Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2025-03-10 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0315 HOUSE JOURNAL ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE FIRST SESSION Juneau, Alaska Monday March 10, 2025 Forty-ninth Day Pursuant to adjournment the House was called to order by Speaker Edgmon at 10:43 a.m. Roll call showed 40 members present. The invocation was offered by the Chaplain, Pastor Trenton Cooper of Glacier Valley Baptist Church. Representative Story moved and asked unanimous consent that the invocation be spread on the journal. There being no objection, it was so ordered. With respect for all people, including those with differing beliefs, I invite you to a time of prayer and reflection: The prophet Jeremiah says, O, Sovereign Lord, You made the heavens and the earth with Your strong hand and powerful arm! Nothing is too difficult for you (Jeremiah 32:17). It is with belief in this truth that I come to you today to ask for your guidance over this body. As our public servant leaders gather during this session, I pray that you would lead them to make decisions for the betterment of all of the people of this great state. Please give them wisdom to govern in a way that seeks the welfare of all Alaskans from youngest to oldest; from richest to poorest. Heavenly Father, I thank you for the leaders you’ve put here in this body and pray for their health, protection, and 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0316 blessings. Please bless their families as they give up time with their loved ones to serve the people of this state. May they be blessed for their work and their sacrifice. And lastly, may all that is done by this body bring glory and honor to you. And as Jesus prayed, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It is in Jesus’ name that I pray, Amen. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Representative Johnson. CERTIFICATION OF THE JOURNAL Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the journal for the 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th legislative days be approved as certified by the Chief Clerk. There being no objection, it was so ordered. * * * * * Representative Rauscher introduced Julian Serazin, Guest Page, from Sutton. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR HB 65 A message dated March 6 was read stating the Governor signed the following bill and is transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's office for permanent filing: HOUSE BILL NO. 65 "An Act authorizing the Alaska Railroad Corporation to issue revenue bonds to finance the replacement of the Alaska Railroad Corporation's passenger dock and related terminal facility in Seward, Alaska; and providing for an effective date." Chapter No. 1, SLA 2025 Effective Date: March 7, 2025 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0317 SB 87 A message dated March 6 was read stating the Governor signed the following bill and is transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's office for permanent filing: SENATE BILL NO. 87 "An Act disapproving the recommendations of the State Officers Compensation Commission; and providing for an effective date." Chapter No. 2, SLA 2025 Effective Date: March 7, 2025 COMMUNICATIONS The following were received: Alaska Energy Authority 2024 Annual Report (as required by AS 44.83.940) Dept. of Law Monetary Terms of Agreement between the University of Alaska and University of Alaska-United Academics-Adjuncts (as require by AS 23.40.215 and AO 356) The Speaker referred the monetary terms to the Finance Committee. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES HB 69 The Rules Committee considered: HOUSE BILL NO. 69 "An Act relating to education funding; and providing for an effective date." and recommends it be replaced with: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(RLS) "An Act relating to education; relating to open enrollment in 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0318 public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts; and providing for an effective date." The report was signed by Representative Stutes, Chair, with the following individual recommendations: Do pass (4): Edgmon, Kopp, Schrage, Stutes Amend (3): Vance, Costello, Tilton The following fiscal note(s) apply to CSHB 69(RLS): 1. Zero, Dept. of Education & Early Development 2. Fiscal, Dept. of Education & Early Development/Fund Capitalization 3. Fiscal, Dept. of Education & Early Development HB 69 is on today's calendar. Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent to set an amendment deadline for CSHB 69(RLS) of noon, today, to the Chief Clerk’s Office. There was objection. The question being: "Shall an amendment deadline of noon be set for CSHB 69(RLS)?" The roll was taken with the following result: HB 69 Set Amendment Deadline of noon YEAS: 21 NAYS: 19 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0319 Nays: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance And so, the motion passed. HB 101 The Judiciary Committee considered: HOUSE BILL NO. 101 "An Act relating to civil claims by victims of sexual abuse to a minor; relating to homicide; relating to assault in the third degree; relating to stalking; relating to sexual abuse of a minor; relating to enticement of a minor; relating to endangering the welfare of a child; relating to indecent exposure; relating to sending an explicit image of a minor; relating to solicitation or production of an indecent picture of a minor; relating to distribution of indecent material to minors; relating to the testimony of children in criminal proceedings; relating to sentencing; and providing for an effective date." and recommends it be replaced with: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 101(JUD) (same title) The report was signed by Representative Gray, Chair, with the following individual recommendations: Do pass (4): Underwood, Vance, Mina, Gray No recommendation (3): Eischeid, Costello, Kopp The following fiscal note(s) apply to CSHB 101(JUD): 1. Zero, Dept. of Family & Community Services 2. Fiscal, Dept. of Public Safety 3. Fiscal, Dept. of Public Safety 4. Indeterminate, Dept. of Administration 5. Zero, Dept. of Corrections 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0320 6. Fiscal, Dept. of Law 7. Indeterminate, Dept. of Administration HB 101 was referred to the Finance Committee. HB 113 The Labor & Commerce Committee considered: HOUSE BILL NO. 113 "An Act relating to a tax exemption for qualified small businesses; and providing for an effective date." and recommends it be replaced with: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 113(L&C) "An Act relating to a tax exemption for qualified small businesses; relating to the film production promotion program; creating a transferable tax credit applicable to certain film production expenditures incurred in the state; and providing for an effective date." The report was signed by Representatives Hall and Fields, Co-chairs, with the following individual recommendations: Do pass (4): Carrick, Burke, Hall, Fields Amend (3): Nelson, Saddler, Coulombe The following fiscal note(s) apply to CSHB 113(L&C): 1. Fiscal, Dept. of Revenue HB 113 was referred to the Finance Committee. SB 43 The State Affairs Committee considered: SENATE BILL NO. 43 "An Act establishing the month of March as Women's History Month." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0321 The report was signed by Representative Carrick, Chair, with the following individual recommendations: Do pass (5): Moore, Holland, Himschoot, Story, Carrick No recommendation (1): Vance The following fiscal note(s) apply: 1. Zero, Office of the Governor/Combined SB 43 was referred to the Rules Committee. INTRODUCTION OF CITATIONS The following citations were introduced and taken up as a Special Order of Business: Honoring - Stephen B. Wallace By Representative Stutes; Senators Stevens, Claman In Memoriam - Jody Fenton By Representatives Ruffridge, Johnson The following citations were introduced and referred to the Rules Committee for placement on the calendar: Honoring - Alev Kelter By Representatives Allard, Johnson, Saddler Honoring - Alyce Hanley By Representative Allard; Senator Claman In Memoriam - Paul R. Jenkins II By Representatives Allard, Saddler In Memoriam - Wayne J. McLaren By Representative Allard In Memoriam - Robert "Tiny" Schasteen By Representative Edgmon; Senator Hoffman 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0322 In Memoriam - Michael Evan Sr. By Representative Edgmon; Senator Hoffman SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the notice and publication requirements be waived and the citations, Honoring - Stephen B. Wallace and In Memoriam - Jody Fenton, be taken up as a Special Order of Business. There being no objection, it was so ordered. Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the House approve the citations. There being no objection, the following citations were approved and sent to enrolling: Honoring - Stephen B. Wallace By Representative Stutes; Senators Stevens, Claman In Memoriam - Jody Fenton By Representatives Ruffridge, Johnson INTRODUCTION, FIRST READING, AND REFERENCE OF HOUSE BILLS HB 13 SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 13 by Representative Gray, entitled: "An Act relating to optional municipal property tax exemptions for certain long-term rental units, certain mobile home parks, real property rented to low-income families, real property owned and occupied as a permanent place of abode, and real property owned by first-time homebuyers." was read the first time and referred to the Community & Regional Affairs and Finance Committees. HB 128 HOUSE BILL NO. 128 by Representative Holland, entitled: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0323 "An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the Transportation and Resources Committees. HB 129 HOUSE BILL NO. 129 by the House Special Committee on Fisheries by request of the Joint Legislative Task Force Evaluating Alaska's Seafood Industry, entitled: "An Act relating to the fisheries product development tax credit; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of sec. 2, ch. 31, SLA 2022; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on Fisheries and the Finance Committee. HB 130 HOUSE BILL NO. 130 by Representative Josephson, entitled: "An Act relating to flexible time credit for classified employees in the executive branch who are not eligible for overtime compensation." was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Finance Committees. HB 131 HOUSE BILL NO. 131 by the House Rules Committee by request of the Governor, entitled: "An Act relating to the licensure of nursing professionals; relating to a multistate nurse licensure compact; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the Labor & Commerce and Finance Committees. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0324 The following fiscal note(s) apply: 1. Zero, Dept. of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development The Governor's transmittal letter dated March 7 follows: "Dear Speaker Edgmon: Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am transmitting a bill to facilitate Alaska's entry into the Multistate Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), the nation's longest standing and most well-vetted professional licensure compact. Joining this Compact will expand healthcare access across the State by streamlining and simplifying licensure requirements for registered and practical nurses who seek to practice in multiple states. Under this legislation, and in light of Alaska's 21 percent registered nurse vacancy rate reported in the 2023 Alaska Healthcare Workforce Analysis, Alaska would become a "party state," enabling: • Prospective nurse applicants to remain in Alaska and practice under a new multistate license. • Nurses already holding a multistate license from one of the 43 other U.S. jurisdictions in the compact to practice in Alaska immediately, without undergoing a separate licensure process. Surveys from 2019 and 2023 also indicate that 92 percent of Alaska- licensed nurses support joining the NLC, recognizing that it helps address our annual need for over 1,350 new nursing recruits, despite graduating only about 325 nurses per year. This bill does not eliminate or replace Alaska's current nurse licensing pathways. Instead, it supplements them, so certified nurse aides (CNAs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and Alaska- only licensees continue to follow existing licensing options. In adopting the Compact, the State would also join the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators, which oversees rulemaking, enforcement, and financial assessments for the 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0325 Compact. The bill designates the Alaska Board of Nursing to implement the Compact, directing the Board's chair, or a designee, to serve on the Commission. Alaska would further participate in the Compact's coordinated licensure information system, ensuring interstate sharing of licensure and enforcement data. All the while, each party state retains full jurisdiction over its own nursing laws and the standards for public safety. By joining the Multistate Nurse Licensure Compact, Alaska will significantly enhance workforce flexibility and bolster healthcare services throughout the State. I respectfully request your prompt and favorable consideration of this measure. Sincerely, /s/ Mike Dunleavy Governor" CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY CALENDAR SECOND READING OF HOUSE BILLS HB 69 The following was read the second time: HOUSE BILL NO. 69 "An Act relating to education funding; and providing for an effective date." with the: Journal Page FIN RPT 5DP 4DNP 1NR 1AM 224 FN1: ZERO(EED) 224 FN2: (EED/FUND CAP) 224 FN3: (EED) 224 RLS RPT CS(RLS) NEW TITLE 4DP 3AM 317 FN1: ZERO(EED) 317 FN2: (EED/FUND CAP) 317 FN3: (EED) 317 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0326 Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the following committee substitute be adopted in lieu of the original bill: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(RLS) "An Act relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts; and providing for an effective date." There being no objection, it was so ordered. Amendment No. 1 was offered by Representative Kopp: Page 2, line 25: Delete "school." Insert "school and enrollment of children of members of the armed forces." Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 1 be adopted. There was objection. Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent to withdraw Amendment No. 1. There being no objection, it was so ordered. Amendment Nos. 2-7 were not offered. Amendment No. 8 was offered by Representative Ruffridge: Page 1, lines 1 – 2 (title amendment): Delete "relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs;" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0327 Page 1, lines 3 - 6: Delete "relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts;" Page 1, line 8, through page 6, line 29: Delete all material. Page 6, line 30: Delete "Sec. 13" Insert "Section 1" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 2, through page 10, line 8: Delete all material. Page 10, line 9: Delete "Except as provided in secs. 21 - 23 of this Act, this" Insert "This" Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 8 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. Representative Saddler, citing Section 111 of Mason's Manual, rose to a point of order regarding making references to the office of the executive. The Speaker stated the point was well taken. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 8 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 8 YEAS: 15 NAYS: 25 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0328 Yeas: Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood Nays: Allard, Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Rauscher, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Tilton, Vance And so, Amendment No. 8 was not adopted. Amendment No. 9 was offered by Representatives Costello, Johnson, Ruffridge, Coulombe, McCabe, Saddler, Bynum, Tomaszewski, Tilton, and Allard: Page 1, lines 1 - 2 (title amendment): Delete "relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs;" Page 1, lines 4 - 5: Delete "relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts;" Page 1, line 8, through page 6, line 29: Delete all material. Page 6, line 30: Delete "Sec. 13" Insert "Section 1" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 2" Page 7, line 23, through page 10, line 9: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Act take effect July 1, 2025. * Sec. 5. Section 3 of this Act takes effect June 30, 2034." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0329 Representative Costello moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 9 be adopted. Representative Galvin objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 9 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 9 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 9 was not adopted. Amendment No. 10 was offered by Representatives Tilton, Costello, Johnson, Ruffridge, Coulombe, Saddler, McCabe, Tomaszewski, Bynum, Vance, Schwanke, Rauscher, and Allard: Page 1, line 2 (title amendment): Delete "an annual report for" Page 6, following line 29: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 13. 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]." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0330 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Tilton moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 10 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 10 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 10 YEAS: 20 NAYS: 20 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, Kopp, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 10 was not adopted. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0331 Amendment No. 11 was offered by Representatives Ruffridge, Costello, Johnson, Coulombe, Saddler, McCabe, Tomaszewski, Tilton, Vance, Allard, and Rauscher: Page 3, line 12, through page 4, line 8: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 6. 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 during the first three years of (A) the charter school's operation; and (B) an expansion of the range of grades the charter school serves; (6) a statement of the charter school's funding allocation from the local school board and costs assignable to the charter school program budget that applies in circumstances other than those described in (5) of this subsection; (7) [(6)] the method by which the charter school will account for receipts and expenditures; (8) [(7)] the location and description of the facility; (9) [(8)] the name of the teacher, or teachers, who, by agreement between the charter school and the teacher, will teach in the charter school; (10) [(9)] the teacher-to-student ratio; (11) [(10)] the number of students served; (12) [(11)] the term of the contract, not to exceed a term of 10 years; (13) [(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; (14) [(13)] a statement that the charter school will 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0332 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." Page 4, line 22: Delete "The" Insert "Except as provided in (e) of this section, the [THE]" Page 5, following line 8: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 9. AS 14.03.260 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (e) For the first three years that a charter school operates or expands the range of grades the charter school serves, the annual program budget of the charter school must, at a minimum, equal the greater of (1) the amount of the funding allocation stated in the contract between the charter school and the local school board for the operation or expansion, as required by AS 14.03.255(c)(5); or (2) the amount calculated under (a) of this section." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 5 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete ""17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0333 Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 11 be adopted. There was objection. The Speaker stated that, without objection, the House would recess to 2:10 p.m.; and so, the House recessed at 1:02 p.m. AFTER RECESS The Speaker called the House back to order at 2:33 p.m. SECOND READING OF HOUSE BILLS HB 69 The following was before the House with Amendment No. 11 (page 331) moved and pending: The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 11 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 11 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0334 And so, Amendment No. 11 was not adopted. The Speaker stated that, without objection, Amendment No. 12 would be moved to the bottom of the amendments. Amendment No. 13 was offered by Representative Coulombe: Page 1, line 1, following "schools;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to procurement of Internet services plans;" Page 3, following line 5: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 5. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.128. Procurement of Internet services plan. (a) Each school district shall adopt procedures to govern the procurement of an Internet services plan for the school district. The procedures must require the school district to (1) use competitive bidding once every two years to procure the Internet services plan; (2) complete the competitive bidding process not later than six months after beginning the process; (3) present a copy of the bids and information relating to the bids to the public not later than 45 days after the school district receives all the bids; (4) present the school district's decision on the bids, along with a copy of the bids and information relating to the bids, at the school district's next school board meeting or 45 days after the school district receives all the bids, whichever is later; (5) accept the bid that provides, for the lowest cost, the same amount or more megabits of download a second compared to the school district's current Internet services plan. (b) In this section, "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0335 Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 6 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 6 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Coulombe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 13 be adopted. Representative Gray objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 13 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 13 YEAS: 20 NAYS: 20 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Gray, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0336 Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 13 was not adopted. Amendment No. 14 was offered by Representative Vance: Page 1, line 2, following "programs;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to school district audits and budgets;" Page 6, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 13. AS 14.14 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.14.040. School district budget. Each school district shall, not later than July 15 of each year, (1) submit the district's budget for the current fiscal year to the department; (2) publish a certified copy of the budget prominently on the district's publicly available Internet website; the budget must be accessible through a link on the district's Internet website home page; and (3) post a certified copy of the budget in a conspicuous, publicly accessible place at the principal administrative office of the district. * Sec. 14. AS 14.14.050(a) is amended to read: (a) The school board in each school district shall, before October 1 of each year, provide for an audit of all school accounts for the school year ending the preceding June 30. To make the audit the school board shall contract with a public accountant who has no personal interest, direct or indirect, in the fiscal affairs of the district. A [ONE] certified copy of the audit shall be filed with the commissioner [AND ONE CERTIFIED COPY SHALL BE POSTED IN A PUBLIC PLACE AT THE PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT]. * Sec. 15. AS 14.14.050(b) is amended to read: (b) The audit shall conform in form to requirements established by the commissioner. The commissioner shall withhold all payments of state funds after November 15 to a school district that fails to satisfy the requirements of this 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0337 section and AS 14.14.040 [FILE A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE AUDIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT]. * Sec. 16. AS 14.14.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (e) Each school district shall, not later than November 15 of each year, (1) publish a certified copy of the audit prominently on the district's publicly available Internet website; the audit must be accessible through a link on the district's Internet website home page; and (2) post a certified copy of the audit in a conspicuous, publicly accessible place at the principal administrative office of the district." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 18" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "21" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 19" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 25 - 27" Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 14 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 14 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0338 CSHB 69(RLS) Second Reading Amendment No. 14 YEAS: 18 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 1 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes Absent: Rauscher And so, Amendment No. 14 was not adopted. Amendment No. 15 was offered by Representative Vance: Page 1, line 2 (title amendment): Delete "an annual report for" Page 1, line 3, following "allocation;": Insert "relating to minimum expenditure for instruction;" Page 5, following line 29: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 11. AS 14.03.310(a) is amended to read: (a) Except as provided in (e) of this section, the department or a district that provides a correspondence study program shall [MAY] provide an annual student allotment to a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the correspondence study program for the purpose of meeting instructional expenses for the student enrolled in the program as provided in this section." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, following line 1: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 15. AS 14.17 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0339 Sec. 14.17.530. Minimum expenditure for instruction. (a) In each fiscal year, a district shall budget for and (1) spend on instructional expenses for a student enrolled in the district and not enrolled in a correspondence study program provided by the district an amount equal to at least 70 percent of the public school funding generated by the student under AS 14.17.410 for that fiscal year; and (2) provide to a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a correspondence study program provided by the district an annual student allotment required under AS 14.03.310(a) that equals at least 70 percent of the funding generated by the student under AS 14.17.430 for that fiscal year. (b) The commissioner shall reject a district budget that does not comply with (a) of this section and, unless a waiver has been granted by the board under (d) of this section, shall withhold payments of state aid from that district, beginning with the payment for the second full month after rejection and continuing until the school board of the district revises the district budget to comply with (a) of this section. (c) The commissioner shall review the annual audit of each district for compliance with the expenditure requirements of (a) of this section and calculate the amount of any deficiency. If the commissioner determines that a district does not meet those requirements, the commissioner shall advise the district of the determination and deduct the amount of the deficiency from state aid paid to the district for the current fiscal year. A deduction in state aid required under this subsection begins with the payment for the second full month after the determination, unless a waiver has been granted by the board under (d) of this section. (d) A district that the commissioner determines to be out of compliance with the requirements of this section may, within 20 days after the commissioner's determination, request from the board a waiver from the deduction in state aid payments under (b) or (c) of this section. The request must be in writing and must provide an explanation of the reasons for which the district is unable to comply with the requirements of this section. The district shall also submit the request to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee. The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee shall review the district's request and forward its recommendations on the request to the board. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0340 (e) The commissioner shall submit an annual report on actions taken by the commissioner or the board under this section to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee by April 15 of each year. (f) In this section, (1) "correspondence study program provided by the district" includes a statewide correspondence study program provided by a district; (2) "instructional expenses" means expenditures for teachers, instructional materials, and student support services." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 16" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "19" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 17" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 23 - 25" Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 15 be adopted. There was objection. Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent to withdraw Amendment No. 15. There being no objection, it was so ordered. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0341 The Speaker stated that, without objection, Amendments Nos. 16 and 17 would be moved to the bottom of the amendments. Amendment No. 18 was offered by Representative Underwood: Page 1, lines 8 - 12: Delete all material. Page 1, line 10: Delete "Sec. 2" Insert "Section 1" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 2, line 8: Delete "sec. 2" Insert "sec. 1" Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 13" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 4 - 8" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 4 - 8" Page 10, line 5: Delete "Sections 3 and 17" Insert "Sections 2 and 16" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 11" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 14" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0342 Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 20 - 22" Representative Underwood moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 18 be adopted. Objection was heard and withdrawn. There being no further objection, Amendment No. 18 was adopted. Amendment No. 19 was not offered. Amendment No. 20 was offered by Representative Rauscher: Page 1, line 5, following "Funding;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to a demonstration state-nonprofit education compact; relating to state-nonprofit education compact schools;" Page 9, following line 23: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 19. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: DEMONSTRATION STATE-NONPROFIT EDUCATION COMPACT. (a) The state Board of Education and Early Development shall negotiate a demonstration state-nonprofit education compact with nonprofit organizations in the state to establish demonstration state- nonprofit education compact schools. The demonstration state- nonprofit education compact may be for a term of not more than 10 years and may not include more than one demonstration state- nonprofit education compact school in each borough or recognized census area. (b) A governing body of a nonprofit may initiate the negotiation described in (a) of this section by submitting to the board, on or before December 31, 2025, a resolution that requests negotiation under (a) of this section and that identifies the additional organizations, if any, that will participate in the negotiation on behalf of or in conjunction with the nonprofit. (c) Not later than March 31, 2026, the board shall meet with the governing bodies of the nonprofit organizations that submitted a 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0343 resolution under (b) of this section and any additional organization identified in the resolution by the nonprofit organization and negotiate the terms of the demonstration state-nonprofit education compact. For each school district that will have a demonstration state-nonprofit education compact school located within the school district's boundaries, the board shall consult with (1) the governing body of the school district; and (2) a representative of the collective bargaining unit that represents the teachers of the school district. (d) Not later than January 31, 2027, the board shall submit a report containing recommendations to the legislature relating to the demonstration state-nonprofit education compact and demonstration state-nonprofit education compact schools. The board may include in the report proposed legislation relating to the demonstration state- nonprofit education compact and demonstration state-nonprofit education compact schools. The board shall submit the report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available. The board shall consult with the nonprofits and any additional organizations that will be a party to the demonstration state-nonprofit education compact before submitting the report required under this subsection. (e) In this section, (1) "board" means the state Board of Education and Early Development; (2) "nonprofit organization" means an entity that is exempt from federal taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) (Internal Revenue Code)." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 5: Delete "and 17" Insert ", 17, and 19" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Rauscher moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 20 be adopted. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0344 There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 20 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 20 YEAS: 17 NAYS: 23 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Ruffridge, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 20 was not adopted. Amendment No. 21 was not offered. Amendment No. 22 was offered by Representative Saddler: Page 1, lines 1 - 4 (title amendment): Delete "relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools;" Page 1, lines 5 - 6: Delete "relating to a report on regulation of school districts; and providing for an effective date" Page 1, line 8, through page 8, line 19: Delete all material. Page 8, line 20: Delete "Sec. 18" Insert "Section 1" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0345 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 9, line 24, through page 10, line 9: Delete all material. Representative Saddler moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 22 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 22 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 22 YEAS: 12 NAYS: 27 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 1 Yeas: Allard, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Nelson, Rauscher, Saddler, Schwanke, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Prax, Ruffridge, Schrage, Stapp, Story, Stutes Absent: Moore And so, Amendment No. 22 was not adopted. Amendment No. 23 was offered by Representative Costello: Page 1, line 4, following "schools;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to the duty of the legislature to pass a public education appropriation bill; relating to the duty of the governor to prepare a public education appropriation bill;" Page 6, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 13. AS 14.11.019 is amended to read: Sec. 14.11.019. Grant appropriations. Within the appropriation bill authorizing capital expenditures submitted to 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0346 the legislature under AS 37.07.020(a)(4) [AS 37.07.020(a)(3)], the governor shall include an appropriation for grants in the succeeding fiscal year as determined by the six-year capital improvement project grant schedule prepared under AS 14.11.013. * Sec. 14. AS 14.11.100(c) is amended to read: (c) The school construction account is established. Funds to carry out the provisions of this section shall be included within the appropriation bill authorizing capital expenditures submitted to the legislature under AS 37.07.020(a)(4) [AS 37.07.020(a)(3)] and may be appropriated annually by the legislature to the account. If amounts in the account are insufficient for the purpose of providing the share to which a borough or city is entitled under this section, those funds that are available shall be distributed pro rata among the eligible municipalities, except that the legislature may direct that additional debt service on refunding bonds that exceeds the total debt service on the refunded bonds be disregarded in whole or in part." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 16" Page 8, following line 18: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 19. AS 24.20.140(a) is amended to read: (a) Appropriations for carrying out AS 24.20.010 - 24.20.140 shall be set out in the appropriation bill authorizing operating expenditures submitted to the legislature under AS 37.07.020(a)(3) [AS 37.07.020(a)(2)] or other bills as may be necessary. The council may direct the executive director to transfer amounts from one appropriation to another if the transfer is considered necessary to accomplish the work of the council. The council may not exceed the total amount of the authorized appropriation. All expenditures of the council are subject to an independent audit that shall be made annually. * Sec. 20. AS 37.07.014 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (g) An appropriation bill authorizing state operating 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0347 expenditures for public school funding provided under AS 14.09 and AS 14.17 for the succeeding fiscal year must be passed by the legislature by March 15. In this subsection, "passed by the legislature" has the meaning given in AS 01.10.070. * Sec. 21. AS 37.07.020(a) is amended to read: (a) The governor shall prepare a budget for the succeeding fiscal year that must cover all estimated receipts, including all grants, loans, and money received from the federal government and all proposed expenditures of the state government. The budget shall be organized so that the proposed expenditures for each agency are presented separately. The budget must be accompanied by the information required under AS 37.07.050 and by the following separate bills: (1) an appropriation bill authorizing the operating and capital expenditures of the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program under AS 37.14.003(a); (2) an appropriation bill authorizing state operating expenditures for public school funding provided under AS 14.09 and AS 14.17; (3) an appropriation bill authorizing state operating expenditures other than those included in the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program or included under (2) of this subsection; (4) [; (3)] an appropriation bill authorizing capital expenditures other than those included in the state's integrated comprehensive mental health program; and (5) [(4)] a bill or bills covering recommendations, if any, in the budget for new or additional revenue. The budget for the succeeding fiscal year and each of the bills shall become public information on December 15 at which time the governor shall submit copies to the legislature and make copies available to the public. The bills, identical in content to the copies released on December 15, shall be delivered to the rules committee of each house before the fourth legislative day of the next regular session for introduction." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "22" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0348 Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 17" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 26 - 28" Representative Costello moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 23 be adopted. Representative Josephson objected. Representative Himschoot moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 23 be tabled. Objection was heard and withdrawn. There being no further objection, Amendment No. 23 was tabled. Amendment No. 24 was not offered. Amendment No. 25 was offered by Representatives Costello and Allard: Page 3, following line 5: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 5. 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 to be submitted 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)." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0349 Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 5 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Allard moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 25 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 25 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 25 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0350 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 25 was not adopted. Amendment No. 26 was offered by Representative Johnson: Page 4, line 20, through page 5, line 8: Delete all material. Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 13" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 8" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 5 - 8" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "16" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 11" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 14" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0351 Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 20 - 22" Representative Johnson moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 26 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 26 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 26 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 26 was not adopted. Amendment No. 27 was offered by Representative Stapp: Page 7, following line 1: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 14. AS 14.17.470 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (b) On July 1, 2025, the department shall increase the base student allocation in effect on June 30, 2025, by a percentage equal to the average percentage of increase over the first three of the preceding four calendar years in all items of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus an additional $1,000. (c) On July 1, 2026, the department shall increase the base 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0352 student allocation in effect on June 30, 2026, by a percentage equal to the average percentage of increase over the first three of the preceding four calendar years in all items of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus an additional $404. (d) On July 1, 2027, the department shall increase the base student allocation in effect on June 30, 2027, by a percentage equal to the average percentage of increase over the first three of the preceding four calendar years in all items of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus an additional $404. (e) Beginning July 1, 2028, the department shall, on July 1 of each year, increase the base student allocation in effect on June 30 of the previous fiscal year by a percentage equal to the average percentage of increase over the first three of the preceding four calendar years in all items of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, following line 4: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 22. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: CONDITIONAL EFFECT; BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION. (a) Section 13 of this Act takes effect only if sec. 14 of this Act does not take effect. (b) Section 14 of this Act takes effect only if a bill that is anticipated to raise sufficient new revenue to fund the increase to the base student allocation described in sec. 14 of this Act is passed by the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature and enacted into law before July 1, 2025." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0353 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 23 - 25" Representative Stapp moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 27 be adopted. Representative Josephson objected. Representative Fields, citing Sections 100 and 101 of Mason's Manual, rose to a point of order, regarding the germaneness of the debate. The Speaker cautioned members to confine remarks to the amendment. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 27 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 27 YEAS: 5 NAYS: 35 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, McCabe, Nelson, Ruffridge, Stapp Nays: Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Elam, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Johnson, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Moore, Prax, Rauscher, Saddler, Schrage, Schwanke, Story, Stutes, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0354 And so, Amendment No. 27 was not adopted. Amendment No. 28 was not offered. Amendment No. 29 was offered by Representative Bynum: Page 1, line 2, following "programs;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to technical readiness and career training education in public schools; relating to grants to school districts for technical readiness and career training;" Page 1, line 10, following "INTENT.": Insert "(a)" Page 1, following line 12: Insert a new subsection to read: "(b) It is the intent of the legislature that the Alaska technical readiness and career training system will serve as the foundation of a statewide framework for comprehensive career and technical education by providing dedicated and direct funding to school districts to offer high quality, hands-on learning opportunities for students in grades six through 12, through the incentivized integration of technical readiness, career training, and work-based learning alongside traditional academic curricula and programs." Page 6, following line 29: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 13. AS 14.17.420(a) is amended to read: (a) As a component of public school funding, a district is eligible for special needs and secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding and may be eligible for intensive services funding as follows: (1) special needs funding is available to a district to assist the district in providing special education, gifted and talented education, vocational education, and bilingual education services to its students; a special needs funding factor of 1.20 shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); (2) in addition to the special needs funding for which a district is eligible under (1) of this subsection, a district is eligible for intensive services funding for each special education student 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0355 who needs and receives intensive services and is enrolled on the last day of the count period; for each [SUCH] student, intensive services funding is equal to the intensive student count multiplied by 13; (3) in addition to the special needs and intensive services funding available under (1) and (2) of this subsection, secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding is available to assist districts in providing vocational and technical instruction to students who are enrolled in a secondary school; a secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding factor of 1.0175 [1.015] shall be applied as set out in AS 14.17.410(b)(1); in this paragraph, "vocational and technical instruction" excludes costs associated with (A) administrative expenses; and (B) instruction in general literacy, mathematics, and job readiness skills." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, following line 1: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 15. AS 14.17 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: Sec. 14.17.530. Minimum expenditure for technical, career, and work-based instruction. A district shall budget for and spend at least 80 percent of the funds obtained for vocational and technical instruction under AS 14.17.420(a)(3) on directly offering and supporting technical readiness, career training, and work-based learning opportunities for students in grades six through 12." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 16" Page 7, following line 22: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 18. AS 14.30 is amended by adding new sections to read: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0356 Article 17. Career and Technical Education. Sec. 14.30.810. Alaska technical readiness and career training system. (a) The Alaska technical readiness and career training system is established in the department to help develop and expand technical readiness and career training programs across districts and to support the ongoing maintenance of the programs. (b) A technical readiness and career training program developed under this section may include classroom instruction, laboratory-based technical education, industry-aligned certification programs, hands-on training, apprenticeships, internships, cooperative education, and other work-based learning opportunities. Each program must (1) be structured, competency-based, and designed to provide students with career pathways, stackable credentials, and public and private credit articulation opportunities; (2) be developed in collaboration with partners in the private sector, labor organizations, tribal entities, postsecondary educational institutions, private training providers, and municipal governments to ensure the program is aligned with current and future workforce needs; (3) integrate technical readiness and work-based learning by providing students with (A) foundational academic knowledge; (B) industry-recognized technical skills; and (C) practical competencies necessary for successful entry into the workforce, apprenticeships, technical training programs, or postsecondary educational institutions. Sec. 14.30.820. Technical readiness and career training system coordinator. A technical readiness and career training system coordinator is established in the department to oversee the Alaska technical readiness and career training system established in the department. The coordinator shall (1) develop and maintain a repository of career and technical education resources in the department, including resources relating to curricula, best practices, and industry-aligned training modules; (2) support districts with developing, implementing, and maintaining technical readiness and career training programs; (3) facilitate partnerships between districts, industry 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0357 partners, labor organizations, tribal entities, private training programs, and postsecondary institutions to support technical readiness and career training programs; (4) regularly evaluate the effect of career and technical education on student outcomes and workforce readiness; (5) provide recommendations for program improvements; (6) collect and analyze data on technical readiness and career training program enrollment and completion rates and the number of career and technical education students who are placed in apprenticeships, obtained employment, and attended postsecondary educational institutions; and (7) create and maintain a model agreement for districts and partner entities to use as provided under AS 14.30.830(a). Sec. 14.30.830. Technical readiness and career training in our neighborhood program. (a) A district may enter into an agreement with a partner entity to allow high school students to earn school credit for participation in technical readiness, career training education, and work-based learning opportunities provided by the partner entity. To take effect, an agreement must be ratified by the school board and approved by the technical readiness and career training system coordinator. A district and partner entity may use the model agreement created and maintained by the coordinator under AS 14.30.820(7) or develop another agreement to establish the terms of participation. A district shall allow school credits earned under an agreement to apply toward meeting the requirements for a certificate of graduation from high school. (b) Subject to appropriation, each school year, a district is eligible to receive a grant in an amount equal to the base student allocation set out in AS 14.17.470 multiplied by .0375 for each half-unit of credit earned by a student through an agreement with a partner entity, for up to a maximum of two and one-half units of credit for each student. (c) On or before the 10th legislative day of each regular session of the legislature, the department shall submit a report on education offered under this section, including, for the previous school year, the total amount awarded to each district under (b) of this section, the number of students in each grade level for whom each district received funding under (b) of this section, and the 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0358 names of partner entities that have entered into agreements with districts authorized under (a) of this section. The department shall deliver a copy of the report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available. Sec. 14.30.840. Definitions. In AS 14.30.810 - 14.30.840, (1) "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.900; (2) "partner entity" means an in-state postsecondary educational institution, tribal entity, labor organization, business, nonprofit, or municipal government with which a district has entered into an agreement under AS 14.30.830." