Legislature(2021 - 2022)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/04/2022 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB227 | |
| HB132 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 227 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 132 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 30 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 132-SCHOOL APPRENTICESHIP PROGS; TAX CREDITS
1:50:21 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO announced the consideration of CS FOR HOUSE BILL
NO. 132(FIN) "An Act relating to technical education and
registered apprenticeships."
She noted that this was a House Labor and Commerce committee
bill. She asked the co-chairs of that committee to provide the
introduction.
1:51:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE IVY SPOHNHOLZ, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, Co-Chair House Labor and Commerce Committee, thanked the
chair for hearing HB 132 that is also known as the Alaska
Apprenticeship Expansion Act. The bill strengthens collaboration
between the Department of Labor and Workforce Development
(DOLWD) and the Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED), which is intended to ensure maximum opportunities for
Alaskans in secondary school and college to receive dual credit
learning. The bill positions Alaska to be able to expand access
to the apprenticeship model of learning. In particular, this
"learn while you earn" model is being used more frequently in
the health care industry. She deferred to her co-chair to
provide a more in-depth review of the bill.
1:53:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ZACK FIELDS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, Co-Chair House Labor and Commerce Committee introduced
HB 132 with the PowerPoint: Apprenticeship and CTE Expansion
Act.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS reviewed slide 2:
• Alaska has high-performing apprenticeship
programs in traditional trades, and recent
innovation with apprenticeship in new industries
• School districts want to expand CTE and school-
to-apprenticeship but need support to meet demand
• Other states and nations have shown potential to
expand apprenticeship & CTE
• Expansion of apprenticeship and CTE helps people
pull themselves up by their bootstraps without
student debt
• Good state policy positions us to capture and
capitalize on federal apprenticeship grants
• Youth participation in work-based learning helps
young people enter good careers and contributes
to meeting education policy objectives
1:54:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS discussed what the bill does, the first of
which is to provide statutory support for the departments of
labor and education to coordinate. He reviewed slide 3:
• Directs DOLWD and DEED to collaborate in provision
of technical and financial support for:
• School to apprenticeship programs
• Science, Math, and Engineering CTE programs
• Lowers the age at which youth can participate in
workplace learning
He noted that language about lowering the age for youth
participation came from Representative McCarty's HB 108, and he
would talk about this strengthening measure later in the
presentation.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS discussed the provisions on slide 4 for
High School and College Credit for CTE and Apprenticeship:
• Directs University to explore ways to expand dual
credit for CTE courses and college credit for
participants in apprenticeship
• Directs school districts to offer and support
concurrent vocational education, training, and
on-the-job trade experience programs
He highlighted that the Primary Care Association has
apprenticeship programs where students can earn college credit,
which opens a college path for people who cannot afford to
attend full time. He also noted that language from HB 108 was
incorporated that supports school districts that offer
concurrent vocational education and on-the-job training
programs.
1:56:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS displayed slide 5 that shows the logos of
some of the organizations that support HB 132. He noted the wide
range of sectors that are represented.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS reported that the Senate Education
Committee removed the tax credit for apprenticeship programs
that was in the original bill, which brought the cost of the
bill to zero.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS summarized that HB 132: incentivizes
employer participation, encourages cross-departmental
collaboration, supports school districts, and expands dual
credit and post-secondary pathways
CHAIR COSTELLO commented on the benefits and her support of CTE
and the concept in the bill. She asked if other states have this
program and where the idea for the legislation come from.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS replied part of the idea for the
legislation stemmed from conversations with Representative
McCarty about supporting CTE and apprenticeships when he was
serving on the Mental Health Trust Authority Board. He also
credited CTE coordinators at the school district level and the
Alaska Primary Care Association for some of the concepts in the
bill. Furthermore, the bill is informed by research in support
of apprenticeships and CTE from Switzerland, Germany, and South
Carolina.
CHAIR COSTELLO asked Representative McCarty to explain his
participation in the bill.
