Legislature(2025 - 2026)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/04/2025 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB146 | |
| SB22 | |
| SB6 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 146 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 22 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| = | HB 56 | ||
SENATE BILL NO. 146
"An Act relating to the regional educational
attendance area and small municipal school district
fund; relating to Mt. Edgecumbe High School; and
relating to teacher housing."
9:48:02 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman invited Liz Harpold to the table.
9:48:16 AM
LIZ HARPOLD, STAFF, SENATOR DONNY OLSON, relayed that SB
146 amended the Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA)
fund language to include major maintenance and construction
at Mount Edgecumbe High School and major maintenance for
teacher housing, in REAA or small municipal areas, as
allowable uses for the fund. Additionally, the bill removed
the $70 million cap on fund value, preventing any fund
balance above the amount form lapsing into the general fund
at the end of the year. The bill was previously introduced
as SB 113, and had passed the Senate but died in House
Finance Committee.
9:49:26 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman OPENED public testimony.
9:49:39 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman CLOSED public testimony.
9:49:46 AM
Co-Chair Stedman commented that MEHS faced difficulty
dealing with its maintenance. He considered that MEHS was
the only school in the state that was put in with the
overall state maintenance run through DOT&PF, which meant
that the school had to compete with other state agencies
for maintenance funding. He did not think there were
maintenance advocates for the school. He said that when the
committee had tried to fund some of the school's deferred
maintenance in the past, the funds had been vetoed by the
governor the reason being that the school was not on the
maintenance list. He contended that the school could not be
on the major maintenance list and the bill would correct
the matter. He could not speak to how the school would rank
with other schools across the state but believed that the
treatment of the school overall would be more equitable.
Co-Chair Stedman cited high levels of student performance
at MEHS. He stressed that there were construction needs for
teacher housing, new dormitories, and classroom spaces. He
believed that the state could better serve the school.
9:53:31 AM
Senator Kiehl addressed a new fiscal note from the
Department of Education and Early Development, OMB
Component 2737. The department requested $313.3 thousand
and 2 new full-time positions in FY2026, which drops down
to $297.3 in the out years.
Senator Kiehl mentioned schools throughout the state that
had student or teacher housing. He wondered whether the
state could partner with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
(AHFC) to find human resources to provide DEED with the
residential design and construction expertise necessary,
rather than establishing new positions within the
department.
Co-Chair Hoffman agreed.
SB 146 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.