Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
02/12/2024 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB13 | |
| HB55 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 13 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 55 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 55-EXTEND WORKFORCE INVEST BOARD ALLOCATIONS
8:07:03 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 55, "An Act relating to allocations of funding
for the Alaska Workforce Investment Board; and providing for an
effective date."
8:07:24 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 8:07 a.m.
8:07:30 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD opened public testimony on HB 55.
8:08:10 AM
CHARLES EDWARDSON, Director, Generations Southeast, said that in
the Southeast, Alaskans had waited 20 years to be heard on this
issue. Prince of Wales Island, he explained, is an economic hub
which has a state-sponsored regional training center that was
completed in 2014 through the capital appropriations process.
He said it has been very taxing on the community to keep it up
and running, and the opportunity to get into technical
vocational education program (TVEP) funding has not presented
itself because of the reauthorization process. He opined that
reauthorizing it now, considering the audit, would not serve
Alaska well. He stated that he supported reauthorization but
with amendments.
8:11:07 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE referred to Mr. Edwardson's statement about
waiting 20 years to speak to the issue and asked whether his
organization was currently receiving funds under this program.
MR. EDWARDSON responded that there had been an awareness of the
funding, and although they are not looking for full support,
they are just looking to "come alongside" the rest of the state.
He said representatives come and go through elections, and
sometimes, unintentionally perhaps, Southeast Alaska gets
overlooked. Through a competitive bid process, he said he hoped
for the opportunity for Generations Southeast to be included in
the bid.
8:13:56 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE sought clarity as to what the name of the
center was.
MR. EDWARDSON replied it was previously known as the Prince of
Wales Vocational and Technical Education Center, now known as
Generations Southeast, and that it is a hub.
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE asked for a brief description of the
technical and vocational educational opportunities at the
facility.
MR. EDWARDSON responded that training is tailored specifically
around the industries coming up in the region, such as
mariculture, kelp farming, and commercial driver's license (CDL)
programs, to name a few. He pointed out that the region is
accessible to Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, and many Southern
Southeast regions in general. He further explained programs
that are in development. He thanked the committee for their
time and provided his contact information.
8:19:18 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD, after ascertaining that there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 55 and
announced that HB 55 was held over.
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