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "20" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 17" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 24 - 26" Representative Bynum moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 29 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 29 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 29 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0359 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 29 was not adopted. Amendment No. 30 was not offered. Amendment No. 31 was offered by Representative Tomaszewski: Page 1, line 1, following "education;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to education funding;" Page 5, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 11. AS 14.07.030(a) is amended to read: (a) The department may (1) establish, maintain, govern, operate, discontinue, and combine area, regional, and special schools; (2) enter into contractual agreements with the Bureau of Indian Affairs or with a school district to share boarding costs of secondary school students; (3) provide for citizenship night schools when and where expedient; (4) provide for the sale or other disposition of abandoned or obsolete buildings and other state-owned school property; (5) prescribe a classification for items of expense of school districts; (6) acquire and transfer personal property, acquire real property, and transfer real property to federal agencies, state agencies, or to political subdivisions; (7) enter into contractual agreements with school districts to provide more efficient or economical education services; reasonable fees may be charged by the department to cover the costs of providing services under an agreement, including costs for professional services, reproduction or printing, and mailing and distribution of educational materials; 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0360 (8) provide for the issuance of elementary and secondary diplomas to persons not in school who have completed the equivalent of an 8th or 12th grade education, respectively, in accordance with standards established by the department; (9) apply for, accept, and spend endowments, grants, and other private money available to the state for educational purposes in accordance with AS 37.07 (Executive Budget Act); (10) set student tuition and fees for educational and extracurricular programs and services provided and schools operated by the department under the provisions of (1) of this section and AS 14.07.020(a)(9), (11), and (12); (11) charge fees to cover the costs of care and handling with respect to the acquisition, warehousing, distribution, or transfer of donated foods; (12) establish and collect fees for the rental of school facilities and for other programs and services provided by the schools; (13) develop a model curriculum and provide technical assistance for early childhood education programs; (14) notwithstanding any other provision of this title, intervene in a school district to improve instructional practices under standards established by the department in regulation, including directing the (A) employees identified by the department to exercise supervisory authority for instructional practices in the district or in a specified school; (B) use of appropriations under this title for distribution to a district; (15) notwithstanding any other provision of this title, redirect public school funding under AS 14.17 appropriated for distribution to a school district, after providing notice to the district and an opportunity for the district to respond, (A) when necessary to contract for services to improve instructional practices in the district; (B) when the district has failed to take an action required by the department to improve instructional practices in the district; if funding is redirected under this subparagraph, the department shall provide the redirected funding to the district when the department has determined that the required action is satisfactorily completed; or 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0361 (C) in accordance with AS 14.07.070(a) [AS 14.07.070], when the district has failed to comply with the school laws of the state or with the regulations adopted by the department. * Sec. 12. AS 14.07.070 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (b) If the legislature appropriates to the general fund for a fiscal year money from the constitutional budget reserve fund (art. IX, sec. 17, Constitution of the State of Alaska) or an amount from the earnings reserve account (AS 37.13.145) that, when combined with the transfer under AS 37.13.145(b), exceeds the amount available for appropriation under AS 37.13.140(b) for the fiscal year, the department shall reduce the funding the state provides to districts under AS 14.17 for the fiscal year by the amount appropriated from the constitutional budget reserve fund and the amount appropriated from the earnings reserve account that, when combined with the transfer under AS 37.13.145(b), exceeds the amount available for appropriation under AS 37.13.140(b) for the fiscal year. To apply the reduction, the department shall reduce pro rata each district's basic need by the necessary percentage as determined by the department. If the basic need of each district is reduced under this subsection, the department shall also reduce state funding for centralized correspondence study and the state boarding school by the same percentage. In this subsection, "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 6, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 15. AS 14.17.430 is amended to read: Sec. 14.17.430. State funding for correspondence study. Except as provided in AS 14.07.070(b) and 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 multiplying the ADM of the correspondence program by 90 percent. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0362 * Sec. 16. AS 14.17.440(a) is amended to read: (a) Except as provided in AS 14.07.070(b) and AS 14.17.400(b), funding for state boarding schools established under AS 14.16.010 includes an allocation from the public education fund in an amount calculated by (1) determining the ADM of state boarding schools by applying the school size factor to the student count as described in AS 14.17.450; (2) multiplying the number obtained under (1) of this subsection by the special needs factor 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) and multiplying that product by the base student allocation; and (3) multiplying the product determined under (2) of this subsection by the district cost factor that is applicable to calculation of the state aid for the adjacent school district under AS 14.17.460." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, following line 1: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 18. AS 14.17.480(b) is amended to read: (b) For purposes of the reduction required under AS 14.07.070(b) and AS 14.17.400(b), funding authorized under (a) of this section is treated the same as the state share of public school funding under AS 14.17.410. * Sec. 19. AS 14.18.090(b) is amended to read: (b) After a finding by the board that a district or regional educational attendance area has not complied with AS 14.18.020 - 14.18.070, and that the measures taken under (a) of this section have been ineffective, the board shall withhold state funds in accordance with AS 14.07.070(a) [AS 14.07.070]." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 20" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "23" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0363 Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 14" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 21" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 27 - 29" Representative Tomaszewski moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 31 be adopted. There was objection. Representative Stutes, citing Section 101 of Mason'Manual, rose to a point of order. The Speaker stated that the point was well taken. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 31 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 31 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 31 was not adopted. Amendment No. 32 was offered by Representatives McCabe and Rauscher: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0364 Page 9, following line 31: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 20. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: PLAN FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION. (a) The Department of Education and Early Development shall develop a school district consolidation plan that, by July 1, 2027, reduces the total number of school districts in the state to 30. The consolidation plan must (1) evaluate school districts for merger based on geographic proximity, student enrollment data, administrative cost savings, and fiscal viability; (2) ensure consolidated districts maintain effective administration and equitable access to educational services, considering maximum allowable geographic size and student population as determined by the department; (3) include a phased implementation schedule, with not fewer than five public hearings held in affected districts before finalizing consolidations; (4) prioritize preservation of educational quality and access for students in rural and remote areas, including regional educational attendance areas. (b) The Department of Education and Early Development, in conjunction with the Department of Law, shall develop proposed legislation to implement the school district consolidation plan. The proposed legislation must address any changes proposed by the plan that require the force of law. (c) The Department of Education and Early Development shall submit the school district consolidation plan, including a copy of the proposed legislation to implement the plan, to the senate secretary and chief clerk of the house of representatives on or before January 15, 2026, and notify the legislature that the plan is available. If the governor supports the school consolidation plan, the governor shall deliver a bill, identical in content to the copy of proposed legislation delivered on January 15, 2026, to the rules committee of each house before the fourth legislative day of the Second Regular Session of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature for introduction. (d) If a bill consolidating school districts is passed by the Thirty- Fourth Alaska State Legislature and enacted into law, the Department of Education and Early Development shall prepare an annual progress 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0365 report on school district consolidation each year until consolidation is complete, submit the report to the senate secretary and chief clerk of the house of representatives on or before January 15 of each year, and notify the legislature that the report is available." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, following line 4: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 22. Section 20 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c)." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 25" Representative McCabe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 32 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 32 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 32 YEAS: 17 NAYS: 23 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Schwanke, Stapp, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 32 was not adopted. The Speaker stated that, without objection, the House would recess to 6:00 p.m.; and so, the House recessed at 5:19 p.m. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0366 AFTER RECESS The Speaker called the House back to order at 6:10 p.m. SECOND READING OF HOUSE BILLS HB 69 The following was before the House in second reading: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(RLS) am "An Act relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts; and providing for an effective date." Representative McCabe moved and asked unanimous consent to rescind previous action in failing to adopt Amendment No. 27 (page 353). Objection was heard and withdrawn. There being no further objection, Amendment No. 27 was before the House. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 27 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 27 YEAS: 2 NAYS: 38 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Nelson, Stapp Nays: Allard, Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Elam, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Johnson, Josephson, Kopp, McCabe, Mears, Mina, Moore, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Schwanke, Story, Stutes, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance And so, Amendment No. 27 was not adopted. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0367 Amendment No. 33 was offered by Representative McCabe: Page 1, line 2, following "programs;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to inoperative districts; relating to school size factor; relating to facilities constituting a school;" Page 6, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 13. AS 14.14.120 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (e) Once each year, the department shall calculate the average birth rate for the state over the previous five calendar years using birth rate information published by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. If the five-year average birth rate for the state decreases, the department shall increase the number described in (a) of this section by the same percentage that the birth rate decreased and round the result up to the nearest whole number. * Sec. 14. AS 14.17.450 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (g) Once each year, the department shall calculate the average birth rate for the state over the previous five calendar years using birth rate information published by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. If the five-year average birth rate for the state decreases, the department shall increase the lowest student count number listed in (a) of this section and the number described in (b) of this section by the same percentage that the birth rate decreased and round the result up to the nearest whole number." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, following line 1: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 16. AS 14.17.905 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (d) Once each year, the department shall calculate the average birth rate for the state over the previous five calendar years using birth rate information published by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. If the five-year average birth rate for the state decreases, the department shall increase the minimum number described in (a)(1) of this section by the same percentage that the birth rate decreased and round the result up to the nearest whole number." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0368 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 17" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "20" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 18" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 24 - 26" Representative McCabe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 33 be adopted. Representative Jimmie objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 33 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 33 YEAS: 9 NAYS: 31 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Rauscher, Saddler, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Allard, Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Schrage, Schwanke, Stapp, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 33 was not adopted. