03/01/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

          HB 69-RECLASSIFICATION OF FIRST CLASS CITIES                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:02:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 69,  "An Act relating to  the reclassification                                                               
of first class  cities as second class cities;  and providing for                                                               
an effective date."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:02:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MIKE CRONK,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor, introduced HB  69.  He pointed out  that the first-class                                                               
city of  Tanana has  been unable  to transfer  its school  to the                                                               
Yukon-Koyukuk rural  education attendance  area.  He  stated that                                                               
this is because a first-class  city would need to be reclassified                                                               
to  legally transfer.   From  the  annual report  from the  local                                                               
boundary commission, he pointed out  that a minimum population of                                                               
400 residents  is required to  form a first-class  city; however,                                                               
there  is not  a mechanism  for automatic  reclassification if  a                                                               
city's   population  drops.     He   stated  that   the  proposed                                                               
legislation  would  be the  first  step  in allowing  the  Tanana                                                               
school to  be transferred to  the Yukon-Koyukuk  School District.                                                               
He referenced past  legislation which had been  required to allow                                                               
the  transfer of  a different  small school  into another  school                                                               
district.  He concluded that  without this legislation the Tanana                                                               
school cannot be transferred.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:03:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE STANCLIFF,  Staff, Representative  Mike Cronk,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  on  behalf  of the  prime  sponsor,  Representative                                                               
Cronk, presented the sectional analysis [copy included in the                                                                   
committee packet], which read as follows:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     City  Population Eligibility:  Establishes a  threshold                                                                    
     of "less than"  400 persons, as verified  by the latest                                                                    
     US  Census, for  automatically  reclassifying a  first-                                                                    
     class city that requests such action.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Local Boundary Commission  Timeframe: Once requested, a                                                                    
     timeframe  of  10 days  is  established  for the  Local                                                                    
     Boundary  Commission  to  notify  the  requesting  city                                                                    
     council   that  they   are   officially  eligible   for                                                                    
     reclassification.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     City  decision timeframe:  After  the council  receives                                                                    
     official   notification    by   the    Local   Boundary                                                                    
     Commission,  the  city  has   30  days  to  reject  the                                                                    
     automatic reclassification.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     City  reconsideration timeframe:  If  the city  council                                                                    
     opts to  reject the automatic reclassification  for one                                                                    
     year from the date.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Establishes immediate effective date.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:05:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that HB 69 was held over.