except as provided in sec. 29 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2025." Senator Kaufman moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 3. Senator Tobin objected. Senator Wielechowski rose to a point of order citing Mason's Manual Section 752. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 3 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 69(FIN) Second Reading Amendment No. 3? YEAS: 6 NAYS: 14 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0798 Yeas: Cronk, Hughes, Kaufman, Myers, Shower, Yundt Nays: Bjorkman, Claman, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Olson, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski and so, Amendment No. 3 failed. Senator Hughes offered Amendment No. 4 : Page 1, line 1, following "Act": Insert "relating to group insurance coverage and self-insurance coverage for school district employees and employees of the University of Alaska;" Page 1, following line 2: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Section 1. AS 14.08.101 is amended to read: Sec. 14.08.101. Powers. A regional school board may (1) sue and be sued; (2) contract with the department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or any other school district, agency, or regional board for the provision of services, facilities, supplies, or utilities; (3) determine its own fiscal procedures, including policies and procedures for the purchase of supplies and equipment; the regional school boards are exempt from AS 37.05 (Fiscal Procedures Act) and AS 36.30 (State Procurement Code); (4) appoint, compensate, and otherwise control all school employees in accordance with this title; these employees are not subject to AS 39.25 (State Personnel Act); (5) adopt regulations governing organization, policies, and procedures for the operation of the schools; (6) establish, maintain, operate, discontinue, and combine schools subject to the approval of the commissioner; (7) recommend to the department projects for construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of schools and education-related facilities as specified in AS 14.11.011(b), and plan, design, and construct the project when the responsibility for it is assumed under AS 14.11.020; (8) by resolution adopted by a majority of all the members of the board and provided to the commissioner of the 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0799 department, assume ownership of all land and buildings used in relation to the schools in the regional educational attendance area, as provided for in AS 14.08.151(b); (9) provide housing for rental to teachers, by leasing existing housing from a local agency or individual, by entering into contractual arrangements with a local agency or individual to lease housing that will be constructed by the local agency or individual for that purpose, or, without using for the purpose that portion of public school funding that consists of state aid provided under AS 14.17, by constructing or otherwise acquiring housing that is owned and managed by the regional educational attendance area for rental to teachers; (10) employ a chief school administrator; (11) apply for and use the proceeds of a loan from the Alaska energy efficiency revolving loan fund (AS 18.56.855); (12) establish and maintain participation in a policy of insurance as authorized by AS 14.27.010; (13) exercise those other functions that may be necessary for the proper performance of its responsibilities. * Sec. 2. AS 14.14.090 is amended to read: Sec. 14.14.090. Duties of school boards. In addition to other duties, a school board shall (1) determine and disburse the total amount to be made available for compensation of all school employees and administrative officers, including, when applicable, the amount necessary to pay for the district's participation in a policy of insurance under AS 14.27.010; (2) provide for, during the school term of each year, an educational program for each school age child who is enrolled in or a resident of the district; (3) withhold the salary for the last month of service of a teacher or administrator until the teacher or administrator has submitted all summaries, statistics, and reports that the school board may require by bylaws; (4) transmit, when required by the assembly or council but not more often than once a month, a summary report and statement of money expended; (5) keep the minutes of meetings and a record of all proceedings of the school board in a pertinent form; (6) keep the records and files of the school board open to 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0800 inspection by the public at the principal administrative office of the district during reasonable business hours; (7) establish procedures for the review and selection of all textbooks and instructional materials at least once every 10 years, including textbooks and curriculum materials for statewide correspondence programs, before they are introduced into the school curriculum; the review includes a review for violations of AS 14.18.060; nothing in this paragraph precludes a correspondence study student, or the parent or guardian of a correspondence study student, from privately obtaining or using textbooks or curriculum material not provided by the school district; (8) provide prospective employees with information relating to the availability and cost of housing in rural areas to which they might be assigned [,] and, when possible, assist them in locating housing; however, nothing in this paragraph requires a school district to provide teacher housing, whether district owned, leased, rented, or through other means, nor does it require a school board to engage in a subsidy program of any kind regarding teacher housing; (9) train persons required to report under AS 47.17.020 [,] in the recognition and reporting of child abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse of a minor; (10) provide for the development and implementation of a preventive maintenance program for school facilities; in this paragraph, "preventive maintenance" means scheduled maintenance actions that prevent the premature failure or extend the useful life of a facility, or a facility's systems and components, and that are cost-effective on a life-cycle basis; (11) establish procedures for providing the training under AS 14.18.060, AS 14.20.149, 14.20.680, AS 14.30.355, 14.30.356, 14.30.362, AS 14.33.100, AS 18.66.310, and AS 47.17.022; the procedures established under this paragraph must include a training schedule that ensures that not less than 50 percent of the total certificated staff employed by the district receive all of the training not less than every two years and that all of the certificated staff employed by the district receive all of the training not less than every four years. * Sec. 3. AS 14.17.300 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0801 (c) Notwithstanding (a) and (b) of this section, the commissioner of administration (1) may expend from the public education fund to the group health and life benefits fund under AS 39.30.095 amounts necessary for the commissioner of administration to pay claims submitted by district employees who are covered by a policy of self-insurance that is provided by the Department of Administration under AS 39.30.091; (2) shall, over a period of 10 years from the date the first expenditure authorized under this subsection occurs, reimburse the public education fund for money expended under this section from the public education fund using appropriations for that purpose. (d) Total expenditures from the public education fund under (c) of this section may not exceed $100,000,000." Page 1, line 3: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 4" Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 1, line 6: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 5. AS 14 is amended by adding a new chapter to read: Chapter 27. University and School District Employee Health Insurance. Sec. 14.27.010. University and school district employee group health insurance. (a) A school employer may elect to participate