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0369 Amendment No. 34 was offered by Representative Tomaszewski: Page 1, line 3, following "allocation;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to interscholastic activities;" Page 7, following line 1: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 14. AS 14.30.365(a) is amended to read: (a) A full-time student who is eligible under (b) of this section who is enrolled in grades nine through 12 in an alternative education program that is located in the state and that does not offer interscholastic activities is eligible to participate in any interscholastic activities program available in a public school [(1) THAT, BASED ON THE RESIDENCE OF THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN, THE STUDENT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND WERE THE STUDENT NOT ENROLLED IN AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM; OR (2)] at which the student requests to participate [, IF (A) THE STUDENT SHOWS GOOD CAUSE; AND (B) THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE SCHOOL APPROVES]." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0370 Representative Tomaszewski moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 34 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 34 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 34 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 34 was not adopted. Amendment Nos. 35 through 38 were not offered. Amendment No. 39 was offered by Representative Ruffridge: Page 3, line 28, following "years": Insert ", and the term of a renewal of the contract, not to exceed a term of 25 years" Page 5, line 12, following "terms.": Insert "Each successive term may not exceed 25 years." Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 39 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 39 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0371 CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 39 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 39 was not adopted. Amendment No. 40 was offered by Representative Ruffridge: Page 4, following line 19: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 8. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.256. Charter school termination appeal. If a local school board terminates a contract with a charter school, the charter school may appeal the decision to the commissioner under regulations established by the commissioner. The commissioner may request written supplementation from the appellant or local school board. The commissioner shall review the decision of the local school board to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law. The commissioner shall issue a written decision within 90 days after the appeal is filed and may (1) remand the appeal to the local school board for further review; (2) reapprove the charter school with or without added conditions; or (3) uphold the decision terminating the charter school contract." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 5, following line 12: Insert a new bill section to read: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0372 "* Sec. 11. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.277. Charter school coordinator. A charter school coordinator position is established in the department. This position is responsible for the development of a repository of charter school resources in the department. The charter school coordinator shall provide support to charter schools, including (1) providing charter schools with policy and regulation guidance; (2) assisting groups with preparing charter school applications; and (3) coordinating with school districts and an organization that is the representative agency of the members of the school boards of the state to support charter school academic policy committees and local school boards." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 16" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "19" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 14" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 17" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0373 Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 23 - 25" Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 40 be adopted. Objection was heard and withdrawn. There being no further objection, Amendment No. 40 was adopted. Amendment No. 41 was offered by Representative Ruffridge: Page 1, line 1, following "schools;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to school and student performance reports; relating to school and district accountability;" Page 3, following line 5: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 5. AS 14.03.120(a) is amended to read: (a) A district shall annually file with the department, and make available to the public, a report that (1) establishes district goals and priorities for improving education in the district; (2) includes a plan for achieving district goals and priorities; and (3) includes a means of measuring student academic performance over time [THE ACHIEVEMENT OF DISTRICT GOALS AND PRIORITIES]. * Sec. 6. AS 14.03.120(d) is amended to read: (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 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0374 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; (5) [(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; (6) [(7)] if Native language education is provided, a summary and evaluation of the curriculum described in AS 14.30.420; (7) [(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; (8) [(9)] other information concerning school performance and the performance of the school's students as required by the state board in regulation; and (9) [(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. 7. AS 14.03.123(a) is amended to read: (a) By September 1 of each year, the department shall assign a performance designation to each public school and school district and to the state public school system in accordance with (f) of this section. The performance designation must be based on measurements of student academic performance over time. * Sec. 8. AS 14.03.123(f) is amended to read: (f) In the accountability system for schools and districts required by this section, the department shall (1) implement state criteria and priorities for accountability including the use of (A) measures of student performance on standards- based assessments in language arts and mathematics; the assessments must (i) be selected with the input of teachers and 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0375 school administrators; (ii) [AND] minimize disruption to classroom instruction; and (iii) measure student academic performance over time; (B) measures of student improvement and academic achievement; and (C) other measures identified that are indicators of student success and achievement; and (2) to the extent practicable, minimize the administrative burden on districts. * Sec. 9. AS 14.03.123 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (h) Schools and districts may not use more than three hours of instructional time in a school year to conduct the assessments required under (f) of this section. (i) The department may not use the National Assessment of Educational Progress to measure student academic performance or assign a performance designation under this section." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 5, following line 29: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 16. AS 14.07.020(a) is amended to read: (a) The department shall (1) exercise general supervision over the public schools of the state except the University of Alaska; (2) study the conditions and needs of the public schools of the state, adopt or recommend plans, administer and evaluate grants to improve school performance awarded under AS 14.03.125, and adopt regulations for the improvement of the public schools; the department may consult with the University of Alaska to develop secondary education requirements to improve student achievement in college preparatory courses; (3) provide advisory and consultative services to all public school governing bodies and personnel; (4) prescribe by regulation a minimum course of study for the public schools; the regulations must provide that, if a course in American Sign Language is given, the course shall be 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0376 given credit as a course in a foreign language; (5) establish, in coordination with the Department of Family and Community Services, a program for the continuing education of children who are held in juvenile detention facilities or juvenile treatment facilities, as those terms are defined in AS 47.12.990, in the state during the period of detention or treatment; (6) accredit those public schools that meet accreditation standards prescribed by regulation by the department; these regulations shall be adopted by the department and presented to the legislature during the first 10 days of any regular session, and become effective 45 days after presentation or at the end of the session, whichever is earlier, unless disapproved by a resolution concurred in by a majority of the members of each house; (7) prescribe by regulation, after consultation with the state fire marshal and the state sanitarian, standards that will ensure healthful and safe conditions in the public and private schools of the state, including a requirement of physical examinations and immunizations in pre-elementary schools; the standards for private schools may not be more stringent than those for public schools; (8) exercise general supervision over early education programs that receive direct state or federal funding, including early education programs provided by a school district for students four and five years of age, approve an early education program provided by a school district that complies with the standards adopted by the board under AS 14.07.165(a)(5), and revoke approval of an early education program if the program does not comply with the standards adopted by the board under AS 14.07.165(a)(5); (9) exercise general supervision over elementary and secondary correspondence study programs offered by municipal school districts or regional educational attendance areas; the department may also offer and make available to any Alaskan through a centralized office a correspondence study program; (10) accredit private schools that request accreditation and that meet accreditation standards prescribed by regulation by the department; nothing in this paragraph authorizes the department to require religious or other private schools to be licensed; 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0377 (11) review plans for construction of new public elementary and secondary schools and for additions to and major rehabilitation of existing public elementary and secondary schools and, in accordance with regulations adopted by the department, determine and approve the extent of eligibility for state aid of a school construction or major maintenance project; for the purposes of this paragraph, "plans" include educational specifications, schematic designs, projected energy consumption and costs, and final contract documents; (12) provide educational opportunities in the areas of vocational education and training, and basic education to individuals over 16 years of age who are no longer attending school; the department may consult with businesses and labor unions to develop a program to prepare students for apprenticeships or internships that will lead to employment opportunities; (13) administer the grants awarded under AS 14.11; (14) establish, in coordination with the Department of Public Safety, a school bus driver training course; (15) require the reporting of information relating to school disciplinary and safety programs under AS 14.33.120 and of incidents of disruptive or violent behavior; (16) establish by regulation criteria, based on low student performance, under which the department may intervene in a school district to improve instructional practices, as described in AS 14.07.030(a)(14) or (15); the regulations must include (A) a notice provision that alerts the district to the deficiencies and the instructional practice changes proposed by the department; (B) an end date for departmental intervention, as described in AS 14.07.030(a)(14)(A) and (B) and (15), after the district demonstrates three consecutive years of improvement consisting of not less than two percent increases in student proficiency on standards-based assessments in language arts and mathematics, as provided in AS 14.03.123(f)(1) [AS 14.03.123(f)(1)(A)]; and (C) a process for districts to petition the department for continuing or discontinuing the department's intervention; (17) notify the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education before intervening in a school district under 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0378 AS 14.07.030(a)(14) or redirecting public school funding under AS 14.07.030(a)(15); (18) establish a reading program to provide direct support for and intervention in the reading intervention programs of participating schools as described in AS 14.30.765 and 14.30.770; (19) annually convene, either in person or electronically, a panel to review and comment on the effectiveness of the programs created by the department and the regulations adopted by the board to implement AS 14.03.410, 14.03.420, AS 14.30.760 - 14.30.770, and 14.30.800; the panel (A) shall provide recommendations and guidance to the board, the department, and the legislature on how to integrate early education and reading programs created under this title with tribal compacting or programs focused on cultural education within the department; (B) shall discuss support for reading in Alaska Native languages and other non-English languages; (C) must collectively represent the regions of the state and include teachers of grades kindergarten through three, school administrators, parents of students in grades kindergarten through three, stakeholders from indigenous language immersion programs, representatives from early education stakeholder groups, and researchers of best practices for improving literacy performance, including best practices for instruction of indigenous students and students whose first language is not English." