05/11/2002 09:47 AM House RLS

SB 345-EDUC. FUNDING/DISABLED/CORRESPONDENCE                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOTT  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                               
SENATE BILL NO.  345, "An Act relating to  medical assistance for                                                               
rehabilitative services  for certain children  with disabilities;                                                               
relating  to agreements  to pay  medical  assistance for  covered                                                               
services  paid  for  or  furnished   to  eligible  children  with                                                               
disabilities  by   a  school  district;  and   providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0645                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  McGUIRE  moved   to  adopt  Version  22-LS1602\L,                                                               
Lauterbach, 5/10/02,  as the  working document.   There  being no                                                               
objection, Version L was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0671                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RANDY  RUARO, Staff  to Representative  William Williams,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, explained  the portion of SB  345 that relates                                                               
to HB 312.  Section 9  of the legislation suspends the erosion of                                                               
the supplemental  funding floor for  fiscal year 2003,  which was                                                               
created by  SB 36.  The  suspension is for only  one year because                                                               
the legislature should  have a new study of  school district cost                                                               
factors, which should  provide a base of information  on which to                                                               
make decisions  relating to school  funding.  Section  10 removes                                                               
the Alyeska  Central School from  its previous manner  of funding                                                               
and changes it to more of a foundation formula type of funding.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOTT recalled that this matter  was before the House as [HB
] and experienced unanimous consent.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. RUARO agreed with Chair Kott's recollection.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0762                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RICHARD SCHMITZ, Staff to  Representative Jeannette James, Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, explained that  Version L incorporates HB 464,                                                               
which  passed the  House  37:0.   In  response to  Representative                                                               
Joule, Mr. Schmitz specified that  the language beginning on page                                                               
3, line 8, through page 4, line 13, relates to HB 464.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCHMITZ informed  the committee that there  was one technical                                                               
change on  page 3, line  18.   The language "review  of" replaces                                                               
the  original  language  in  HB 464  which  was  "evaluation  and                                                               
grading".   This change  was made  in order  to use  the language                                                               
that the state uses in the related regulations.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE inquired as to where "review" is defined.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCHMITZ said that he couldn't answer that question.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  noted her assumption that  "review" would                                                               
include grading  of materials  in some  standard [fashion].   She                                                               
expressed the need for there to be meaningful review.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOTT, determining there was  no one else to testify, closed                                                               
public testimony.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0914                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER  moved to  report HCS  SB 345,  Version 22-                                                               
LS1602\L, Lauterbach,  5/10/02, out of committee  with individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal notes.   There being                                                               
no objection, HCS  SB 345(RLS) was reported from  the House Rules                                                               
Standing Committee.