in a policy of insurance selected by the commissioner of administration that includes health insurance coverage of school employees. If a school employer makes that election, the commissioner of administration shall select either a policy of group insurance under AS 39.30.090 that covers state employees and school employees or a policy of self-insurance provided by the Department of Administration under AS 39.30.091 that provides insurance coverage to state employees and school employees. (b) Subject to (e) of this section, a participating school employer shall contribute to the group health and life benefits fund established under AS 39.30.095 an amount equal to the 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0802 combined employer and employee contribution rates set by the commissioner of administration under AS 39.30.095(b). (c) In addition to the contribution required under (b) of this section and the reimbursement required under (d) of this section, a participating school employer shall reimburse the Department of Administration an amount equal to the state's cost, if any, of procuring necessary excess loss insurance in connection with coverage of the school employees under AS 39.30.091. (d) In addition to the contribution required under (b) of this section and the reimbursement required under (c) of this section, a participating school employer shall reimburse the Department of Administration the cost of paying insurance claims for the first four months school employees are covered by a policy of self- insurance under AS 39.30.091. The commissioner of administration shall allow the reimbursement to be made in equal installments over a period not to exceed 10 years from the date the school employer's participation in the policy begins. (e) Subject to AS 23.40.070 - 23.40.260 (Public Employment Relations Act), a participating school employer may require school employees to pay some or all of the school employer's contribution under (b) of this section and reimbursement under (c) and (d) of this section. (f) In this section, (1) "school employee" means a person employed by a municipal school district, a regional educational attendance area, or the University of Alaska; (2) "school employer" means a municipal school district, a regional educational attendance area, or the University of Alaska. * Sec. 6. AS 14.40.170(b) is amended to read: (b) The Board of Regents may (1) adopt reasonable rules, orders, and plans with reasonable penalties for the good government of the university and for the regulation of the Board of Regents; (2) determine and regulate the course of instruction in the university with the advice of the president; (3) set student tuition and fees; (4) receive university receipts and, subject to legislative appropriation, expend university receipts in accordance with AS 37.07 (Executive Budget Act); 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0803 (5) apply for and use the proceeds of a loan from the Alaska energy efficiency revolving loan fund (AS 18.56.855); (6) establish and maintain participation in an insurance policy that includes health insurance, as authorized under AS 14.27.010, to cover persons employed by the university. * Sec. 7. AS 39.30.090(a) is amended to read: (a) The Department of Administration may obtain a policy or policies of group insurance covering state employees, school employees, persons entitled to coverage under AS 14.25.168, 14.25.480, AS 22.25.090, AS 39.35.535, 39.35.880, or former AS 39.37.145, employees of other participating governmental units, or persons entitled to coverage under AS 23.15.136, subject to the following conditions: (1) a group insurance policy shall provide one or more of the following benefits: life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, weekly indemnity insurance, hospital expense insurance, surgical expense insurance, dental expense insurance, audiovisual insurance, or other medical care insurance; (2) each eligible state employee or school employee [OF THE STATE], the spouse and the unmarried children chiefly dependent on the eligible employee for support, and each eligible employee of another participating governmental unit shall be covered by the group policy, unless exempt under regulations adopted by the commissioner of administration; (3) a governmental unit may participate under a group policy if (A) its governing body adopts a resolution authorizing participation and payment of required premiums; (B) a certified copy of the resolution is filed with the Department of Administration; and (C) the commissioner of administration approves the participation in writing; (4) in procuring a policy of group health or group life insurance as provided under this section or excess loss insurance as provided in AS 39.30.091, the Department of Administration shall comply with the dual choice requirements of AS 21.86.310 [,] and shall obtain the insurance policy from an insurer authorized to transact business in the state under AS 21.09, a hospital or medical service corporation authorized to transact business in this 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0804 state under AS 21.87, or a health maintenance organization authorized to operate in this state under AS 21.86; an excess loss insurance policy may be obtained from a life or health insurer authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.09 or from a hospital or medical service corporation authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.87; (5) the Department of Administration shall make available bid specifications for desired insurance benefits or for administration of benefit claims and payments to (A) all insurance carriers authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.09 and all hospital or medical service corporations authorized to transact business under AS 21.87 who are qualified to provide the desired benefits; and (B) insurance carriers authorized to transact business in this state under AS 21.09, hospital or medical service corporations authorized to transact business under AS 21.87, and third-party administrators licensed to transact business in this state and qualified to provide administrative services; the specifications shall be made available at least once every five years; the lowest responsible bid submitted by an insurance carrier, hospital or medical service corporation, or third-party administrator with adequate servicing facilities shall govern selection of a carrier, hospital or medical service corporation, or third-party administrator under this section or the selection of an insurance carrier or a hospital or medical service corporation to provide excess loss insurance as provided in AS 39.30.091; (6) if the aggregate of dividends payable under the group insurance policy exceeds the governmental unit's share of the premium, the excess shall be applied by the governmental unit for the sole benefit of the employees; (7) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25.110, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 may continue the life insurance coverage that was in effect under this section at the time of termination of employment with the state or participating governmental unit; (8) a person electing to have insurance under (7) of this subsection shall pay the cost of this insurance; (9) for each permanent part-time employee electing coverage under this section, the state shall contribute one-half the state contribution rate for permanent full-time state employees, 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0805 and the permanent part-time employee shall contribute the other one-half; (10) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 may obtain auditory, visual, and dental insurance for that person and eligible dependents under this section; the level of coverage for persons over 65 shall be the same as that available before reaching age 65 except that the benefits payable shall be supplemental to any benefits provided under the federal old age, survivors, and disability insurance program; a person electing to have insurance