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 20" Page 8, following line 18: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 23. AS 14.03.123(c)(2), 14.03.123(c)(3), 14.03.123(c)(5), and 14.03.123(e) are repealed." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0379 Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 10 - 14" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 10 - 14" Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "24" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 18" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 21" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 28 - 30" Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 41 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 41 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 41 YEAS: 25 NAYS: 15 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Gray, Himschoot, Holland, Johnson, Kopp, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0380 Nays: Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Hall, Hannan, Jimmie, Josephson, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 41 was adopted and the new title follows: CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 69(RLS) am "An Act relating to education; relating to open enrollment in public schools; relating to school and student performance reports; relating to school and district accountability; relating to charter schools; relating to an annual report for correspondence study programs; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; relating to a report on regulation of school districts; and providing for an effective date." Representative Costello moved and asked unanimous consent to rescind previous action in failing to adopt Amendment No. 14 (page 337). There being no objection, the motion passed. Amendment No. 14 was before the House. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 14 pass the House?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 14 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 14 was not adopted. The Speaker stated that, without objection, Amendment No. 42 would be moved to the bottom of the amendments. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0381 Amendment Nos. 43 and 44 were not offered. Amendment No. 45 was offered by Representative Elam: Page 4, lines 17 - 19: Delete all material and insert: "(f) The state Board of Education and Early Development shall establish an application procedure for renewal of a contract between a local school board and a charter school. (g) A local school board or a charter school may submit a contract renewal application to the state Board of Education and Early Development under the procedures established in (f) of this section. The state board shall exercise independent judgment in evaluating the contract renewal application. The state board shall issue a written decision granting or denying renewal of a contract between a local school board and a charter school within 90 days after receipt of a renewal application." Page 5, lines 9 - 12: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 9. AS 14.03.275 is amended to read: Sec. 14.03.275. Contracts; duration; renewal. A contract for a charter school may be for a term of not [NO] more than 10 years. The state Board of Education and Early Development may renew the contract for successive terms in accordance with AS 14.03.255(g)." Representative Elam moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 45 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 45 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 45 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0382 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 45 was not adopted. Amendment No. 46 was not offered. Amendment No. 47 was offered by Representative Elam: Page 3, line 12, through page 4, line 8: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 6. 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 during the first two years of (A) the charter school's operation; and (B) an expansion of the range of grades the charter school serves; (6) a statement of the charter school's funding allocation from the local school board and costs assignable to the charter school program budget that applies in circumstances other than those described in (5) of this subsection; (7) [(6)] the method by which the charter school will account for receipts and expenditures; (8) [(7)] the location and description of the facility; (9) [(8)] the name of the teacher, or teachers, who, by agreement between the charter school and the teacher, will teach in the charter school; 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0383 (10) [(9)] the teacher-to-student ratio; (11) [(10)] the number of students served; (12) [(11)] the term of the contract, not to exceed a term of 10 years; (13) [(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; (14) a clause providing that, before a local school board terminates a contract, the local school board must provide the charter school with written notice and a reasonable opportunity, as determined by the local school board, to cure the problem; (15) [(13)] a statement that the charter school will comply with all state and federal requirements for receipt and use of public money; (16) [(14)] other requirements or exemptions agreed on [UPON] by the charter school and the local school board." Page 4, line 22: Delete "The" Insert "Except as provided in (e) of this section, the [THE]" Page 5, following line 8: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 9. AS 14.03.260 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (e) For the first two years that a charter school operates or expands the range of grades the charter school serves, the annual program budget of the charter school must, at a minimum, equal the greater of (1) the amount of the funding allocation stated in the contract between the charter school and the local school board for the operation or expansion, as required by AS 14.03.255(c)(5); or (2) the amount calculated under (a) of this section." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0384 Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 5 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 5 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete ""17" Insert "18" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Elam moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 47 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 47 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 47 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0385 Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 47 was not adopted. Amendment Nos. 48, 49, and 50 were not offered. Amendment No. 51 was offered by Representatives Coulombe, Costello, Johnson, Ruffridge, McCabe, Saddler, Bynum, and Tomaszewski: Page 1, line 1, following "education;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools;" Page 1, following line 12: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 2. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.065. Maximum classroom size. (a) Except for an art, library, music, computer science, vocational-technical, or physical education course, the maximum number of students a public school may place in a classroom is 18 for grades kindergarten through three, 22 for grades four through eight, and 24 for grades nine through 12. (b) A district shall, by November 30 and February 1 of each year, provide notice to each student's parent or guardian of (1) the classroom size requirements of this section; (2) the average classroom size for each grade level at each school in the district for the current school year; and (3) the number of students in the student's classroom. (c) The number of students placed in a classroom in a public school may exceed the maximum number set out in (a) of this section if the excess is caused by one or more students transferring to the school after the first day of the current school term. (d) In this section, "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0386 Page 2, line 8: Delete "sec. 2" Insert "sec. 3" Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 15" Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 6 - 10" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 6 - 10" Page 10, line 5: Delete "Sections 3 and 17" Insert "Sections 4 and 18" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 13" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 16" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 22 - 24" Representative Coulombe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 51 be adopted. Representative Fields objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 51 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0387 CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 51 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 51 was not adopted. Amendment No. 52 was offered by Representatives Vance, Costello, Johnson, Ruffridge, Coulombe, McCabe, Saddler, Tomaszewski, Tilton, Allard, and Rauscher: Page 2, line 8, through page 3, line 5: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 3. AS 14.03.080 is amended by adding a new subsection 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. The department shall 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0388 establish by regulation a process for appealing a school district's denial of an enrollment application." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 13" Page 8, line 19: Delete all material. Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "Sections 4 - 8" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 4 - 8" Page 10, line 5: Delete all material. Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 11" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 14" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 19 and 20" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0389 Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 52 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 52 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 52 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 52 was not adopted. Amendment No. 53 was offered by Representatives Ruffridge, Costello, Johnson, Coulombe, McCabe, Saddler, Bynum, Tomaszewski, Tilton, and Schwanke: Page 1, line 1, following "education;"(title amendment): Insert "relating to the justification of use of force in schools; relating to teachers; relating to school disciplinary action; relating to civil and criminal actions for enforcing the school disciplinary and safety program; relating to the base student allocation;" Page 1, following line 12: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 2. AS 11.81.430(a) is amended to read: (a) The use of force on another person that would otherwise constitute an offense is justified under any of the following circumstances: (1) When and to the extent reasonably necessary and appropriate to promote the welfare of the child or incompetent person, a parent, guardian, or other person entrusted with the care 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0390 and supervision of a child under 18 years of age or an incompetent person may use reasonable and appropriate nondeadly force on that child or incompetent person. (2) When and to the extent reasonably necessary and appropriate to maintain order and when the use of force is consistent with the welfare of the students, a teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students may, if authorized by school regulations and the principal of the school, use reasonable and appropriate nondeadly force on a student. If authorized by school regulations and the principal of the school, a teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students may use nondeadly force under this paragraph in any situation in which the teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person is responsible for the supervision of students. A teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students employed by a school board, including a regional educational attendance area school board, may use nondeadly force under this paragraph only if the school regulations authorizing the use of force have been adopted by the school board. (3) When and to the extent reasonably necessary and appropriate to maintain order, a person responsible for the maintenance of order in a common carrier of passengers, or a person acting under that person's direction, may use reasonable and appropriate nondeadly force. (4) When and to the extent reasonably necessary to prevent a suicide, a person who reasonably believes that another is imminently about to commit suicide may use reasonable and appropriate nondeadly force on that person. (5) A licensed physician, licensed mobile intensive care paramedic, or registered or advanced practice registered nurse; or a person acting under the direction of a licensed physician, licensed mobile intensive care paramedic, or registered or advanced practice registered nurse; or any person who renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency, may use reasonable and appropriate nondeadly force for the purpose of administering a recognized and lawful form of treatment that is reasonably adapted to promoting the physical or mental health of the patient if (A) the treatment is administered with the consent of the patient or, if the patient is a child under 18 years of age or 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0391 an incompetent person, with the consent of the parent, guardian, or other person entrusted with care and supervision of the child or incompetent person; or (B) the treatment is administered in an emergency if the person administering the treatment reasonably believes that no one competent to consent can be consulted under the circumstances and that a reasonable person, wishing to safeguard the welfare of the patient, would consent. * Sec. 3. