04/04/2011 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

        HB 198-SPEC. EDUC. SERVICE AGENCY FUNDING/SUNSET                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DICK  announced that the  final order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 198,  "An Act relating  to the  special education                                                               
service agency."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:08:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHEILA PETERSON,  Staff, Representative  Alan Dick,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, reviewed the proposed  bill, stating that it removed                                                               
a sunset requirement  and increased state funding  to the Special                                                               
Education Service  Agency (SESA).   This program  offered support                                                               
to small school districts with  high special needs children.  She                                                               
reported that funding  to SESA had remained static  for the prior                                                               
13 years,  and that the  proposed bill would compute  the funding                                                               
to now be .4 percent of the base student allocation.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:10:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DICK opened public testimony.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:11:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK REINHART,  Governor's Council  on Disabilities  & Special                                                               
Education,   Division  of   Senior  and   Disabilities  Services,                                                               
Department of Health  and Social Services, stated  the support of                                                               
the  Council for  HB  198.   He  reported  that  the Council  was                                                               
represented  on the  Board of  Directors  of SESA.   He  directed                                                               
attention  to  the  handout,  titled  Special  Education  Service                                                               
Agency  Recommendations  for  Statutory  Change.    [Included  in                                                               
members' packets]                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:12:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DICK closed public testimony.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:12:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:13:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  moved to  report HB  198 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 198 was reported  from the                                                               
House Education Standing Committee.