01/26/2022 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION

        HB  53-MILITARY CHILDREN SCHOOL RESIDENCY WAIVER                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
9:03:50 AM                                                                                                                  
CHAIR HOLLAND  announced the consideration  of CS FOR  HOUSE BILL                                                               
NO.   53(MLV)  am(efd   add)  "An   Act  relating   to  residency                                                               
requirements for  public school  enrollment for  certain children                                                               
of  active   duty  military  and  National   Guard  members;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:04:15 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony  on HB 53; finding none, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:04:33 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND  stated that a  memo from his office  addressed the                                                               
two outstanding questions from the  previous meeting. He said Mr.                                                               
Bigelow and Ms.  Teshner are available to answer  questions on HB
.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:05:14 AM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9::41 AM                                                                                                                      
CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BEGICH asked  if the waiver in HB 53  would allow out-of-                                                               
state students to qualify for the PDF earlier.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:06:18 AM                                                                                                                    
COREY BIGELOW,  PFD Operations  Manager, Permanent  Fund Dividend                                                               
Division,  Department of  Revenue, Juneau,  Alaska, replied  that                                                               
the Permanent  Fund Dividend Division would  follow the residency                                                               
requirements outlined  in regulation 15  AAC 23.143. HB  53 would                                                               
not affect a minors eligibility determination.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:07:22 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  stated  the  committee had  asked  if  the  early                                                               
enrollment provision of  HB 53 could potentially  allow a student                                                               
moving  between Alaska  military bases  to be  double-counted. He                                                               
stated  the official  response from  the Department  of Education                                                               
and  Early  Development (DEED)  was  that  double-counting of  an                                                               
Alaskan  student would  not happen.  Each student  is assigned  a                                                               
unique identification number that would prevent overlap.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HEIDI  TESHNER,   Acting  Deputy  Commissioner,  Office   of  the                                                               
Commissioner,  Department  of  Education and  Early  Development,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska, stated she had no additional comment.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS stated that the  Department of Revenues  response                                                               
to PFD  eligibility is clear,  "Under the  residency requirements                                                               
of [the] Permanent  Fund Dividend Program it is  not possible for                                                               
an  applicant  to  establish   residency  before  their  physical                                                               
arrival in the state."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:09:33 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  asked for  further  objections;  finding none  he                                                               
solicited closing comments from the sponsor of HB 53.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KEN MCCARTY,  Alaska  State Legislature,  Juneau,                                                               
Alaska,  stated  he  was  honored  to  bring  HB  53  before  the                                                               
committee  at  the  request  of the  Department  of  Defense.  He                                                               
thanked the committee for helping  to make it easier for students                                                               
of military families to transfer schools.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:10:45 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND found no further comments and solicited a motion.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:10:50 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  moved to report  CSHB 53(MLV) am(efd  add), work                                                               
order    32-LS0344\B.A,    from   committee    with    individual                                                               
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:11:04 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND  found no  objection and  CSHB 53(MLV)  am(efd add)                                                               
was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee.