Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532
05/08/2023 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB52 | |
| SB48 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 52 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 48 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE BILL NO. 52
"An Act relating to education; increasing the base
student allocation; and providing for an effective
date."
2:13:31 PM
Co-Chair Stedman MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute
for SB 52, Work Draft 33-LS0369\R (Marx, 5/5/23).
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.
2:13:50 PM
KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATOR DONNY OLSON, explained the
committee substitute:
Two main changes:
1) Page 8, line 7. Increases the Base Student
Allocation by $680, from $5,960 to $6,640, for FY2024
(effective July 1, 2023).
2) Removed subsequent year increases to the BSA that
were in the Education Committee version.
What the bill still does:
1) Retains the changes made in Senate Education that
add new reporting and "dashboard requirements to
better track academic performance and the progress of
each high school graduating class. These are amended
into the existing requirements created by the Alaska
Reads Act in 2022.
Co-Chair Olson WITHDREW the OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
2:15:04 PM
SENATOR LOKI TOBIN, SPONSOR, introduced herself.
MIKE MASON, STAFF, SENATOR LOKI TOBIN, introduced himself.
Senator Tobin explained that the proposed committee
substitute met the policy goal set forth by the Senate
Education Committee to significantly increase the Base
Student Allocation (BSA). She stated that there was a hope
to do what was needed to ensure the passage of the
legislation in the current year. She stated that it was
clear that the Alaska public education system was
struggling. She stressed that the bill would be a permanent
increase to the BSA to help children and young adults who
received a public education in the state.
Senator Bishop MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1, 33-LS0369\R.3
(Marx, 5/6/23).
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.
Senator Bishop explained the amendment. He stated that the
amendment would raise the residential stipend for
residential schools. He stated that it was for $4.2
million.
Senator Wilson asked which boarding schools the amendment
would apply to.
Senator Bishop replied that the amendment was for the
Southeast Region, Southcentral Region, Nenana, Galena,
Southwest, Northern Remote, Nome, and Kotzebue. He stated
that it covered all residential schools.
Co-Chair Olson REMOVED the OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Senator Tobin spoke in support of the amendment.
Senator Bishop MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 2, 33-LS0369\R.4
(Marx, 5/6/23).
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.
Mr. Alper explained Amendment 2. He stated that the
amendment would amend the statute that was the base number
for the people transportation formula. He stated that it
would be the input for calculating the line in the budget,
which would cover the cost of school transportation. He
stated that the current number was based on 2016. He stated
that it was a rewrite of the list of the transportation
costs. He stated that the 2016 number was increased by half
the amount of inflation, which was about $8 million of
increased funding for that need.
Senator Tobin spoke in support of the amendment.
Senator Wilson surmised that it was an increase of 50
percent based on the inflationary rate.
Mr. Alper replied that the accumulated inflation for the
years was approximately 22 percent, so the increase was 11
percent.
2:20:57 PM
Senator Wilson stated that it was an $8 million per year
increase.
Mr. Alper agreed.
Co-Chair Olson wondered whether $8 million was the cost of
the fiscal note.
Mr. Alper replied that the cost of the amendment would
bring the total cost of the transportation to $80 million.
Senator Bishop stated that even with the amendment, there
will still be districts that do not have enough money for
transportation.
2:22:36 PM
AT EASE
2:23:40 PM
RECONVENED
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: Bishop, Kiehl, Merrick, Hoffman, Olson, Stedman
OPPOSED: Wilson
The motion PASSED (6/1).
2:24:16 PM
AT EASE
2:24:58 PM
RECONVENED
2:25:14 PM
AT EASE
2:25:21 PM
RECONVENED
2:25:31 PM
Senator Merrick wondered how the committee substitute would
affect the operating budget.
Co-Chair Stedman replied that the bill would have to be
signed and passed by the governor. He remarked that the
number would match the operating budget of the BSA, but it
would make it permanent.
Co-Chair Hoffman furthered that there would need to be
additional language in order to ensure that there were not
two appropriations for the same thing.
Co-Chair Stedman stated that it was already removed from
the budget.
Senator Merrick surmised that the passage and signing of
the bill would put the money into the formula, and not
passing the bill would put the money outside of the
formula.
Co-Chair Stedman agreed.
Co-Chair Stedman MOVED to REPORT CSSB 52(RIN) from
committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
2:27:41 PM
AT EASE
2:29:37 PM
RECONVENED
CSSB 52 was REPORTED out of committee with a four "do pass"
recommendations, one "do not pass" recommendation, and two
"no recommendations"; and with two new zero fiscal notes
and three new fiscal impact notes from the Department of
Education and Early Development.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 52 Amenemdents 1 and 2 Bishop.pdf |
SFIN 5/8/2023 1:30:00 PM |
SB 52 |
| SB 52 CS in SFin summary of changes 5-8-23.pdf |
SFIN 5/8/2023 1:30:00 PM |
SB 52 |
| SB 52 work draft version R.pdf |
SFIN 5/8/2023 1:30:00 PM |
SB 52 |
| SB 52 Public Testimony rec'd 050823.pdf |
SFIN 5/8/2023 1:30:00 PM |
SB 52 |