under this paragraph shall pay the cost of the insurance; the commissioner of administration shall adopt regulations implementing this paragraph; (11) a person receiving benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 may obtain long-term care insurance for that person and eligible dependents under this section; a person who elects insurance under this paragraph shall pay the cost of the insurance premium; the commissioner of administration shall adopt regulations to implement this paragraph; (12) each licensee holding a current operating agreement for a vending facility under AS 23.15.010 - 23.15.210 shall be covered by the group policy that applies to governmental units other than the state. * Sec. 8. AS 39.30.090(b)(2) is amended to read: (2) "governmental unit" means the state, a municipality, a school district, the University of Alaska, or other political subdivision of the state, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council; * Sec. 9. AS 39.30.090(b) is amended by adding new paragraphs to read: (4) "school district" means a municipal school district or regional educational attendance area; (5) "school employee" has the meaning given under AS 14.27.010(f). * Sec. 10. AS 39.30.091 is amended to read: Sec. 39.30.091. Authorization for self-insurance and excess loss insurance. Notwithstanding AS 21.86.310 or AS 39.30.090, the Department of Administration may provide, by means of self- insurance, one or more of the benefits listed in AS 39.30.090(a)(1) 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0806 for state employees or school employees eligible for the benefits by law or under a collective bargaining agreement and for persons receiving benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former AS 39.37 [,] and their dependents. The department shall procure any necessary excess loss insurance under AS 39.30.090. * Sec. 11. AS 39.30.091 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (b) If the Department of Administration is required by (a) of this section to procure excess loss insurance in connection with coverage of school employees, the department may allocate the cost of that insurance across all school employers that participate in self-insurance provided by the department under this section. (c) In this section, "school employee" and "school employer" have the meanings given in AS 14.27.010(f). * Sec. 12. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: APPLICABILITY. Sections 1 - 3 and 5 - 11 of this Act apply to a contract or collective bargaining agreement that becomes legally binding on or after the effective date of secs. 1 - 3 and 5 - 11 of this Act. * Sec. 13. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: TRANSITION. Not later than 30 days after enrolling in a health care plan administered by the state under AS 39.30.090 or 39.30.091, a school employer that, before the effective date of this section, maintains a self-funded insurance reserve for the purpose of paying employee health insurance claims shall transfer the closing balance of that reserve to the group health and life benefits fund under AS 39.30.095. An amount transferred under this section by a school employer shall be applied to offset reimbursement owed by that school employer under AS 14.27.010(d), enacted by sec. 5 of this Act. In this section, "school employer" has the meaning given in AS 14.27.010(f). * Sec. 14. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: REGULATIONS. The commissioner of administration shall adopt regulations necessary to implement the changes made by this Act. The regulations may not take effect before the effective date of the law implemented by the regulation. * Sec. 15. Sections 13 and 14 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0807 * Sec. 16. Section 4 of this Act takes effect July 1, 2025. * Sec. 17. Except as provided in secs. 15 and 16 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2026." Senator Hughes moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 4. Senator Tobin objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 4 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 69(FIN) Second Reading Amendment No. 4? YEAS: 6 NAYS: 14 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Cronk, Hughes, Kaufman, Myers, Shower, Yundt Nays: Bjorkman, Claman, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Olson, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski and so, Amendment No. 4 failed. Senator Hughes offered Amendment No. 5 : Page 1, line 1: Delete "relating to the base student allocation;" Insert "relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to performance incentive awards for teachers and parents of students; relating to teacher spending accounts; relating to charter schools; relating to transportation of students; relating to school bond debt reimbursement; relating to state boarding schools; relating to correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to teacher retention and recruitment incentives; relating to mobile communication devices in schools; establishing an education scholarship account program for certain students;" Page 1, following line 2: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0808 by adding a new section to read: SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Student and Teacher Excel Package. * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that money provided under sec. 21 of this Act may not be directed to building the assets of a private educational institution but may be directed to a private educational institution to benefit the child through education as described in pages 1509 - 1532 of the proceedings of the Alaska Constitutional Convention relating to art. VII, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska. * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.080(a) is amended to read: (a) Subject to AS 14.14.110 and 14.14.120, a [A] child of school age is entitled to attend public school without payment of tuition during the school term (1) in the school district in which the child is a resident; and (2) in or outside the school district in which the child is a resident as provided in (i) of this section [SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF AS 14.14.110 AND 14.14.120]. * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.080 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (i) Each school district shall, upon application by a parent of a child of school age and subject to AS 14.14.110, 14.14.120, and the enrollment capacity limitations of a selected school, allow the child to attend the school in the district selected by the parent instead of the school that is assigned to the child based on the child's residence within another school's or school district's boundary area. The district shall approve enrollment applications throughout the school year and in the order the district receives the applications, except that the district shall prioritize the enrollment of siblings in the same school. Each district shall annually report to the department and publish on the district's publicly available Internet website student enrollment data for each school in the district, including enrollment capacity and vacancies for each grade in the school, the number of enrollment applications the district received, the number of those applications the district approved, the number of those applications the district denied, and an explanation of the reason for each denial. 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0809 (j) The department shall (1) compensate a school district at the end of a school year to account for a year-end ADM that is greater than the district's student count data provided under AS 14.17.600; (2) establish by regulation a student transportation plan for children whose enrollment applications are approved under (i) of this section; and (3) establish by regulation a process for appealing a school district's denial of an enrollment application. (k) Nothing in (i) of this section applies to a correspondence study program provided under AS 14.03.300. * Sec. 5. