Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

02/02/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ HB 251 EXEMPTIONS FOR HOMEMADE FOODS TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled to 02/05/24>
*+ HB 237 TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR LAPSED NURSE LICENSE TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled to 02/05/24>
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
*+ HB 147 RETIRED TEACHER CERTIFICATE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+= HB 192 DELIVERY/PICK UP OF ALCOHOL; LICENSING TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 37 CRIME COUNTERFEIT/NONFUNCTIONING AIRBAG TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
+= HB 186 VOLUNTEER LABOR COMPLIANCE OFFICER PRGM TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
                HB 147-RETIRED TEACHER CERTIFICATE                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:17:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the first order of business would be                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 147, "An Act relating to teacher certificates for                                                                
retired teachers."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:18:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MAXINE DIBERT, Alaska State Legislature, as prime                                                                
sponsor, read the sponsor statement [included in committee                                                                      
packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     The  first  thing  this  bill  seeks  to  do  is  honor                                                                    
     teachers  in the  State of  Alaska for  their years  of                                                                    
     dedication  to  our  youth by  providing  them  with  a                                                                    
     lifetime  teachers   certificate  at  no   cost.  Under                                                                    
     current law,  retired teachers pay a  one-time $250 fee                                                                    
     for this  type of  certificate. The current  fee brings                                                                    
     very  little revenue  to  the  state. Retired  teachers                                                                    
     normally  only seek  a  life-time  certificate if  they                                                                    
     plan on re-entering the classroom as substitutes.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     The other thing this bill  does is extend the number of                                                                    
     consecutive days  a retired  teacher holding  this type                                                                    
     of certificate  can long-term substitute from  120 days                                                                    
     to 165 days. This allows  a person holding this type of                                                                    
     certificate to  fill in as  a long-term  substitute for                                                                    
     more than  an entire  semester in cases  where absences                                                                    
     continue for extended periods.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska  educators occasionally  must  take  a leave  of                                                                    
     absence  from  their  classroom for  different  reasons                                                                    
     including  medical procedures,  caring for  a child  or                                                                    
     elder,  the  birth  of  a   child,  as  well  as  other                                                                    
     emergencies. On rare  occasions, teachers abruptly exit                                                                    
     a position  mid-year for personal reasons,  leaving the                                                                    
     school  in a  bind.  When regular  teachers must  leave                                                                    
     positions  during the  academic  year,  this bill  will                                                                    
     take  some pressure  off  schools  in finding  skilled,                                                                    
     qualified  substitutes and  allow them  to fill  longer                                                                    
     vacancies  than  previously  allowed.  This  bill  also                                                                    
     encourages  retired teachers  to share  their expertise                                                                    
     with students  and young teachers and  to remain living                                                                    
     in  Alaska   as  active  members  of   communities  and                                                                    
     contributors to the economy.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:22:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TAMMY SMITH,  Staff, Representative  Maxine Dibert, on  behalf of                                                               
the  prime sponsor,  Representative  Dibert,  read the  sectional                                                               
analysis [included  in committee  packet], which read  as follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     *Section 1: Amends AS 14.20.020(g)                                                                                         
     That  the department  shall issue,  at no  cost to  the                                                                    
     person,  a   teacher  certificate   to  a   person  who                                                                    
     possessed  a  valid  Alaska  teacher  certificate  upon                                                                    
     retirement.  A teacher  certificate  issued under  this                                                                    
     subsection  is  valid  for  the  life  of  the  retired                                                                    
     teacher  and  qualifies  the  holder  as  a  substitute                                                                    
     teacher in the state.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     A teacher certified under this  subsection may teach as                                                                    
     a long-term  substitute teacher for  not more  than 165                                                                    
     consecutive days of a school  term. In this subsection,                                                                    
     "long-term substitute  teacher" means a teacher  who is                                                                    
     employed  in the  state to  substitute  teach for  more                                                                    
     than 20 consecutive days of a school term.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     *Section 2: Amends  the uncodified law of  the State of                                                                    
     Alaska by adding a new section to read:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Applicability.  This  act  applies  to  a  contract  or                                                                    
     collective  bargaining agreement  that becomes  legally                                                                    
     binding on or after the effective date of this Act.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:23:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS   inquired  as   to  why  the   number  of                                                               
consecutive days would be limited.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH  explained that,  in 2016,  a substitute  teacher could                                                               
substitute for  up to  120 days;  this was  changed to  allow for                                                               
more  time  for  a  long-term  certified teacher  to  be  in  the                                                               
classroom consecutively.   She  said that change  had to  do with                                                               
the amount  of allowable pay there  is for a position  that has a                                                               
substitute teacher in it.   She said the change also incentivized                                                               
