02/17/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

              HJR  5-SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS PROGRAM                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:01:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  HIMSCHOOT announced  that the  final order  of business                                                               
would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 5, "Urging the United States                                                               
Congress and the President of  the United States to reinstate the                                                               
Secure  Rural Schools  and  Community  Self-Determination Act  of                                                               
2000 and make the funding mechanism in the Act permanent."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:02:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JEREMY  BYNUM, Alaska State Legislature,  As prime                                                               
sponsor,  presented HJR  5 to  the committee.  He reiterated  the                                                               
importance  of  Secure  Rural  Schools  (SRS)  funding  to  rural                                                               
communities located within federal lands  in Alaska. He said that                                                               
the  shortfall   of  SRS  funding  would   create  a  "tremendous                                                               
hardship" on rural and urban communities alike.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:03:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STORY commented  that communities  in her  district are                                                               
very  supportive  of  making the  Secure  Rural  Schools  Program                                                               
permanent.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:04:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STORY moved  to  report  HJR 5  out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  the accompanying  fiscal  note.                                                               
There  being no  objection, HJR  5  was reported  from the  House                                                               
Education Standing Committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:04:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 9:04 a.m. to 9:07 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:07:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  thanked the invited testifiers  and delivered                                                               
committee announcements.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:07:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:07 a.m.