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.124. Performance incentive awards. (a) Each school district shall provide a performance incentive award to the teachers and parents of a student in the school district who shows improvement in learning outcomes. The award must be based on a four-level performance improvement scale. The total of the awards provided to a teacher may not exceed $10,000. The amount of the award is (1) $1,000 in the aggregate for teachers of a student, and $100 in the aggregate for parents of a student, who shows improvement from level one to level two; (2) $750 in the aggregate for teachers of a student, and $100 in the aggregate for parents of a student, who shows improvement from level two to level three; (3) $500 in the aggregate for teachers of a student, and $100 in the aggregate for parents of a student, who shows improvement from level three to level four. (b) The department shall establish by regulation (1) the criteria for awarding a performance incentive award at each level of improvement; and (2) the manner in which a school district must distribute an award if a student has more than one teacher or more than one parent. (c) In this section, (1) "parent" means an individual who is the natural or adoptive parent of a student or a student's legal guardian; (2) "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350. * Sec. 6. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0810 Sec. 14.03.128. Teacher spending accounts. (a) Each school district shall establish a teacher spending account for each certificated teacher in the school district. On July 1 of each year, the department shall provide to each school district a grant of $5,000 for each teacher spending account in the school district. A school district may expend money from a teacher spending account only for the teacher for whom the account was established and only to support student learning. (b) A school district that receives a grant under this section may not spend on educational supplies and material in a fiscal year an amount that, excluding the amount received under (a) of this section, is less than the amount the school district spent on educational supplies and material in the previous fiscal year. (c) A school district may carry forward for five fiscal years not more than 20 percent of the unexpended and unobligated portion of the teacher spending account for each fiscal year. Money carried forward under this subsection is reserved and excluded from the unreserved portion of a district's year-end fund balance in the school operating fund under AS 14.17.505. (d) In this section, "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350. * Sec. 7. AS 14.03.250(d) is amended to read: (d) If a local school board or a delegated agency denies an application for a charter school, the applicant may appeal the denial to the commissioner. The appeal to the commissioner shall be filed not later than 60 days after the local school board or the delegated agency issues its written decision of denial. The commissioner shall review the local school board's or the delegated agency's decision to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law. A decision of the commissioner upholding the denial by the local school board or the delegated agency may be appealed within 30 days to the state Board of Education and Early Development. * Sec. 8. AS 14.03.253(a) is amended to read: (a) In an appeal to the commissioner under AS 14.03.250, the commissioner shall review the record before the local school board or the delegated agency. The commissioner may request written supplementation of the record from the applicant, [OR] the local school board, or the delegated agency. The commissioner 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0811 may (1) remand the appeal to the local school board or the delegated agency for further review; (2) approve the charter school application and forward the application to the state Board of Education and Early Development with or without added conditions; or (3) uphold the decision denying the charter school application; if the commissioner upholds a local school board's or a delegated agency's decision to deny a charter school application and the applicant appeals to the State Board of Education and Early Development, the commissioner shall immediately forward the application and record to the state Board of Education and Early Development. * Sec. 9. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.254. Board-authorized charter schools. (a) The state Board of Education and Early Development may authorize the establishment of a charter school in any school district in the state. The state board shall prescribe by regulation an application procedure for the establishment of a charter school under this section. (b) The state board shall issue a written decision approving or denying an application for a charter school within 90 days after the state board receives the application. If the state board approves the application, the local school board of the school district in which the state board authorized the establishment of the charter school shall operate the charter school as provided in AS 14.03.255 - 14.03.290. (c) The state Board of Education and Early Development may delegate the state board's authority to approve or deny an application for a charter school to a committee of the state board, a political subdivision of the state, the University of Alaska, or other state agency. * Sec. 10. AS 14.09.010(a) is repealed and reenacted to read: (a) A school district that provides student transportation services for the transportation of students who reside a distance from established schools is eligible to receive funding for operating or subcontracting the operation of the transportation system for students to and from the schools within the student's transportation service area. Subject to appropriation, the amount of funding provided by the state for operating the student 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0812 transportation system is the amount of a school district's ADM, less the ADM for the district's correspondence programs during the current fiscal year, multiplied by the per student amount for the school district as follows, for the school years beginning July 1, 2025: DISTRICT PER STUDENT AMOUNT Alaska Gateway $2,790 Aleutians East 416 Anchorage 584 Annette Island 244 Bering Strait 66 Bristol Bay 3,583 Chatham 376 Copper River 2,127 Cordova 450 Craig 567 Delta/Greely 2,221 Denali 2,423 Dillingham 1,632 Fairbanks 1,095 Galena 341 Haines 839 Hoonah 400 Iditarod 284 Juneau 809 Kake 364 Kashunamiut 7 Kenai Peninsula 1,227 Ketchikan 975 Klawock 783 Kodiak Island 1,071 Kuspuk 877 Lake and Peninsula 515 Lower Kuskokwim 372 Lower Yukon 1 Matanuska-Susitna 1,220 Nenana 788 Nome 833 North Slope 1,502 Northwest Arctic 33 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0813 Pelican 97 Petersburg 503 Saint Mary's 259 Sitka 574 Skagway 48 Southeast Island 1,549 Southwest Region 801 Unalaska 869 Valdez 987 Wrangell 939 Yakutat 998 Yukon Flats 354 Yukon/Koyukuk 419 Yupiit 2. * Sec. 11. AS 14.11.014(d) is amended to read: (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the committee may not recommend for approval an application for bond debt reimbursement made by a municipality for school construction or major maintenance for indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after January 1, 2015, but before July 1, 2030 [2025]. * Sec. 12. AS 14.11.100(a) is amended to read: (a) During each fiscal year, the state shall allocate to a municipality that is a school district the following sums: (1) payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness incurred before July 1, 1977, to pay costs of school construction; (2) 90 percent of (A) payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness incurred after June 30, 1977, and before July 1, 1978, to pay costs of school construction; (B) cash payments made after June 30, 1976, and before July 1, 1978, by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier to