Legislature(2021 - 2022)DAVIS 106
02/09/2022 09:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB10 | |
| HB272 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 273 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 272 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 10-FREE/REDUCED TUITION FOR ESSENTIAL WORKER
9:10:53 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that the first order of business
would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 10(FIN) am, "An Act establishing
a grant program to provide to essential workers and laid-off
workers the tuition and fees to attend certain postsecondary
institutions."
9:11:11 AM
SENATOR TOM BEGICH, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor,
presented CSSB 10(FIN) am. He first noted that if the bill
progresses, some dates will need to be changed because "the
dates have become quickly outpaced by the circumstances." He
emphasized that frontline workers have given so much [during the
COVID-19 pandemic], and with the receipt of COVID-19 relief
funds, comes the opportunity to give back to those workers. He
gave examples of frontline workers as those delivering food,
transporting people, and cleaning offices all exposing
themselves to COVID-19. He cited a study by The Occupational
Environmental Medicine Journal reporting that over 20 percent of
grocery store employees tested positive for the initial phase of
COVID-19 when [non-frontline workers] were infected at rates of
1-3 percent. He pointed out that the lowest income workers were
"required by the jobs office to stay in those jobs."
SENATOR BEGICH opined that CSSB 10(FIN) am, which would give
free tuition to frontline workers, was the right step in
expressing thanks to those workers. It would provide a "limited
avenue for financial support" for those who wish to continue
their education. He spoke about the correlation between higher
education and higher earnings and offered some numerical
comparisons. He stated that going to school in Alaska keeps
people in Alaska. He spoke about paraprofessionals ready to
advance their education and how the proposed legislation would
help them to do so.
9:15:00 AM
SENATOR BEGICH highlighted the changes made to the proposed
legislation by means of CSSB 10(FIN) am. First, language was
updated to ensure the grant program would be available for all
state-supported postsecondary education programs, such as the
Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) and the University of
Alaska Certificates Program. Changes were made to the
eligibility criteria to allow those laid off as a direct result
of the pandemic to take advantage of the grant program. The
legislation now references the definition of essential worker
established under the administration's 3/27/20 Essential
Services and Critical Workforce Infrastructure Order. Program
report repeal dates were updated to reflect the limited nature
of the grant program, with an application window of "a couple of
years" and a period of use up to four years. He highlighted
that there is a cap of $2.5 million a year for up to four years.
Further, the funding source is not the undesignated general fund
(UGF) but rather COVID-19 resources. He emphasized that so
often the legislature uses federal funding in ways that are
"less than appropriate" because of the flexibility of the funds.
He opined that the proposed legislation puts forth a way to use
the funds appropriately, in a manner that would be understood
and accepted by the public.
9:18:08 AM
L?KI TOBIN, Staff, Senator Tom Begich, Alaska State Legislature,
on behalf of Senator Begich, prime sponsor, read the sectional
analysis to CSSB 10(FIN) am [available in the committee packet].
She echoed the need for an amendment to the effective date. The
sectional analysis read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Section 1.
Establishes an Essential Worker Grant Program as new
uncodified law of the State of Alaska by directing the
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) to
establish a postsecondary tuition grant program for
and award post-secondary tuition grants to essential
workers employed at the start of or during the
declared federal public health emergency or those who
were temporarily or permanently laid off as a direct
consequence of the declared federal public health
emergency.
Directs ACPE to establish policies and procedures for
application and admission to the program, including
consulting the Department of Health and Social
Services and reviewing the Alaska Essential Services
and Critical Workforce Infrastructure Order in
determining applicant eligibility.
Section 2.
Establishes an Essential Worker Grant Program Report
as new uncodified law of the State of Alaska and
directs ACPE to submit the report of program efficacy
to the Alaska State Legislature on or before December
31st.
Section 3.
Repeals Section 1 on June 30, 2025.
Section 4.
Repeals Section 2 on June 30, 2026.
9:20:52 AM
SENATOR BEGICH, in response to Co-Chair Drummond, confirmed he
would like the House Education Standing Committee to make the
aforementioned amendment to the dates.
9:22:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX opined that all workers are essential and
questioned whether the scope of the bill was broad enough. He
suggested that it may help people more to have access to skills
training rather than a four-year college program, and he asked
whether the bill sponsor had considered that.
SENATOR BEGICH responded that the short answer is yes, the bill
was expanded to include vocational education; however, it does
not apply to everyone. He explained that there are always
limits to what can be encompassed. He said CSSB 10(FIN) am
focuses on a limited amount of money and to aid those most
deeply affected by the pandemic.
9:25:45 AM
MS. TOBIN directed attention to language on page 2, line 23,
which provides for an individual who does not have a four-year
degree to apply for funding to get vocational training.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX surmised that it would be possible, under
CSSB 10(FIN) am, for the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary
Education (ACPE) to define "a program that helps you pass the
insurance exams."
SENATOR BEGICH replied that he believed that is true.
