04/30/2007 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES

                 HB   2-VOCATIONAL EDUC ACCOUNT                                                                             
                                                                                                                              
1:32:09 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS announced HB 2 to be up for consideration.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN, sponsor  of HB 2, said that  the bill will                                                               
create  an  education funding  account  that  will allow  private                                                               
industry to put money towards vocational education.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DAVIS  asked if  there  were  any  questions, and  if  the                                                               
sponsor had any more to say about the bill.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:33:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THOMAS asked  for a  definition of  regional educational                                                               
attendance areas as referenced in the bill.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NEUMAN replied  that  the  regions are  organized                                                               
units within  unorganized parts of  the state. The bill  is three                                                               
years in  the making and  stays within  the guidelines of  the No                                                               
Child Left Behind  (NCLB) act so that children  can get technical                                                               
educations while staying within the  parameters of NCLB. The bill                                                               
will  bring in  upwards  of  $10 million  a  year for  vocational                                                               
education; the commissioner of labor will watch over quality                                                                    
standards, and people will be able to submit applications for                                                                   
teaching such programs in rural areas.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS interjected that the committee is in support of the                                                                 
bill, and she asked for a motion.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:36:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON made a motion to move HB 2 from committee with                                                                    
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There                                                                   
being no objection, the motion carried.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee,                                                                   
Chair Davis adjourned the meeting at 1:36:27 PM.