pay costs of school construction; (3) 90 percent of (A) payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier for the retirement of principal and 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0814 interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness incurred after June 30, 1978, and before January 1, 1982, to pay costs of school construction projects approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (B) cash payments made after June 30, 1978, and before July 1, 1982, by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier to pay costs of school construction projects approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (4) subject to (h) and (i) of this section, up to 90 percent of (A) payments made by the municipality during the current fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness incurred after December 31, 1981, and authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality before July 1, 1983, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (B) cash payments made after June 30, 1982, and before July 1, 1983, by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); and (C) payments made by the municipality during the current fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are submitted to the department for approval under AS 14.07.020(a)(11) before July 1, 1983, and approved by the qualified voters of the municipality before October 15, 1983, not to exceed a total project cost of (i) $6,600,000 if the annual growth rate of average daily membership of the municipality is more than seven percent but less than 12 percent, or (ii) $20,000,000 if the annual growth rate of average daily membership of the municipality is 12 percent or more; payments made by a municipality under this subparagraph on total project costs that exceed the amounts set out in (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph are subject to (5)(A) of this subsection; (5) subject to (h) - (j) of this section, 80 percent of 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0815 (A) payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality (i) after June 30, 1983, but before March 31, 1990, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); or (ii) before July 1, 1989, and reauthorized before November 1, 1989, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); and (B) cash payments made after June 30, 1983, by the municipality during the fiscal year two years earlier to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $25,000 and are approved by the department before July 1, 1990, under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (6) subject to (h) - (j) and (m) of this section, 70 percent of payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after April 30, 1993, but before July 1, 1996, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $200,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (7) subject to (h) - (j) and (m) of this section, 70 percent of payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality after March 31, 1990, but before April 30, 1993, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects; (8) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2) - (5), and (n) of this section and after projects funded by the bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0816 the municipality on or after July 1, 1995, but before July 1, 1998, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $200,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (9) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2) - (5), and (n) of this section and after projects funded by the bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after July 1, 1998, but before July 1, 2006, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $200,000 and are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11); (10) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2) - (5), and (o) of this section, and after projects funded by the bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by the municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1998, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (n) of this section; (11) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2) - (5) of this section, and after projects funded by the bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1999, but before January 1, 2005, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (n) or (o) of this section; (12) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2), (3), and (5) of this section, 60 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0817 qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1999, but before January 1, 2005, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are reviewed under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (n) or (o) of this section; (13) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2) - (5), and (p) of this section, and after projects funded by the tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1999, but before October 31, 2006, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (n) or (o) of this section; (14) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2), (3), and (5), and (p) of this section, 60 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1999, but before October 31, 2006, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are reviewed under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (n) or (o) of this section; (15) subject to (h), (i), (j)(2) - (5), and (q) of this section, and after projects funded by the bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 90 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after June 30, 1999, but before October 31, 2006, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), meet the 10 percent participating share requirement for a municipal school district under the former participating share 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0818 amounts required under AS 14.11.008(b), and are not reimbursed under (n) or (o) of this section; (16) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2) - (5) of this section, and after projects funded by the tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 70 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after October 1, 2006, but before January 1, 2015, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education- related facilities that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (o) of this section; (17) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2), (3), and (5) of this section, 60 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after October 1, 2006, but before January 1, 2015, to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are reviewed under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (o) of this section; (18) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2) - (5) of this section, and after projects funded by the tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness have been approved by the commissioner, 50 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal of and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after July 1, 2030 [2025], to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are approved under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (o) of this section; (19) subject to (h), (i), and (j)(2), (3), and (5) of this section, 40 percent of payments made by a municipality during the fiscal year for the retirement of principal of and interest on outstanding tax exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0819 July 1, 2030 [2025], to pay costs of school construction, additions to schools, and major rehabilitation projects and education-related facilities that exceed $200,000, are reviewed under AS 14.07.020(a)(11), and are not reimbursed under (o) of this section. * Sec. 13. AS 14.11.100(s) is amended to read: (s) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner may not approve an application for bond debt reimbursement made by a municipality for school construction or major maintenance for indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after January 1, 2015, but before July 1, 2030 [2025]. * Sec. 14. AS 14.11.102(c) is amended to read: (c) The commissioner may not allocate funds to a municipality under AS 14.11.100 for the retirement of the principal of and interest on outstanding tax- exempt bonds, notes, or other indebtedness authorized by the qualified voters of the municipality on or after January 1, 2015, but before July 1, 2030 [2025]. * Sec. 15. AS 14.16.200(b) is amended to read: (b) Costs that may be claimed by a district for reimbursement under (a) of this section are (1) one round trip on the least expensive means of transportation between the student's community of residence and the school during the school year if the district expends money for the trip; and (2) a per-pupil monthly stipend to cover room and board expenses as determined by the department on a regional basis and not to exceed the following amounts: (A) for the Southeast Region (Region I), $1,845 [$1,230]; (B) for the Southcentral Region (Region II), $1,800 [$1,200]; (C) for the Interior Region (Region III), $2,178 [$1,452]; (D) for the Southwest Region (Region IV), $2,264 [$1,509]; (E) for the Northern Remote Region (Region V), $2,664 [$1,776]. * Sec. 16. AS 14.17.410(b) is amended to read: 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0820 (b) Public school funding consists of state aid, a required local contribution, and eligible federal impact aid determined as follows: (1) state aid equals basic need minus a required local contribution and 90 percent of eligible federal impact aid for that fiscal year; basic need equals the sum obtained under (D) of this paragraph, multiplied by the base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470; district adjusted ADM is calculated as follows: (A) the ADM of each school in the district is calculated by applying the school size factor to the student count as set out in AS 14.17.450; (B) the number obtained under (A) of this paragraph is multiplied by the district cost factor described in AS 14.17.460; (C) the ADMs of each school in a district, as adjusted according to (A) and (B) of this paragraph, are added to the number obtained for correspondence study under AS 14.17.430; the sum is then multiplied by the special needs factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(1) and the secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor set out in AS 14.17.420(a)(3); (D) the number obtained for intensive services under AS 14.17.420(a)(2) is [AND THE NUMBER OBTAINED FOR CORRESPONDENCE STUDY UNDER AS 14.17.430 ARE] added to the number obtained under (C) of this paragraph or under (H) and (I) of this paragraph; (E) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if a school district's ADM adjusted for school size under (A) of this paragraph decreases by five percent or more from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, the school district may use the last fiscal year before the decrease as a base fiscal year to offset the decrease, according to the following method: (i) for the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 75 percent of the difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the base fiscal year and the first fiscal year after the base fiscal year; 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0821 (ii) for the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 50 percent of the difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the base fiscal year and the second fiscal year after the base fiscal year; (iii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year determined under this subparagraph, the school district's ADM adjusted for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph is calculated as the district's ADM adjusted for school size, plus 25 percent of the difference in the district's ADM adjusted for school size between the base fiscal year and the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year; (F) the method established in (E) of this paragraph is available to a school district for the three fiscal years following the base fiscal year determined under (E) of this paragraph only if the district's ADM adjusted for school size determined under (A) of this paragraph for each fiscal year is less than the district's ADM adjusted for school size in the base fiscal year; (G) the method established in (E) of this paragraph does not apply to a decrease in the district's ADM adjusted for school size resulting from a loss of enrollment that occurs as a result of a boundary change under AS 29; (H) notwithstanding (A) - (C) of this paragraph, if one or more schools close and consolidate with one or more other schools in the same community and district and, as a result of the consolidation, basic need generated by the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph decreases, the district may use the last fiscal year before the consolidation as the base fiscal year to offset that decrease for the first four fiscal years following consolidation according to the following method: (i) for the first two fiscal years after the base fiscal year, the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's ADM of the 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0822 consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, and adding that number to the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; (ii) for the third fiscal year after the base fiscal year, the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the base fiscal year without adjustment, and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, multiplying that number by 66 percent, and adding that number to the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; (iii) for the fourth fiscal year after the base fiscal year, the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph is calculated by dividing the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for the base fiscal year by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the base 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0823 fiscal year without adjustment, and subtracting the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year, multiplying that number by the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year without adjustment, multiplying that number by 33 percent, and adding that number to the sum of the district's ADM of the consolidated schools for the current fiscal year as adjusted under (A) - (C) of this paragraph; (iv) to calculate the district's basic need for each fiscal year, the number obtained through the calculation in (i), (ii), or (iii) of this subparagraph is added to the number obtained under (C) of this paragraph for the remainder of the district; (I) if the basic need calculated under (H)(i) - (iii) of this paragraph for one of the first four fiscal years after consolidation is less than the basic need calculated under (A) - (C) of this paragraph for that fiscal year, the basic need may not be adjusted under (H) of this paragraph for that fiscal year; (J) a district may not offset a decrease under (H) of this paragraph if (i) a new facility is constructed in the district for the consolidation; or (ii) the district offset a decrease under (E) of this paragraph in the same fiscal year; (K) a district that offsets a decrease under (H) of this paragraph may not reopen a school that was closed for consolidation in the district until (i) seven or more years have passed since the school closure; and (ii) the district provides evidence satisfactory to the department that the schools affected by the consolidation are over capacity; (L) a district may not reopen and reconsolidate a school that was consolidated in the district more than once every seven years for purposes of the calculations made under 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0824 (H) of this paragraph; (M) a district offsetting a decrease under (H) of this paragraph shall provide the department with the list of schools participating in the consolidation and the corresponding ADM; (2) the