2:00:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KEN MCCARTY, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, confirmed that he and Representative Fields discussed
some of the concepts in HB 132 many years ago. Ideas also came
from sixth grade students who were already thinking about good
jobs in their future. He noted that his support for these
students was represented by the Bill Bear sign he was holding,
and that it would be returned once the bill was signed into law.
He pointed out that the concepts in the bill were already
partially realized. For example, there is concurrent enrollment
in college but not in high school. Certification credit needs to
be recognized by the industry, not just a piece of paper from a
high school. People in the community are industry masters and
the bill allows those individuals to receive M certification
so they can go into schools or schools can send students to the
facilities that are in the community. This eliminates the need
for the state to purchase appropriate training equipment for
each school.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY stated that other provisions in the bill
allow a 14-year-old student to start the training process with
book learning and proceed to hands-on training at age 16. The
bill also adds an hour to the number of hours a student can work
and it extends OSHA guidelines to relatives working in a family
business. The bill is about eliminating barriers to CTE training
so people can get to work and stay over the long term.
2:05:34 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO turned to invited testimony on HB 132.
2:05:50 PM
ANNE VELARDI, Statewide Apprenticeship Coordinator, Department
of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), Anchorage, Alaska,
stated she had no prepared comments but was available to answer
questions.
CHAIR COSTELLO asked if she was currently working with programs
like this and how this would change if HB 132 were to become
law.
2:06:20 PM
MS. VELARDI stated that her team was currently working on school
to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs with private
employers and school districts, as well Alaska Works
Partnership. They have reached out to various school districts
to ascertain interest in these programs. She opined that an
important component is for school districts to find employers
who are interested in working with students in the district.
2:07:35 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO asked where parents and students can find
information about existing programs.
MS. VERLARDI offered her belief that they only exist in the
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.
2:08:02 PM
JARED KOSIN, President and CEO, Alaska State Hospital and
Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), Anchorage, Alaska, stated
that the shortage of workers in the health care field is a long-
standing problem that came to a head with burnout associated
with the COVID-19 pandemic. The expectation is that this will be
an issue for years. National statistics show that 18 percent of
the national workforce have quit their jobs since 2020. Reliance
on temporary health care staff has grown 33 percent since 2019,
and Alaska is experiencing these same shortages. Over 6,300
health care openings must be filled each year to keep up with
demand and worker exits. Adding to the problem, the health care
industry in Alaska is projected to need to add more than 5,000
new health care jobs in the next 10 years. This is more than any
other sector in the state.
MR. KOSIN posited that growing our own workforce is the only way
to meet this challenge. Efforts to create and expand career and
technical education programs, including pre-apprenticeship and
school apprenticeship programs, is what is needed to prepare
Alaskans for professions in the health care field. Exposing
younger Alaskans to the real opportunity in health care is vital
and HB 132 will help advance that effort.
2:10:08 PM
MISSY FRAZE, Director, Career and Technical Education, Anchorage
School District, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that career and
technical education is vital to the economic prosperity of the
state. She expressed appreciation that HB 132 supports
innovation and access to quality CTE programs. It establishes a
framework for school districts to develop pathways for students
to enter high skilled jobs.
2:11:55 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO asked her to comment on the change in age and the
effective date and whether school districts would provide
opportunities for students over 14 years of age to participate
concurrently in vocational education, training, and on-the-job
trade experience programs.
MS. FRAZE replied that her school district already has CTE
opportunities for students beginning in middle school for job
shadowing and guest speaking. The high school programs have
internships for students on a career path and those are turning
into jobs. These opportunities connect students to the
community. She offered her belief that the age change didn't
have a negative effect. Students in fifth grade are already
deciding what they don't want to do in life so lowering the age
requirement could be seen as a benefit for students.
2:13:35 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO opened public testimony on HB 132; finding none,
she closed public testimony.
2:13:52 PM
CHAIR COSTELLO held HB 132 in committee awaiting an amendment.