05/11/2022 09:00 AM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 20(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to teaching certificates for teachers                                                                     
     holding out-of-state certificates."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:43:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick indicated the  committee had last heard the                                                                    
bill  on May  4, 2022.  She invited  the testifiers  to make                                                                    
opening comments.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARY STEVENS,  SPONSOR, thanked  the committee  for                                                                    
hearing  the  bill again.  The  bill  allowed teachers  from                                                                    
out-of-state  to receive  their  certification  to teach  in                                                                    
Alaska quickly. It did not  reduce the standards. It allowed                                                                    
them time  to follow  the Alaska specific  training: suicide                                                                    
prevention  and  Alaska   History.  He  indicated  Anchorage                                                                    
School  District testified  that 7  percent of  its teachers                                                                    
were  military spouses.  They  came to  Alaska  for a  brief                                                                    
time, 2 or  3 years. If the  state waited for a  year to get                                                                    
them through the red tape,  it would exacerbate the teachers                                                                    
shortage.  Although  the  bill  did not  solve  all  of  the                                                                    
teacher problems, it will help solve some of them.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  noted Representative Josephson  had joined                                                                    
the meeting.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:44:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:44:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick  indicated  there was  one  fiscal  impact                                                                    
note,  FN3  (control  code  KyFWi),  by  the  Department  of                                                                    
Education and  Early Development.  She invited  Ms. Meredith                                                                    
to provide a review.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SONDRA   MEREDITH,   TEACHER  CERTIFICATION   ADMINISTRATOR,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION (via teleconference),  reviewed the                                                                    
fiscal  note   of  about  $6,000   to  make   the  necessary                                                                    
regulatory changes associated with the bill.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair    Merrick   indicated    Representative   Thomson,                                                                    
Representative    Wool,   Representative    Josephson,   and                                                                    
Representative Rasmussen had joined the meeting.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:46:03 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:46:30 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick invited Mr. Lamkin to comment.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
TIM LAMKIN,  STAFF, SENATOR GARY STEVENS,  was available for                                                                    
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wool  wondered  about the  opinions  of  the                                                                    
union and the National Education Association (NEA).                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Stevens deferred to his staff.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin  responded that he  could not speak on  behalf of                                                                    
NEA. However,  in a prior committee,  negotiations had taken                                                                    
place and their needs were satisfied.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick set  an amendment  deadline for  Thursday,                                                                    
May 12,  2022, at 1:00  p.m. She announced the  next meeting                                                                    
was at 1:30 p.m.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 20(FIN)  was HEARD  and HELD  in committee  for further                                                                    
consideration.