required local contribution of a city or borough school district is the equivalent of a 2.65 mill tax levy on the full and true value of the taxable real and personal property in the district as of January 1 of the second preceding fiscal year, as determined by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development under AS 14.17.510 and AS 29.45.110, not to exceed 45 percent of a district's basic need for the preceding fiscal year as determined under (1) of this subsection. * Sec. 17. AS 14.17.430 is amended to read: Sec. 14.17.430. State funding for correspondence study. Except as provided in AS 14.17.400(b), funding for the state centralized correspondence study program or a district correspondence program, including a district that offers a statewide correspondence study program, includes an allocation from the public education fund in an amount calculated by using [MULTIPLYING] the ADM of the correspondence program reported under AS 14.17.500(a) and 14.17.600(a) [BY 90 PERCENT]." Page 1, line 3: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 18" Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 1, line 4: Delete "$6,960" Insert "$6,970" Page 1, line 6: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 19. AS 14.20 is amended by adding a new section to article 3 to read: Sec. 14.20.255. Lump sum payment for certain teachers. (a) Subject to appropriation for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0825 2027, June 30, 2030, and June 30, 2033, a certificated full-time teacher is entitled to receive a lump sum payment as a retention and recruitment incentive if the teacher was employed in a full- time classroom teaching position for the entirety of the school term for the school year immediately preceding the date of payment. The department shall pay the retention and recruitment incentive on or within a reasonable period after July 1, 2026, July 1, 2029, and July 1, 2032. The department shall reduce the retention and recruitment incentive by the amount necessary to pay mandatory employee and employer deductions, including a deduction required under AS 14.25. Subject to the application and certification requirements described in (e) of this section, the department shall pay the retention and recruitment incentives through grants to school districts as described in (b) - (e) of this section. (b) The department shall pay $7,000 for each eligible certificated full-time teacher teaching in the following districts: (1) Anchorage School District; (2) Fairbanks North Star Borough School District; (3) Juneau Borough School District; (4) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District; (5) Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (c) The department shall pay $12,000 for each eligible certificated full-time teacher teaching in the following districts: (1) Alaska Gateway School District; (2) Aleutian Region School District; (3) Aleutians East Borough School District; (4) Annette Island School District; (5) Chugach School District; (6) Copper River School District; (7) Cordova City School District; (8) Delta/Greely School District; (9) Denali Borough School District; (10) Galena City School District; (11) Haines Borough School District; (12) Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District; (13) Kodiak Island Borough School District; (14) Mt. Edgecumbe High School; (15) Nenana City School District; (16) Nome Public Schools; 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0826 (17) Petersburg Borough School District; (18) Saint Mary's School District; (19) Sitka School District; (20) Skagway School District; (21) Unalaska City School District; (22) Valdez City School District; (23) Wrangell Public School District; (24) Yakutat School District. (d) The department shall pay $17,000 for each eligible certificated full-time teacher teaching in the following districts: (1) Bering Strait School District; (2) Bristol Bay Borough School District; (3) Chatham School District; (4) Craig City School District; (5) Dillingham City School District; (6) Hoonah City School District; (7) Hydaburg City School District; (8) Iditarod Area School District; (9) Kake City School District; (10) Kashunamiut School District; (11) Klawock City School District; (12) Kuspuk School District; (13) Lake and Peninsula Borough School District; (14) Lower Kuskokwim School District; (15) Lower Yukon School District; (16) North Slope Borough School District; (17) Northwest Arctic Borough School District; (18) Pelican City School District; (19) Pribilof School District; (20) Southeast Island School District; (21) Southwest Region School District; (22) Tanana City School District; (23) Yukon Flats School District; (24) Yukon-Koyukuk School District; (25) Yupiit School District. (e) To be eligible for the retention and recruitment incentive described in this section, a certificated full-time teacher must apply during each eligible calendar year to the department on a date not later than the final day in session for the school term established by the governing body of the teacher's school district 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0827 or regional educational attendance area. Application for payment shall be made on a form designated by the commissioner. For each teacher who applies, the school district or regional educational attendance area shall certify the teacher's eligibility for payment under this section to the department. (f) Payment made under this section is considered compensation for the purposes of AS 14.25. (g) The department may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. (h) In this section, "certificated full-time teacher" (1) means an individual occupying a position that requires (A) a teaching certificate as a condition of employment; and (B) teaching on a regular basis during the normal work period for each day or week at a classroom teaching assignment in a public elementary or secondary school; (2) does not include an individual teaching as an assistant or graduate assistant or teaching on a substitute, temporary, or per diem basis. * Sec. 20. AS 14.33 is amended by adding a new section to read: Article 5. Mobile Communication Devices in Schools. Sec. 14.33.300. Mobile communication devices in schools. (a) The governing body of a school district shall adopt a policy that prohibits a student from using a personal mobile communication device while in school under the supervision of an employee of the school district except (1) in the event of an emergency or a perceived threat of danger; (2) when a teacher or administrator of the school grants permission to the student to use the device for educational purposes; (3) when use of the device is necessary for the health or well-being of the student; or (4) when use of the device is a required component of the student's individualized education plan. (b) This section does not authorize the monitoring, collecting, or accessing of information related to a student's use of a personal mobile communication device. (c) In this section, "mobile communication device" means a 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0828 cellular telephone, smart phone, personal data assistant, wireless tablet, computer, or similar device used for voice or visual communication. * Sec. 21. AS 44.27 is amended by adding new sections to read: Article 3. Education Scholarship Account Program. Sec. 44.27.100. Education scholarship account program; regulations. The education scholarship account program is established in the department. The department shall administer the program for the purpose of providing public funding for the education of a student who is being educated in the state as described in AS 44.27.110(2). The department shall create an account for each student who is participating in the program. The department may adopt regulations necessary to administer the program. Sec. 44.27.110. Education scholarship account eligibility. A parent or guardian of a student may participate in the education scholarship account program on behalf of the student if (1) the parent or guardian applies