9:27:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CRONK asked for conformation that the goal of the
proposed legislation was "to get people an AA degree or a four-
year degree."
SENATOR BEGICH answered yes. He added that a person would have
to go for federal support before using the support proposed
under the bill as a last means of support. In response to a
follow-up question, he stated that there are criteria listed on
page 2, beginning on line 18, outlining what a recipient of the
fund must do, including maintaining a grade point average (GPA)
[above a specified minimum], making satisfactory progress toward
a degree, and maintaining enrollment as a half- or full-time
student. Further, he said ACPE would be required to report back
to the legislature regarding the progress of the program. He
noted that the amount of money going into the program would be
limited.
9:31:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS, following up on the question from
Representative Cronk, asked for confirmation that if a person
does not graduate from a four-year program, for example, he/she
does not have to repay the funds. He indicated that the skills
developed to that point would still be of value.
SENATOR BEGICH confirmed that is correct. He said the proposed
legislation acknowledges that "a grant is a grant."
REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS pointed to bill language on page 2, lines
10-12, regarding a required qualification of an applicant to
have "earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher
in high school" or to have "otherwise demonstrated an equivalent
academic ability", and he asked whether a general education
diploma (GED) would count.
SENATOR BEGICH answered that he believed it would count as a
qualification. He noted a similar law in Michigan.
9:35:05 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND noted that GED was listed on page 2, line 9.
9:35:19 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY expressed appreciation for the acknowledgement
that there are federal dollars to be used first. She commented
on the shortage of skilled workers in Alaska, and said she views
CSSB 10(FIN) am as an answer.
SENATOR BEGICH advised that bi-partisan infrastructure
legislation passed by Congress would result in federal money
coming to Alaska in the next five years, and Alaska does not
have the trained workforce necessary.
9:37:36 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced the committee would hear invited
testimony.
9:38:08 AM
SARAH PERMAN, Government Relations Manager, University of
Alaska, gave a PowerPoint presentation, titled "Reskilling &
Upskilling for Alaskans," [hard copy included in the committee
packet], during the hearing on CSSB 10(FIN) am. She commented
on the lack of skilled workforce in Alaska, and she said the
University of Alaska (UA) views CSSB 10(FIN) am as an
opportunity to train more Alaskans. She presented slide 2,
which was an overview with a map of Alaska showing campus
locations. She said UA is the most comprehensive workforce
provider in the state, which is one of UA's core missions, as
shown on slide 3. She pointed out the degrees offered by UA and
that many of the degrees serve toward filling those gaps in the
workforce. Slide 4 addressed the value of postsecondary
education; high school graduates earn a median of $35,000
annually, while those with professional degrees earn a median of
$77,000 annually. She also shared the correlation between
higher education levels and lower unemployment rates.
9:43:14 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY pointed out that there are certificate programs
that result in higher earnings starting out in the workforce
compared to someone starting work with a bachelor's degree.
9:44:03 AM
MS. PERMAN acknowledged the point. She then continued to slide
5, which shows a snapshot of 18,000 UA graduates and their
earnings upon graduation compared to five years later, from
$50,000 average to just under $70,000 average, respectively. As
shown on slide 6, she spoke about UA's work with the Department
of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD) to put together nine
industry workforce supports in the areas of administration and
finance, aviation, construction, fisheries and marine science,
health, information technology, mining, oil and gas, and teacher
education. Statistics gathered showed the number of people in
those industries, the average wage, and the projected trend for
those industries.
MS. PERMAN showed a 10-year projection, from 2018 to 2028,
reflecting anticipated workforce needs, as shown on slide 7.
She noted this information came out "before the infrastructure
bill." She highlighted some of the services, and she emphasized
the need to train people for the workforce. She said slide 8
shows to which industries UA graduates go in the first year
following graduation. Ms. Perman showed slide 9 while
expressing hope that the presentation underscored the value of
higher education to the state. She reaffirmed that UA supports
CSSB 10(FIN) am.
9:48:56 AM
MS. PERMAN, in response to Co-Chair Drummond confirmed that the
job loss trajectory addressed on slide 7 is "a moving target."
9:50:04 AM
DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist, Alaska American Federation of Labor and
Congress of Industrial Organizations (AK AFL-CIO), testified in
support of CSSB 10(FIN) am. He said training people gives them
"a hand up, not a handout." He related that he had supported a
relative through journeyman training that he otherwise would not
have been able to afford, and he said the proposed legislation
would provide that opportunity to people. He emphasized there
is already a shortage of skilled workers, and he opined that any
time there is opportunity to train workers, that opportunity
should be taken.
9:52:31 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND shared she had learned that every student that
completes the programs at AVTEC has a job waiting; there are
more jobs than students who complete the program.
9:53:15 AM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on CSSB 10(FIN) am.
After ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, she
closed public testimony.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND announced that CSSB 10(FIN) am was held over.