03/06/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

            HB  71-SCHOOL DISTRICT ONLINE CHECKBOOK                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:32:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that  the next  order of  business                                                               
would be  HOUSE BILL NO. 71,  "An Act relating to  education; and                                                               
relating to a school district online checkbook."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:32:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTITIVE  GEORGE  RAUSCHER,  Alaska State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime  sponsor,  presented  HB  71.    He  explained  the  school                                                               
districts  around  Alaska spend  millions  of  dollars each  year                                                               
without a  clear understanding of  where the  money goes.   It is                                                               
believed it goes to everything  from office supplies to teachers'                                                               
salaries,  administration, and  hopefully  the  students and  the                                                               
classrooms themselves.   A  tool like  an online  checkbook would                                                               
help  the  governor  and the  legislature  understand  where  the                                                               
deficits are and where funding  is needed.  Public accountability                                                               
helps ensure funds  are spent wisely, and the  public is entitled                                                               
to understand  where the funds  actually go.   The intent  of the                                                               
online checkbook is to create  a searchable website that provides                                                               
Alaskans   with  easy   access  to   details  and   comprehensive                                                               
information on school district spending.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:34:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RYAN MCKEE,  Staff, Representative George Rauscher,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,   on  behalf   of  Representative   Rauscher,  prime                                                               
sponsor, provided a sectional analysis  of HB 71 [included in the                                                               
committee packet],  which reads as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1 AS 14.17.910(a)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     This section adds that each school district shall make                                                                     
     the financial records available on an internet website                                                                     
     that is accessible and free to the public.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:34:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT   observed  a  zero  fiscal   note  and                                                               
questioned whether the expense would fall to the districts.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:35:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 8:35 a.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:35:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT reiterated  her question  and asked  if                                                               
there  is software  involved that  needs to  be purchased  by the                                                               
districts.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER  replied that  when  he  said "free"  he                                                               
meant to the public.  It  would also not cost the state anything,                                                               
and  it may  cost the  school system  whatever it  may be  to get                                                               
their information transferred into the checkbook.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:37:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX explained  he had looked at  the state online                                                               
checkbook, and it  did not provide information  he found helpful.                                                               
He asked who is expected to use this information.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER  suggested   that  legislators  and  the                                                               
governor would,  and school board  members may have some  use for                                                               
it as well.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:39:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR   ALLARD   asked   if   there   is   a   timeframe   for                                                               
implementation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  replied there is no  direct timeline, or                                                               
90 days from passage of HB 71.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:40:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  stated she thought  the bill had  merit but                                                               
was concerned about the amount  of personnel time, ease, and cost                                                               
involved in transferring the information.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER   replied  he  will  get   back  to  the                                                               
committee  on  a  future date  with  information  addressing  the                                                               
concerns.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:42:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE asked  if each  district would  have its  own                                                               
dedicated  website, instead  of being  found on  the department's                                                               
website.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER  offered  his  understanding  that  each                                                               
district would have  its own website.  He referred  to an excerpt                                                               
of  line  4: "each  district  shall  maintain complete  financial                                                               
records".                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:45:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced HB 71 was held over.