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: Sec. 14.03.018. Rights of teachers. (a) To provide an orderly and safe learning environment for students, a teacher may (1) establish and enforce classroom rules, including recommending or imposing consequences for an infraction of those rules, in accordance with policies adopted under AS 14.33.110 - 14.33.140; (2) remove a student from a classroom in accordance with standards adopted under AS 14.33.120(a)(2); (3) direct a student whose actions are violent, abusive, uncontrollable, or disruptive to appropriate school personnel; (4) assist in enforcing school rules while on school property, while using school-sponsored transportation, or while at a school-sponsored activity; (5) use reasonable force to maintain classroom safety and discipline in accordance with standards adopted under AS 14.33.120(a)(4); and (6) direct classroom instruction. (b) A school administrator shall, upon the request of a teacher, (1) provide the teacher with information relating to the disposition of a referral the teacher has made to the school administrator regarding a violation of classroom or school rules; (2) provide immediate assistance in classroom management during an emergency or when a student becomes violent, abusive, uncontrollable, or disruptive; and (3) provide training and other assistance to help the teacher improve the teacher's skills in the classroom. (c) If, after a teacher recommends or imposes a consequence under (a)(1) of this section, a school administrator determines that (1) a student's behavior warrants the consequence (A) recommended by the teacher, the school 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0392 administrator shall impose the consequence; (B) imposed by the teacher, the school administrator shall respect the professional judgment and discretion of the teacher regarding the consequence imposed by the teacher; (2) a student's overall behavioral history warrants a more serious disciplinary action than the consequence recommended or imposed by the teacher, the school administrator may impose a more serious disciplinary action in accordance with policies adopted under AS 14.33.110 - 14.33.140; the school administrator shall consult with the teacher before taking the disciplinary action and provide to the teacher in writing the reasons for the school administrator's determination; (3) a student has not violated classroom or school rules, the school administrator or teacher may not impose a disciplinary action and shall retract a consequence imposed. (d) If a school administrator directs a teacher to violate a provision of this section, the teacher may file a complaint with the commissioner. After a hearing conducted by the office of administrative hearings (AS 44.64.010) and a finding by the commissioner that the school administrator directed the teacher to violate a provision of this section, the state may withhold funds from the school in accordance with AS 14.07.070." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 2, line 8: Delete "sec. 2" Insert "sec. 4" Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 16" Page 7, following line 22: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 18. AS 14.33.140 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (b) A teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students may receive a reimbursement of reasonable expenses for legal services from the school district of 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0393 the teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students if the teacher, teacher's assistant, principal, or other person responsible for students is charged with a civil or criminal action (1) relating to enforcement of an approved school disciplinary and safety program adopted under AS 14.33.120; and (2) arising out of and in the course of employment unless the act or omission constitutes gross negligence or reckless or intentional misconduct." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 3: Delete "Sections 5 - 9" Insert "(a) Sections 2, 3, 7 - 11, and 18" Page 10, line 4: Delete "secs. 5 - 9" Insert "secs. 2, 3, 7 - 11, and 18" Page 10, following line 4: Insert a new subsection to read: "(b) Sections 2, 3, and 18 of this Act apply to conduct occurring on or after the effective date of secs. 2, 3, and 18 of this Act." Page 10, line 5: Delete "Sections 3 and 17" Insert "Sections 5 and 20" Page 10, line 6: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 14" Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 17" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 24 - 26" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0394 Representative Ruffridge moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 53 be adopted. Representative Jimmie objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 53 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 53 YEAS: 18 NAYS: 22 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Holland, Johnson, Kopp, McCabe, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Allard, Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Jimmie, Josephson, Mears, Mina, Moore, Nelson, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 53 was not adopted. Amendment No. 54 was offered by Representative Rauscher: Page 2, line 2, following "programs;" (title amendment): Insert "relating to school boards;" Page 6, following line 29: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 13. AS 14.08.041(b) is amended to read: (b) The qualified voters of the communities receiving educational services in each regional educational attendance area with an average daily membership of less than 25,000 shall elect a regional school board of not less than five nor more than 11 [ELEVEN] members to be elected for the same term, in the same manner, and with the same qualifications as a city or borough school district board under AS 14.12. The qualified voters of the communities receiving educational services in each regional educational attendance area with an average daily membership of 25,000 or greater shall elect a regional school 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0395 board of nine or 11 members to be elected for the same term, in the same manner, and with the same qualifications as a city or borough school district board under AS 14.12. The initial number of regional school board members shall be determined by the department in consultation with the local communities in the regional educational attendance areas. However, the qualified voters in a regional educational attendance area may increase or decrease the number of regional school board members established under this section by placing the question on the ballot at a regular school board election in the manner prescribed by law. A change in the number of school board members is not effective until the next regular school board election. * Sec. 14. AS 14.12.030 is amended by adding new subsections to read: (f) Each borough and city school district with an average daily membership of 25,000 or greater has a school board of nine or 11 members, as established by ordinance. (g) A member of a nine-member or 11-member school board may not serve more than two consecutive terms. After serving two consecutive terms, the person may not serve on the school board again until two full school board terms have passed. * Sec. 15. AS 14.12.040 is amended to read: Sec. 14.12.040. Transition to a larger board [FROM FIVE TO SEVEN MEMBER BOARD]. The transition from a five- member to a seven-member school board shall be made at the regular election following, or being held within 90 days preceding, the completion of the second regular school term during which the district maintains an average daily membership of at least [EXCEEDING] 5,000 but less than 25,000 or at the regular election following the effective date of an ordinance increasing board membership as provided in AS 14.12.030(a). [ONCE THE DISTRICT HAS A SEVEN-MEMBER SCHOOL BOARD, THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS MAY NOT BE CHANGED.] * Sec. 16. AS 14.12.040 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (b) The transition from a seven-member to a nine-member or 11-member school board shall be made at the regular election following, or being held within 90 days preceding, the completion of the second regular school term during which the district maintains an average daily membership of 25,000 or greater or at 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0396 the regular election following the effective date of an ordinance increasing the board membership as provided in AS 14.12.030(f). * Sec. 17. AS 14.12.070 is amended to read: Sec. 14.12.070. Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs on the school board, the remaining members shall, within 30 days, fill the vacancy. The person selected shall serve until the next regular election when a successor shall be elected to serve the balance of the term. A person who serves more than 18 months of an unexpired term is considered to have served a full term for the purposes of AS 14.12.030(g)." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 7, line 13: Delete "sec. 14" Insert "sec. 19" Page 8, following line 18: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 22. AS 14.08.041(c) is repealed." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, following line 4: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 27. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: TRANSITION: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. A change in the number of school board members required by this Act is not effective until the next regular school board election. * Sec. 28. Sections 13 - 17 and 22 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c)." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 10, line 5: Delete "17" Insert "23" 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0397 Page 10, line 8: Delete "Section 15" Insert "Section 20" Page 10, line 9: Delete "secs. 21 - 23" Insert "secs. 29 - 31" Representative Rauscher moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 54 be adopted. There was objection. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 54 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: CSHB 69(RLS) am Second Reading Amendment No. 54 YEAS: 19 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Burke, Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 54 was not adopted. The Speaker stated that, without objection, CSHB 69(RLS) am would be held in second reading to the March 11 calendar. LEGISLATIVE CITATIONS Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the House approve the citations on the calendar. There being no objection, the following citations were approved and sent to enrolling: 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0398 Commemorating - Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15, 2025 By Representative Edgmon Honoring - Marti Guzman By Representative Mina; Senators Tobin, Gray-Jackson Honoring - Joseph "Joe" Principe By Representatives Nelson, Stapp; Senator Tobin Honoring - JAMHI Health & Wellness, Inc., 40th Anniversary By Representatives Hannan, Story; Senator Kiehl Honoring - Alaska National Guard First Scouts By Representatives Nelson, Foster; Senator Olson Honoring - Lucky Wishbone 70th Anniversary By Representative Nelson; Senator Tobin Honoring - Eduard Zilberkant By Senators Myers, Cronk; Representative Schwanke In Memoriam - Donald D. Church By Representative Schwanke; Senator Yundt In Memoriam - William R. Church By Representative Schwanke; Senator Yundt In Memoriam - John Augustus Rego By Representative Schwanke; Senator Cronk In Memoriam - Donnell Edward Erickson By Representatives Moore, Foster In Memoriam - Ellen Jean Newkirk By Senator Wielechowski; Representatives Mears, Eischeid In Memoriam - Dorothy Ann Hunter By Senator Wielechowski; Representatives Mears, Eischeid In Memoriam - Linda Bright By Senator Wielechowski; Representatives Mears, Eischeid 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0399 In Memoriam - Calvin Robert Schaefer By Senator Wielechowski; Representatives Mears, Eischeid In Memoriam - David "Sandy" Jamieson By Senator Kawasaki; Representative Carrick In Memoriam - Alfred "Al" Ketzler, Sr. By Senators Kawasaki, Cronk; Representative Dibert In Memoriam - Ruth Gronlid Benson By Senator Kawasaki; Representative Dibert In Memoriam - Nicole Nordstrand By Senator Kawasaki; Representative Dibert UNFINISHED BUSINESS Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the following member be excused from a call of the House. There being no objection, the member was excused as noted: Representative Josephson – from noon, May 1 to 10:00 a.m., May 2 HJR 9 Representative Hall added as a cosponsor to: HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 9 Urging the United States Congress to extend enhanced tax credits for health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act. HB 89 Representative Mina added as a cosponsor to: HOUSE BILL NO. 89 "An Act relating to gun violence protective orders; relating to the crime of violating a protective order; relating to a central registry for protective orders; relating to the powers of district judges and magistrates; amending Rules 4 and 65, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 9, Alaska Rules of Administration; and providing for an effective date." 2025-03-10 House Journal Page 0400 HB 96 Representative Hall added as a cosponsor to: HOUSE BILL NO. 96 "An Act establishing the Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board; relating to payment for personal care services; and providing for an effective date." ANNOUNCEMENTS House committee schedules are published under separate cover. ADJOURNMENT Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the House adjourn until 1:00 p.m., March 11. There being no objection, the House adjourned at 8:34 p.m. Crystaline Jones Chief Clerk