Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
05/07/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): University of Alaska Board of Regents | |
| HB176 | |
| HB212 | |
| HB59 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 212 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 59 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 176 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 59-STATE-TRIBAL EDUCATION COMPACTS
9:03:58 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the final order of business would
be CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59(TRB), "An Act relating to
demonstration state-tribal education compacts; relating to
demonstration state-tribal education compact schools; and
providing for an effective date."
9:05:27 AM
DR. DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early
Development, on behalf of House Rules by request of the
governor, prime sponsor, presented HB 59 (TRB) to the committee.
9:08:37 AM
DR. JOEL ISAAK, Director of Tribal Affairs, Department of
Education & Early Development, on behalf of House Rules by
request of the governor, prime sponsor, presented HB 59 (TRB) to
the committee. He gave a PowerPoint presentation for HB 59 (TRB)
[included in the committee packet] on slide 4, which highlighted
the agenda of HB 59 (TRB) and moved to slide 5, which explained
the difference between compacting and other types of tribal
education. He continued to slide 6, which explained what
compacting was with regard to tribal education and moved to
slide 7, which described the policy differences between two
different pieces of Alaska legislation concerning tribal
compacting. He continued through slides 9-11, which explained
the policies of SB 34, a previously passed tribal compacting
bill, and moved through slides 12-13, which detailed the
timeline of the negotiation schedule for tribes and the state.
He continued to slide 14, which gave broad introduction and
overview of the proposed policies of HB 59 (TRB). He skipped to
slide 16, which detailed the overlapping policies of tribal
compacting and HB 59 (TRB) and moved through slides 17-18, which
described sections 1 and 2 of a report on the outcomes of SB 34.
He continued through slides 19-21, which detailed the findings
of section 2 of a report on the outcomes of tribal compacting
and moved through slides 22-24, which described the findings of
sections 4 and 5 of a report on the outcomes of tribal
compacting in Alaska. He continued to slide 25, which detailed
the pilot tribal compacting program proposed by HB 59 and
skipped through slides 26-31.
9:29:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked Dr. Isaak to describe the
difference between the tribal compacts in schools and Alaska
Native Corporations.
DR. ISAAK said that one might "need a masters degree to
understand Alaksa tribal landscape" and explained that the
federally recognized tribes recognized tribes function as tribal
governments, while tribal corporations do not. He said that
tribal corporations can provide some services that tribal
governments might, though it is often at a federal level through
bill appropriations language. He said that village corporations
can set up foundations to provide services to their
shareholders, who are different than tribal citizens or members.
He explained how a 1986 congressional amendment precluded that
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) from giving money to Alaska
for school funding and construction.
9:35:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM asked Dr. Isaak to elaborate further on the
governing power of Alaska Native Tribes.
DR. ISAAK described how Alaska Native Tribal governments might
be able to issue government proclamations, like the Inupiat
Community of the Arctic Slop (ICAS) declaring a state of
emergency for education within the boundaries of its tribal
area. He explained that tribal schools are note currently
recognized as public schools under state law, which was why the
proposed legislation was before the committee.
9:39:33 AM
DR. MICHAEL ROBBINS, Superintendent, Ketchikan School District,
gave invited testimony in support of HB 59 (TRB). He said that
the proposed legislation would provide an "important opportunity
to advance culturally responsive education across Alaska". He
proposed that HB 59 (TRB) include a "hold harmless" provision
for funding to support school districts that may not be able to
meet certain criteria for a school currently outlined in Alaska
Statute.
9:44:18 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked Dr. Robbins if his idea to amend HB 59
(TRB) to include a "hold harmless clause" were based on existing
laws regarding "hold harmless".
DR. ROBBINS answered that he was referring to existing "hold
harmless" laws to be implemented into HB 59 (TRB).
9:45:31 AM
JAMIE BURGISS, Superintendent, Nome School District, gave
invited testimony in support of HB 59 (TRB). She explained how
the Nome School District (NSD) was already in a "hold harmless"
situation due to its enrollment decline in the past several
years and explained how the proposed legislation would benefit
the NSD. She said that the NSD currently faces the potential
for specialty teachers to be laid off and detailed how
specialized programs are important to students within the NSD.
9:51:08 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:51 a.m.
9:51:29 AM
MS. BURGISS continued her testimony by explaining how the NSD
utilized place-based learning and indigenous reading classes as
apart of a indigenous language immersion program that is now at
risk of being cut if funding were to fall through. She detailed
how a declining enrollment in the current statutory landscape
could negatively affect the NSD emphasized the school district's
full support of HB 59 (TRB).
9:55:48 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY thanked the invited testifiers and delivered
committee announcements.
[HB 59 (TRB) was held over].
9:56:32 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.