to the department on a form or in a format prescribed by the department and enters into a written agreement with the department to participate in the program; and (2) the student is being educated in the state through (A) attendance at a school or program, or enrollment in a state boarding school or correspondence study program, that meets the requirements of AS 14.30.010(b)(1)(A) or (C) or (10) and the school or program implements annual testing that measures student improvement and academic achievement; or (B) tutoring as described in AS 14.30.010(b)(1)(B) and annually takes a test that measures student improvement and academic achievement. Sec. 44.27.120. Education scholarship account amount and use. (a) Subject to appropriation, the department shall deposit annually into each participating student's account an amount equal to the amount of the base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 for the student's education for the school year. (b) For a participating student with a disability who is eligible to receive special education and related services under AS 14.30.180 - 14.30.350, the department shall deposit annually into the participating student's account the amount described in (a) 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0829 of this section, plus additional funding in an amount determined by the department. The department's determination must be based on the degree of the student's special education needs and may not exceed $20,000 for the participating student's education for the school year. (c) The department shall, using money in a participating student's account, pay for a participating student's qualifying education expenses described in AS 44.27.130. The department shall provide the payment directly to the school or program providing the service to which the expense relates. The department may not refund, rebate, or share with the parent, guardian, or participating student funds deposited into the participating student's account. A refund or rebate for goods or services purchased with funds in the participating student's account must be credited directly to the participating student's account and may be used only as described in AS 44.27.130. (d) Unused funds in a participating student's account carry over from year to year unless the department closes the participating student's account. After a participating student's account is closed under this subsection, all unexpended and unobligated funds in the account lapse into the general fund. The department shall close a participating student's account if (1) the student no longer meets the eligibility criteria required to participate in the program under AS 44.27.110; (2) the parent or guardian of the participating student withdraws the participating student from the program; (3) the participating student has obtained a high school diploma or a general education development diploma or its equivalent; or (4) the participating student or parent or guardian of the participating student has failed to comply with a requirement of this section or a regulation adopted under this section. (e) If insufficient funding is appropriated to fund the allocations authorized under (a) and (b) of this section, the department shall distribute the funding proportionately among accounts of participating students. Sec. 44.27.130. Qualifying education expenses. Money in a participating student's account may be used only for the cost of (1) tuition for a school or program described in AS 14.30.010(b)(1)(A) or (C) or (10) that the student attends; 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0830 (2) tuition for a course in which the student is enrolled at the University of Alaska; (3) tutoring provided to the student under AS 14.30.010(b)(1)(B); (4) nutrition for the student; (5) supplies relating to the education of the student; and (6) transportation for the student for educational purposes. Sec. 44.27.140. Definitions. In AS 44.27.100 - 44.27.140, (1) "account" means an education scholarship account established for a participating student under AS 44.27.100; (2) "department" means the Department of Education and Early Development; (3) "participating student" means a student participating in the education scholarship account program established in AS 44.27.100; (4) "program" means the education scholarship account program established in AS 44.27.100. * Sec. 22. Section 6, ch. 3, SLA 2015, as amended by sec. 5, ch. 6, SLA 2020, is amended to read: Sec. 6.AS 14.11.014(d), 14.11.100(s), and 14.11.102(c) are repealed July 1, 2030 [2025]. * Sec. 23. AS 14.20.255 is repealed July 1, 2033. * Sec. 24. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: TRANSITION: EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT ELIGIBILITY. Notwithstanding AS 44.27.110 and 44.27.120(a), added by sec. 21 of this Act, a student may participate in the education scholarship account program (1) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, only if the student is a child with a disability as defined in AS 14.30.350 and is eligible to receive special education and related services under AS 14.30.180 - 14.30.350; (2) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, only if (A) the student is eligible under (1) of this section; (B) the student is entitled to English as a second language or bilingual services based on the student's English language proficiency; (C) the student is a foster child; if the department deposits education scholarship account program funding into an 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0831 account for a foster child under this subparagraph, the department shall also deposit education scholarship account program funding into accounts for other children who are being educated in the state as described in AS 44.27.110(2) and who live in the same household as the foster child; in this subparagraph, "foster child" means a child committed to the custody of the Department of Family and Community Services under AS 47.10; or (D) the student's family has an income equal to or less than 125 percent of the most recent federal poverty guidelines for the state set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. * Sec. 25. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: RETROACTIVITY. Section 22 of this Act is retroactive to July 1, 2025. * Sec. 26. Sections 11 - 14, 22, and 25 of this Act take effect June 30, 2025. * Sec. 27. Sections 1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 15 - 21, 23, and 24 of this Act take effect July 1, 2025. * Sec. 28. Except as provided in secs. 26 and 27 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2026." Senator Hughes moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 5. Senator Tobin objected. Senator Hughes moved and asked unanimous consent to withdraw Amendment No. 5. Without objection, Amendment No. 5 was withdrawn. The bill was automatically in third reading. The question being: "Shall SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(FIN) "An Act relating to the base student allocation; and providing for an effective date" pass the Senate?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 69(FIN) Third Reading - Final Passage YEAS: 11 NAYS: 9 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-04-11 Senate Journal Page 0832 Yeas: Bjorkman, Claman, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski Nays: Cronk, Hoffman, Hughes, Kaufman, Myers, Olson, Shower, Stedman, Yundt and so, SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(FIN) passed the Senate. Senator Giessel moved for the adoption of the effective date clause. The question being: "Shall the effective date clause be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 69(FIN) Effective Date Clause(s) YEAS: 20 NAYS: 0 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bjorkman, Claman, Cronk, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Hughes, Kaufman, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Myers, Olson, Shower, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski, Yundt and so, the effective date clause was adopted.