05/05/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

          HB  39-EDUCATION FOR DEAF & HARD OF HEARING                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:08:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 39, "An  Act relating to public school students                                                               
who are deaf or hard of hearing."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:08:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHLYN BROOKS,  Staff, Representative Jamie Allard,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  on behalf  of  Representative  Jamie Allard,  prime                                                               
sponsor, presented HB 39 to the committee.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:09:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EISCHEID moved  Amendment 1 to HB  39, labeled 34-                                                               
LS0199, Bergerud, 4/30/25, which read:                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     INSERT                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STORY objected for the purposed of discussion.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:09:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EISCHEID explained  that  the proposed  amendment                                                               
would  specify  the  use  of  American  Sign  Language  (ASL)  in                                                               
schools.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:10:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHLYN BROOKS,  Staff, Representative Jamie Allard,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  on behalf  of  Representative  Jamie Allard,  prime                                                               
sponsor,  presented  HB  39  to  the  committee.  She  said  that                                                               
Amendment 1 is a friendly amendment.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:10:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STORY removed  her objection.  There  being no  further                                                               
objection, Amendment 1 to                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:11:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  emphasized that  children who  experience any                                                               
type of disability are welcome in Alaska's public schools.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:12:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  HIMSCHOOT moved  to report  HB 39,  as amended,  out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.  There being no  objection, HB 39 was reported from                                                               
the House Education Standing Committee.