Legislature(2017 - 2018)CAPITOL 106
02/26/2018 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB212 | |
| HB233 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 212 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 233 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 233-EDUCATION TAX CREDITS; SUNSET; REPEALS
8:07:04 AM
CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 233, "An Act relating to the insurance tax
education credit, the income tax education credit, the oil or
gas producer education credit, the property tax education
credit, the mining business education credit, the fisheries
business education credit, and the fisheries resource landing
tax education credit; providing for an effective date by
repealing the effective dates of secs. 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 16, 18,
21, 23, 25, 28, 30, 32, 35, 37, 39, 42, 44, 46, 49, 51, 53, and
55, ch. 92, SLA 2010, sec. 14, ch. 7, FSSLA 2011, secs. 15, 17,
19, 21, 23, and 25, ch. 74, SLA 2012, sec. 49, ch. 14, SLA 2014,
secs. 37, 40, 43, and 46, ch. 15, SLA 2014, and secs. 26 and 31,
ch. 61, SLA 2014; providing for an effective date by amending
the effective date of secs. 1, 2, and 21, ch. 61, SLA 2014; and
providing for an effective date."
CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on HB 233.
8:07:24 AM
TOMMY SHERIDAN, Director of Government Affairs, Silver Bay
Seafoods, advised that Silver Bay Seafoods strongly supports HB
233, and explained that Silver Bay Seafoods began in 2007 as a
single salmon processing facility in Sitka and has since grown
into one of the largest seafood companies in the state. The
company currently operates in Sitka, Craig, Valdez, Naknek, and
Metlakatla, and it is dependent on a large and diverse workforce
the likes of which can and do receive its training through the
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Career Education. He
remarked that with regard to the seafood processing industry in
particular, funding is made possible through the education tax
credits which have resulted in several notable and relevant
training opportunities for Alaskan youth. The recent and
significant example includes: the At-Sea Processors Association
and Goldbelt, Inc. funding the UAS fisheries technology program
during the 2017-2018 academic years. As part of these
activities, the At-Sea Processors Association and Goldbelt, Inc.
funded over 50 Alaskan high school students to take university
level fisheries (indisc.) from Kodiak to Juneau and Sitka to
Unalaska, Galena, and Petersburg. This funding offered the
opportunity for 22 students to take an iPad based introduction
to oceanography course for the University of Alaska general
education credits. He related that he personally benefited from
similar financial assistance several years ago as a student of
the fisheries technology program. He advised that with
financial assistance from Icicle Seafoods, he received an
undergraduate certificate in fisheries technology before moving
on to complete several graduate level programs at the Oregon
State University. These studies included a graduate certificate
in fishery management, a Master of Science, Fisheries, and
Wildlife Administration, with a graduate minor in rural studies.
He related that the extension of the education tax credit
program through HB 233 will continue to promote private
investors in Alaska's higher education which is essential to
ensuring that Alaskans have the skills necessary to sustain and
grow Alaska's commercial fishing industry.
8:10:17 AM
MEGAN RIEBE, Executive Director, University of Alaska
Foundation, advised that over the years, the education tax
credit has provided a wealth of private resources that flow to
the university from the private industry. She related that Mr.
Sheridan's testimony "summed it up very well," as this is
private funding going into building Alaska's workforce for the
future and promoting economic growth and prosperity.
Particularly, she advised, there has been great support from the
fisheries and mining industries that is critical to both the
companies that provide that support and to the university. The
University of Alaska Foundation donors prefer to plan their
donations well in advance, and the foundation often receives
three to five year pledges for major gifts for these workforce
development programs, and for teaching and research as well.
She urged the committee to pass this legislation in order for
donors to plan for their future private giving to the University
of Alaska.
CHAIR DRUMMOND, after ascertaining no one wished to testify,
closed public testimony on HB 233.
8:12:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO commented that this is an extension of
the program to 2025, (indisc.) this will extend the program.
CHAIR DRUMMOND answered that Representative Talerico was
correct, it extends the program to 1/1/2025.
8:12:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ commented that she had the opportunity
to work for the University of Alaska for approximately eight
years and she was able to first-hand educate the community about
the education tax credit and the opportunities for the private
sector to invest in the university. She related that it is a
strategic type of tax credit in that it incentivizes investment
into the university's workforce development programs. The
mining, oil and gas, and fisheries industries have provided huge
investments when utilizing the education tax credit and
investing in the University of Alaska, which generates trained
Alaskans. She described the tax credit program as an important
program with a great return on investment for many years. The
program was expanded in previous iterations to allow for
additional types of education programs to qualify, including K-
12 schools, which is positive particularly in light of the
state's budget shortfalls. She stated that she strongly
supports this legislation.
8:14:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH moved to report HB 233 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HB 233 moved from the House
Education Standing Committee.
8:14:54 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:14 a.m. to 8:16 a.m.
8:17:00 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:17 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 212 - Support CEE handout.pdf |
HEDC 2/26/2018 8:00:00 AM |
HB 212 |
| HB 212 - Support Coalation for Education Equity, Legislative Priorities.pdf |
HEDC 2/26/2018 8:00:00 AM |
HB 212 |
| HB 233 Support 2018 02 14 UA Foundation ETC.pdf |
HEDC 2/26/2018 8:00:00 AM |
HB 233 |
| HB 233 Support Letter 2018 02 14 UA ETC.pdf |
HEDC 2/26/2018 8:00:00 AM |
HB 233 |