Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
02/24/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB28 | |
| HB12 | |
| HB57 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 28 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 57 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 28-TEACHER/STATE EMPLOYEE STUDENT LOAN PRGRM
8:04:21 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 28, "An Act establishing a student loan
repayment pilot program; and providing for an effective date."
8:06:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if similar types of loan repayment
programs have occurred in the past.
CO-CHAIR STORY answered that the Alaska State Legislature has
used funds like this for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana,
and Idaho (WWAMI) regional medical programs and directed the
rest of her answer to Ms. Thomas of the Alaska Commission on
Postsecondary Education.
8:07:31 AM
KERRY THOMAS, Acting Executive Director, Gave invited testimony
on HB 28. She said that the Alaska State Legislature has used
the higher education investment fund to supplement Public
Employee's Retirement System (PERS) indebtedness in the past.
8:09:58 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked if the State of Alaska has historically
offered a loan forgiveness program and further questioned what
the parameters of such a loan forgiveness program were.
MS. THOMAS answered that the state of Alaska did have a
postsecondary loan forgiveness program that was axed in the
1980's. She said that the original loan forgiveness program was
not sustainable due to the amount of people who took the loan,
left Alaska, and never repaid the loan.
8:12:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD asked why HB 28 has an out-of-state
residency requirement and emphasized that Alaska residents often
do not claim residency out-of-state while they are studying
outside of Alaska.
CO-CHAIR STORY answered that the purpose HB 28's out-of-state
residency requirement is to keep original residents in Alaska or
bring those people back home.
8:15:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD asked if someone wanting to receive the
proposed benefits of HB 28 could rely on their continual flow if
they are meant to be appropriated by the Alaska State
Legislature and asked how the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary
Education (ACPE) would judge the efficacy of a pilot program of
HB 28.
MS. THOMAS answered that the ACPE had not yet established policy
guidelines for a pilot program of the proposed policies of HB 28
and said that the ACPE would develop a method of judging the
efficacy of the proposed policies of HB 28.
8:19:32 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that HB 28 would be held over.