Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
04/26/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB111 | |
| HB106 | |
| HB105 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 105 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 111 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 106-TEACHER RECRUITMENT; LUMP SUM PAYMENT
8:51:24 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 106, "An Act authorizing lump sum payments for
certain teachers as retention and recruitment incentives; and
providing for an effective date."
8:51:36 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD opened public testimony on HB 106. After
ascertaining no one wished to testify, she closed public
testimony.
8:52:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT acknowledged missing the amendment
deadline but said she had prepared a conceptual amendment to HB
106.
8:52:36 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:52 a.m. to 8:54 a.m.
8:54:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1
to HB 106.
8:54:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected.
8:54:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT wished to incorporate the language
about allowing Legislative Legal Services to make any conforming
changes. She added that Amendment 1 makes the lump sum payments
a permanent feature of the system. It removes the three years
and makes it wide open that teachers who commit to teaching in
Alaska would receive the payments without an end date, she said.
8:55:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY noted that Conceptual Amendment 1 may
dramatically change the fiscal note.
8:55:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT stated that there is not a fiscal note.
8:56:19 AM
HEIDI TESHNER, Acting Commissioner, Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED), answered questions regarding the
discussion on a fiscal note. She said that $57.9 million per
year is the grant funding total for the teacher incentive pay.
8:56:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that the purpose of the
amendment is to take a good idea and make it a permanent idea.
It is known that the state is not competitive in its pay to
teachers, and it is one way to increase the pay and to keep it
there. Her concern with the bill, she said, is the existing
retirement system not requiring people to stay more than five
years, and having this incentive for only three years is another
way to support teachers.
8:57:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY recalled that the purpose of the bill was
to do a pilot program for three years and determine whether the
raises had an effect on retention.
MS. TESHNER responded that is correct. The intent of the bill
was to create a study to see if it is something that improves
retention.
8:58:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her opinion that the ability to
raise teacher pay and keep that going is something very much
needed. She confirmed her support for the amendment.
8:59:28 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE appreciated the amendment; however, HB 106
was designed to be a pilot program, and it may not be the
appropriate way to raise pay for teachers. He stated he would
not support the amendment.
9:00:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked Ms. Teshner how it would be known
whether the three-year incentive worked or not.
MS. TESHER responded it would be learned through the process of
the data collected and then reporting it out.
9:01:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX offered his opinion that it is not a good
idea to negotiate salaries through the "central authority."
9:02:00 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD pointed out that when unions are involved,
salaries are not negotiated for the teachers, it is done through
the school districts. She offered her belief that is something
individual districts must do, and although she supported
incentives, she stated the bill is good as-is.
9:02:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT stated that perhaps Conceptual
Amendment 1 could have been a little different, but her concern
is that there is no fiscal note or study at the end. She said
it seemed like a good idea to provide this incentive so the
districts could use it as a recruiting tool.
9:02:58 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX maintained his objection.
9:03:03 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives McCormick,
Himschoot, and Story voted in favor of Conceptual Amendment 1.
Representatives Prax, McKay, Allard, and Ruffridge voted against
it. Therefore, Conceptual Amendment 1 failed to be adopted by a
vote of 3-4.
9:03:42 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:03 a.m. to 9:04 a.m.
9:04:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 2
to HB 106.
9:04:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT spoke to amendment 2 and related her
experiences as a teacher. She said in addition to teachers,
there are shortages in support staff; therefore, she wanted to
open the idea up to include paraprofessionals and support staff.
9:05:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY opined that the proposed amendment was a
similar problem to Conceptual Amendment 1 in that there is no
fiscal note to estimate additional costs.
9:05:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY offered her belief that it is an important
part of the puzzle for students doing very well to have
consistent help through support staff. She opined it would be a
good incentive and investment in Alaska's resources for this
amendment, even though the fiscal note would increase.
9:06:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX commented that adding paraprofessionals
increases the risk of getting nothing "if we push too far."
9:07:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT offered her insight that the best way
to increase salaries is an increase in the base student
allocation (BSA), but since that is uncertain, this [amendment]
is one way to make sure staff are incentivized to stay and it
would increase recruitment for districts. She brought up an
example of when the Department of Law (DOL) did a 20 percent
increase, and they now have the lowest vacancy rate of any
department; therefore, incentives work.
9:08:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX maintained his objection.
9:08:12 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives McCormick,
Himschoot, and Story voted in favor of Conceptual Amendment 2.
Representatives Allard, Prax, McKay, and Ruffridge voted against
it. Therefore, Conceptual Amendment 2 failed to be adopted by a
vote of 3-4.
9:08:43 AM
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE moved to report HB 106 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
9:09:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK objected. He stated he supported HB
106, but offered his belief that it is not a good replacement to
increase the BSA. He added that in Bethel, he was told by
educators it was something they did not want; they wanted good
benefits and an increase to the BSA.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK removed his objection.
9:09:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY objected. She mirrored Representative
McCormick's comments that it should not be a replacement for
funding the BSA. She said that working conditions are very
important for Alaska's teachers and students to thrive;
therefore, we must keep up with increasing costs, which also has
a lot to do with local control. She briefly mentioned the
practices other states have attempted to adopt.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY removed her objection.
9:12:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT stated that her objection lies in the
fact this creates a difficult position to be in, and she
acknowledges that teachers are underpaid and any time there is a
chance to increase their salaries, it should be done. On the
other hand, she said, a way to do that is to fund the BSA and
provide increases on a regular basis to fund the schools and the
salaries.
9:12:55 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD offered her support for teachers and added that
there is no guarantee that the BSA would increase teacher
salaries; that is up to their individual unions and school
boards. She said she believed this increase is an incentive and
recruitment tool, as stated in the bill, and reiterated she is
in strong support of HB 106.
9:13:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT maintained her objection.
9:13:23 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Story, Allard,
Prax, McCormick, McKay, Himschoot, and Ruffridge voted in favor
of HB 106. Therefore, HB 106 was reported out of the House
Education Standing Committee by a vote of 7-0.
9:14:20 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 9:14 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
9:15:02 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that HB 106 passed from committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB105 Amendment 2.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 4.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 3.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB 105 CS VerB.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 1.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |