04/23/2025 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 57(EDC) am                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to wireless telecommunications                                                                            
     devices in public schools; and providing for an                                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:36:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ZACH FIELDS, SPONSOR,  relayed that HB 57 was                                                                    
a simple  bill that  would regulate the  use of  cell phones                                                                    
[in  schools]. He  noted that  as  the bill  worked its  way                                                                    
through  the committee  process  it had  sometimes used  the                                                                    
word   prohibit   with regard  to  the  use of  cell  phones                                                                    
during the school day. He  thought the issue was the central                                                                    
policy question of the bill.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Stedman  MOVED   to   ADOPT  proposed   committee                                                                    
substitute for  CSHB 57,  Work Draft  34-LS0064\T (Bergerud,                                                                    
4/23/25).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:37:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LIZ  HARPOLD,  STAFF,  SENATOR DONNY  OLSON,  read  from  an                                                                    
Explanation of Changes document (copy on file):                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Title: Adds references to student transportation and                                                                       
     the base student allocation.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1:  New  section.   Repeals  and  reenacts  AS                                                                    
     14.090.010(a)  to   increase  the  per   student  pupil                                                                    
     transportation  amount by  10  percent. Removes  Tanana                                                                    
     City School  District from list  as it merged  with the                                                                    
     Yukon-Koyukuk School District.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2: New section. Amends AS 14.17.470 to                                                                             
     increase the BSA by $700.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Sections 3  4: Previous sections 1  2, renumbered.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:38:52 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:20 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:40:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LISA PARADY,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  ALASKA COUNCIL  OF SCHOOL                                                                    
ADMINISTRATORS,  spoke in  favor  of the  bill. She  relayed                                                                    
that the Alaska Council  of School Administrators (ACSA), on                                                                    
behalf of  its members, greatly appreciated  the committees                                                                     
efforts to  continue the discussion related  to the critical                                                                    
nature  of  increasing  the Base  Student  Allocation  (BSA)                                                                    
inside  the education  funding formula.  She commented  that                                                                    
the pupil  transportation funds  were also  urgently needed.                                                                    
She and  the ACSA looked  forward to further  discussion and                                                                    
stood ready to assist.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:41:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CSHB 57(EDC)  was HEARD  and HELD  in committee  for further                                                                    
consideration.