04/28/2021 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

        HB 53-MILITARY CHILDREN SCHOOL RESIDENCY WAIVER                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:04:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND announced  that  the first  order of  business                                                               
would  be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  53,  "An  Act relating  to  residency                                                               
requirements for  public school  enrollment for  certain children                                                               
of active duty military and National Guard members."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
[Before the committee was CSHB 53(MLV).]                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:04:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KEN  MCCARTY, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor,  introduced  HB  53.    He  said  children  of  military                                                               
servicemembers  are currently  not  allowed to  enroll in  school                                                               
until arrival in  Alaska, resulting in missed  deadlines and late                                                               
course  enrollment.     Allowing  registration,   enrollment,  or                                                               
application   prior   to   establishing   residency,   but   with                                                               
documentation  of a  pending military  relocation  to the  state,                                                               
would  reduce  stress  on  the family  and  children  during  the                                                               
transition  between locations.   He  said no  new online  systems                                                               
would  be  required,  and  advanced  enrollment  benefits  school                                                               
districts by allowing them to  make projections based on expected                                                               
student population.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:06:56 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:06 a.m. to 8:07 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:07:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DENEEN  TUCK, Staff,  Representative  Ken  McCarty, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, on behalf of  Representative McCarty, prime sponsor,                                                               
reminded the committee that similar  legislation was heard during                                                               
the Thirty-First  Alaska State Legislature  as HB 109.   She said                                                               
the only difference between the two  bills is a definition of the                                                               
word "guardian."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:08:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked for a  definition of "PCS," as referenced                                                               
by Representative McCarty.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUCK deferred to Ms. Perreault.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:09:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TAMMIE  PERREAULT,  Northwest   Regional  Liaison,  Defense-State                                                               
Liaison Office, U.S. Department  of Defense, testified in support                                                               
of HB  53.   She explained  that PCS  means "permanent  change of                                                               
station," a term  used when military personnel  receive orders to                                                               
move to a different duty station.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:10:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY shared  her  supposition  that many  states                                                               
allow the practice as proposed in HB 53.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. PERREAULT  replied that the  policy is very popular  in other                                                               
states.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:11:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked  whether there is a  fiscal note attached                                                               
to HB 53.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY replied no.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUCK briefly reviewed two zero fiscal notes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY  said he  meant that  there were  two zero                                                               
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:13:21 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  shared her understanding that  the proposal                                                               
under HB 53  is currently being practiced, and  that the proposed                                                               
legislation would formalize the practice in statute.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY replied that is correct.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said she believes  the bill is very good for                                                               
families relocating to Alaska.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:14:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND said HB 53 was held over.