04/15/1996 09:10 AM Senate HES

                                                                               
             HB  93 DUTY-FREE MEALTIME FOR TEACHERS                           
                                                                              
                                                                               
 Number 213                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN GREEN introduced  HB 93  as the next order of business               
 before the committee.                                                         
                                                                               
 BARBARA COTTING, Staff to Representative James, said that HB 93               
 would remove from statute the strict hours of 11:00 a.m. to 1:00              
 p.m. for duty free mealtime for teachers.  Many districts are in              
 violation of this statute.  Several school districts have requested           
 this.                                                                         
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN asked why the language " and the union representing            
 teachers " was in the bill; are all teachers in Alaska represented           
 by unions?  BARBARA COTTING said that this language was requested             
 throughout the process and the language was added on the floor.               
 Ms. Cotting believed that all teachers in Alaska are represented by           
 a union.                                                                      
 SENATOR LEMAN suggested that the language should read as follows,             
 "between the governing body and the teachers".                                
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO pointed out that much of statute refers to "the                  
 recognized bargaining agent".  There are 54 school districts in               
 Alaska.  She believed that only one of those districts did not have           
 a union, although that would not preclude that district from having           
 a bargaining agent.  Senator Salo felt it correct to specify either           
 the "union" or "the recognized bargaining agent."                             
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN inquired as to how the bill read before the language            
 was added.  BARBARA COTTING explained that there was a period after           
 "30 minutes" and the language "between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m."              
 was deleted.  The entire underlined section was added on the House            
 floor.                                                                        
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN GREEN believed that this issue was present last session.             
 BARBARA COTTING said that it was part of another bill in the                  
 Senate.                                                                       
                                                                               
 Number 270                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER said that he was leery of placing this because it              
 will be another item to be negotiated between the districts and the           
 unions.  Senator Miller moved that the underlined language " between         
 such hours as the governing body and the union representing                   
 teachers in a school district may specify " be deleted.                      
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO objected.  She said that in most of Alaska a 30 minute           
 duty free mealtime did not happen before this statute.  The hours             
 were specified and did create some problems in a few districts.               
 The problem is with principals who have difficulty with scheduling.           
 Teachers can be given a lunch half hour between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00           
 p.m., but if districts were not held to that the possibility to               
 schedule lunch at inappropriate times would be allowed.  A teacher            
 who has not had the chance to have some lunch is not good for the             
 teacher or the students.  The duty free lunch is seldom duty free.            
 Senator Salo preferred adding the language "between 11:00 a.m. and            
 1:00 p.m., except where negotiated to be different."                          
 Upon a roll call vote regarding the adoption of the amendment,                
 Senators Green, Leman and Miller voted "Yea" and Senator Salo voted           
 "Nay".  Senator Ellis was not present at this time.  The amendment            
 was adopted.                                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN moved to report SCS HB 93(HES) out of committee with            
 individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.                 
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO objected.                                                        
                                                                               
 Upon a roll call vote, Senators Green, Leman and Miller voted "Yea"           
 and Senator Salo voted "Nay".  Senator Ellis was not present at               
 this time.  SCS HB 93(HES) was reported out of committee.