03/24/2003 05:02 PM Senate HES

            SB 95 - 72-HOUR NOTICE OF TEACHER STRIKE                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON announced SB 95 to be up for consideration.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  KIM  FLOYD,  Palmer  parent  of  two  school  age  children,                                                               
strongly  supported SB  95 because  it's simply  about children's                                                               
safety. She said  that many people from the Valley  have to leave                                                               
by  6:00 a.m.  to go  to  work in  Anchorage and,  as the  public                                                               
information officer  for the district,  it is  her responsibility                                                               
to work with media to alert  parents to school closures. She felt                                                               
that a  72-hour time period is  necessary to cover the  Friday to                                                               
Monday  weekend  period. She  said  that  the decision  to  close                                                               
schools  is  made  at approximately  4:00  a.m.  Anchorage  media                                                               
begins reporting  at 6:00 a.m.,  well after many  commuters leave                                                               
for work.  Without adequate notice (from  an unannounced strike),                                                               
children  may be  left unattended  at bus  stops or  arrive at  a                                                               
school  without adequate  staffing  or supervision.  SB  95 is  a                                                               
school safety effort.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS arrived at 5:10 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS.   PAUL  HARRISON,   Director,  Human   Resources  and   Labor                                                               
Relations,  Mat-Su  School  District,  agreed  with  Ms.  Floyd's                                                               
comments and supported SB 95.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARL  ROSE, Executive Director, Association  of Alaska School                                                               
Boards, concurred with Ms. Floyd and  Ms. Harrison that this is a                                                               
safety issue. He provided the  committee with a letter suggesting                                                               
language that  school districts  would be  willing to  provide 72                                                               
hours notice as well before locking out.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GUESS moved to pass  SB 95 from committee with individual                                                               
recommendations  and   its  zero  fiscal  note.   There  were  no                                                               
objections and it was so ordered.