Legislature(2019 - 2020)DAVIS 106
02/28/2020 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB181 | |
| HB155 | |
| HB136 | |
| HB260 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 181 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 260 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 181-PUBLIC SCHOOLS: MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
8:04:56 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 181 "An Act relating to mental health
education."
8:05:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 31-
LS1146\A.1, Caouette, 2/18/20, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 7, following "organizations":
Insert "and regional tribal health organizations"
8:06:01 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND objected for the purposes of discussion of the
proposed amendment.
8:06:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY explained that the previous version of
HB 181 provided for collaboration with only one regional tribal
health organization - Southcentral Foundation - and this
amendment allows for participation and consultation by any
regional tribal health organization authorized under the Alaska
Tribal Health Compact.
8:07:33 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND removed her objection to the proposed
amendment.
8:07:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected in order to ask whether the
proposed amendment affects tribal sovereignty.
8:08:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY answered in detail that the proposed
amendment has no effect on the legal status of any entity and
would serve to broaden the available consultants who are already
doing work in the field of mental health.
8:08:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether this amendment should be
broadened to include other state agencies who deal with the
effects of mental health issues such as the Department of
Corrections or other law enforcement agencies.
8:09:34 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND answered that HB 181 would be instructive to
DEED and the Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development
to develop standards for mental health curriculum and allowed
that there exist downstream impacts of mental health education.
She expressed her hope that the implementation of HB 181 would
prevent individuals from contacting law enforcement due to
mental health issues.
8:10:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether law enforcement agencies would
be alerted to the passage of HB 181 and consulted for input on
the development of standards.
8:10:35 AM
ALYSA WOODEN, Program Coordinator, Division of Behavioral
Health, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), noted
that DEED would be the appropriate entity to answer; however,
DHSS is a partner in consultation regarding mental health with
DEED.
8:11:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX removed his objection to the proposed
amendment.
8:12:19 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND stated that, seeing no further objection,
Amendment 1 was adopted.
8:12:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY moved to adopt Amendment 2, labeled 31-
LS1146\A.2 Caouette 2/24/20 which read as follows:
Page 2, following line 18:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a
new section to read:
TRANSITION. The state Board of Education and Early Development
shall develop the mental health guidelines required by AS 14.30.360(b), as
amended by sec. 3 of this Act, within two years after the effective date of this
Act."
8:12:36 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND objected for the purposes of discussion of the
proposed amendment.
8:12:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY explained that the proposed amendment
takes into consideration that the standards for voluntary
educational programs are out of date and would codify a deadline
of two years after the effective date for DEED to accomplish the
development of guidelines set out in HB 181. She also explained
that the proposed amendment should reduce the financial
considerations for a contractor named in the associated fiscal
note.
8:13:43 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND removed her objection to the proposed
amendment. There being no further objection, Amendment 2 was
adopted.
8:14:02 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON related conversations that she has had
with teachers regarding HB 181, who have alerted her to their
concern of an increased workload on already overburdened
teachers. She added that other concerns reported to her by
teachers is that they lack training in mental health and that
implementation of HB 181 will come at the expense of other
educational programs.
8:15:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX echoed Representative Johnson's experience
of being contacted by teachers who expressed concern over
implementation of HB 181 due to increased workload.
8:15:47 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY expressed concern that the effects of HB 181, if
passed, would result in an unfunded mandate, though she
acknowledged that mental health is already burdensome on
students, teachers, and schools. She expressed concern also
that DEED would be burdened to assist districts in the
development of mental health curricula; however, she opined that
the extent of existing mental health issues among students is
already akin to an unfunded mandate.
8:17:25 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY asked whether the fiscal note HB181-EED-SSA-2-14-
20 would allocate resources to DEED, or if the funds would be
used to hire much-needed counselors.
8:17:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN answered that the fiscal note is not
associated with hiring counselors in any schools and is directed
to hire one contractor to assist in development of the standards
and stakeholder engagement, including travel costs. He stated
that, as prime sponsor, the fiscal note was unexpected and gave
him pause to consider whether a consultant and travel expenses
were genuinely necessary for the implementation of the proposed
legislation.
8:19:26 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY followed up by further expressing her concern
that counselors would be required to aid in the implementation
of the guidelines and, while she had considered adding an
amendment to include incremental funding to provide counselors,
she elected to not in the interest of keeping HB 181 on track
for passage. She stated her support for updating health
standards and to include mental health as a part of the health
curriculum.
8:20:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY stated her support of the proposed
legislation especially considering the framework for health
standards was last updated in excess of 20 years prior. She
reiterated her concern regarding the validity of a wholesale
update to the standards as required in order to implement HB
181. She requested that the committee to keep in mind that the
health education standards remain voluntary as proposed in HB
181. She recalled prior public testimony from students which
she suggested demonstrated a widespread need for students to
advocate for themselves and their peers and stated her belief
that HB 181 would be an appropriate vehicle to address some of
the serious mental health issues students in Alaska face. She
encouraged the passage of HB 181.
8:23:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked what the ramifications would be should
HB 181 be held in committee until the next meeting.
8:23:22 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND expressed her intention to move the bill out
of the House Education Standing Committee, and following that,
HB 181 would be taken into consideration by the House Finance
Committee, where it would undergo additional scrutiny. She
commented that are challenges when considering multiple bills
currently proposed by the legislature that will affect funding
of education in Alaska.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked Representative Claman if HB 181 passed
as amended whether DEED would have two years to submit standards
to districts for their voluntary implementation.
8:24:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN stated that DEED and its board would have
up to two years to complete the development of the standards and
could - at its own discretion - complete the work sooner.
8:25:00 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY moved to report HB 181 as amended out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes.
8:25:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON objected, restating her earlier
reservation of increased burdens for teachers and districts.
8:26:11 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Zulkosky, Hopkins,
Story, and Drummond voted in favor of moving HB 181 as amended
out of committee. Representatives Prax and Johnson voted
against it. Therefore, CSHB 181(EDC) was reported out of the
House Education Standing Committee by a vote of 4-2.