Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
03/30/2012 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Southeast Island School District | |
| Presentation: Alaska Tech-prep Consortium | |
| HB352 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 352 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 352-RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM
9:09:04 AM
CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 352, "An Act relating to public school curriculum
and textbook restrictions based on science, resource
development, and sustained yield principles."
[Chair Dick passed the gavel to Vice Chair Pruitt]
The committee took a brief at-ease.
9:10:54 AM
ALAN DICK, Alaska State Legislature, said that, although HB 352
was a simple and forthright bill, it was important and he had
substantial constituent concern for this issue. He presented HB
352, paraphrasing from the sponsor statement, which read as
follows [original punctuation provided]:
"An Act relating to public school curriculum and
textbook restrictions based on science, resource
development, and sustained yield principles."
Alaska State Constitution
Section 2. General Authority
"The legislature shall provide for the utilization,
development, and conservation of all natural resources
belonging to the State, including land and waters, for
the maximum benefit of its people".
Like many other states, Alaska has educators who come
from various backgrounds who may be unfamiliar with
Alaska's constitutional directives regarding State
resources. The purpose of this bill is to clearly
state that the curriculum in local schools supports
the intent of the Constitution.
Educational materials must give parity to the
viewpoint of use and development as well as
conservation of all natural resources. Educational
materials should recognize that the economic well-
being of the State is totally dependent upon careful,
sustainable resource development.
9:12:31 AM
CHAIR DICK said that many of the teachers in the state were not
familiar with the constitutional directives regarding State
resources. He offered his belief that sustainable, responsible
resource development was necessary for adequate financial
management; therefore, it was important for an awareness to be
brought to the educational field of an adequate balance and
parity in the curriculum for responsible resource development.
9:15:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked if the proposed bill would also
include the university. She encouraged the sponsor to consider
that inclusion.
VICE CHAIR PRUITT, referring to the fiscal note, opined that it
did not include the university.
CHAIR DICK, in response to Representative P. Wilson, declared
that he would be open to "any friendly amendment you would like
to make in that regard."
9:16:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON, reading from the proposed bill, page 1,
line 6, "shall base curriculum development and textbook
selection" on these principles, asked how a biology course would
be taught using a textbook that did not meet the stipulated
criteria for utilization of wild game.
CHAIR DICK responded that a portion of a textbook could be used,
and then other materials could be used to balance the
curriculum.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered his belief that the proposed bill
stated that textbook selection shall be based on those
principles listed in AS 14.30.380(A).
VICE CHAIR PRUITT suggested that the perspective of the
Department of Education and Early Development would be useful.
9:18:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON acknowledged that every school district
was required to select textbooks, but as this was a proposed
state law, it could restrict the selection. Declaring his
concern for unintended consequences to individual school
districts, he suggested hearing testimony from the districts.
9:19:39 AM
CHAIR DICK expressed that there was not any intent to "limit
anybody to anything." He suggested a friendly amendment to base
curriculum development and implementation on the constitutional
principles, and remove "textbook selection." This would allow
freedom for the selection of textbooks, as long as the
curriculum recognized "the balance that's reflected in the
constitution."
9:20:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON offered her belief that the proposed
bill was "a policy call that we need to be thinking about on
what we think should be taught" and that it was necessary to
teach that responsible resource development could keep
"everything as pristine as we can."
9:22:33 AM
CHAIR DICK suggested listening to public testimony.
9:22:53 AM
VICE CHAIR PRUITT directed attention to a similar program in
Utah to help the citizens better understand that state income
was derived from resource development.
9:24:22 AM
CHAIR DICK reiterated that the proposed legislation was not
intended to create a limiting factor.
9:24:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON suggested including all the teaching
institutions of the state in the proposed legislation.
9:25:27 AM
VICE CHAIR PRUITT offered his belief that private institutions
could not have the state dictate curriculum.
9:26:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reminded the committee that the proposed
legislation would not apply to the private and religious
schools, with or without funding. He referred to page 1, lines
11-13 of the proposed bill, and read: "utilization and
development of all nonrenewable resources in addition to
encouragement of balancing resource development and conservation
...." He suggested discussion with the state representatives
involved in the dispute regarding the proposed Pebble Mine.
9:27:34 AM
CHAIR DICK, in response to Representative Seaton, explained that
the intent of the proposed legislation was to ensure that any
teaching reflected the Alaska State Constitution, not to mandate
what was being taught.
9:28:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON read the constitutional passage from the
sponsor statement: "The legislature shall provide for the
utilization, development, and conservation of natural
resources...." He determined that it had a different focus than
page 1, lines 11-13, of the proposed legislation: "utilization
and development of all nonrenewable resources in addition to
encouragement of balancing resource development and
conservation...." He questioned whether this was a parallel
construction to the constitution.
9:29:14 AM
VICE CHAIR PRUITT offered his belief that everyone should have
an understanding of what drives the state economy, and he
allowed that the Fiscal Policy Committee was wrestling with this
same question. He declared a necessity to state that both views
for resource development were presented.
9:30:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reiterated that the construction of the
proposed bill needed to ensure that the intent was upheld.
9:31:04 AM
CHAIR DICK declared his desire for meaningful legislation with
no long term consequences.
VICE CHAIR PRUITT reported that other states had done this, as
well.
[HB 352 was held over]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 352 Version A 032912.pdf |
HEDC 3/30/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HB 352 |
| HB352-EED-TLS-3-23-12.pdf |
HEDC 3/30/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HB 352 |
| HB 352 Sponsor Statement Version A 032912.pdf |
HEDC 3/30/2012 8:00:00 AM |
HB 352 |