districts to  hire a  new active  certified teacher  first rather                                                               
than a retired substitute teacher.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:25:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   WRIGHT  asked   if   Representative  Dibert   is                                                               
introducing  HB  147 because  retired  teachers  are on  a  fixed                                                               
income.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DIBERT  answered  that  schools  need  substitute                                                               
teachers, and the proposed retired  lifetime certificate would be                                                               
an incentive to get retired teachers into schools.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:27:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SMITH added  that retired  teachers are  on a  fixed income.                                                               
She said that,  while she herself is retired,  she holds lifetime                                                               
certification.      She   explained   that   people   with   such                                                               
certification  are people  who chose  not to  renew their  active                                                               
certification; the  bill is an  opportunity for them  to reignite                                                               
into the profession.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:27:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   offered  his  understanding   that  180                                                               
instructional days is  a teacher's full-year workload.   He asked                                                               
why a retired teacher would want to  come back to just be a full-                                                               
time long-term substitute.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH  illustrated an example  using herself: if she  let her                                                               
teaching certification lapse,  it would lapse in two  years.  She                                                               
said part  of renewing certification requires  attaining credits,                                                               
and getting such credits can cost  a lot of money.  She explained                                                               
that, in order for her to  maintain her certification, she has to                                                               
have six  continuing credits.   She shared that  school districts                                                               
allow the  teacher to take  a credit through a  district program,                                                               
which would  make getting credits  less expensive.  She  said she                                                               
is  unsure if  she  would want  to  go back  to  being an  active                                                               
certified  teacher  because  it   "is  a  young  people's  game";                                                               
districts should  be encouraged  to always  be looking  for early                                                               
career educators.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked for the dollar amount for re-                                                                      
certification.   He also inquired  about the general  shortage of                                                               
substitute teachers.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH  answered that each  credit may  cost $100 to  $400 per                                                               
credit.  The certificate itself costs $240.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:32:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK  shared that she was  a substitute teacher                                                               
who was  mentored by  a retired  teacher.   She asked,  since the                                                               
legislation  proposes to  remove the  one-time  fee, if  it is  a                                                               
barrier for some.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SMITH responded  that  she did  not hear  whether  it was  a                                                               
barrier;  however, there  is a  difference between  a person  who                                                               
retires and  maintains certification  versus another  who retires                                                               
and wants  to teach five  years later  as the likelihood  of them                                                               
wanting to go through the certification process decreases.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:34:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX offered  his  understanding  that a  teacher                                                               
must undergo recertification every few years.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH answered that's correct.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked if a  retired teacher would need to get                                                               
the proposed  retired teacher license  within two years  of their                                                               
certification.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH offered that, if  a teacher is on active certification,                                                               
they cannot  let the  license lapse or  else there  is additional                                                               
coursework they must do.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  said he  could imagine  a situation  where a                                                               
teacher is  planning to retire,  their certification  lapses, and                                                               
they come back  seeking a retired teacher certificate.   He asked                                                               
whether the teacher would be able  to get the certificate in that                                                               
scenario.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SMITH  answered  that  she believes  they  could  but  needs                                                               
confirmation  from   the  Department   of  Education   and  Early                                                               
Development (DEED).                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:36:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REBECCA  ZAVERL, Principal,  Denali Elementary  School, Fairbanks                                                               
School  District, shared  that she  has been  teaching at  Denali                                                               
Elementary  School  since  2001  and  was  mentored  by  teachers                                                               
working  at the  school.   She  said she  became principal  three                                                               
years ago,  and that her  greatest worry  is checking to  see who                                                               
called out  sick; today  she had  10 staff out  and had  only two                                                               
substitutes.  She recalled that  no one applied for music teacher                                                               
at  the  beginning of  the  school  year,  so a  retired  teacher                                                               
returned  to  fill  the  spot   as  such  teachers  make  up  her                                                               
substitute  pool.    She  pointed   out  that  returning  retired                                                               
teachers  mentor new  teachers.   She  said the  bill will  offer                                                               
appreciation and  respect to long-time educators  by covering the                                                               
cost of their teaching certificate for life.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:40:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SEAN  PRINCE, President,  Anchorage Principals  Association, said                                                               
he  is in  support  of HB  147 and  dealing  with the  substitute                                                               
crisis across  the state.  He  listed several reasons why  a high                                                               
school  teacher  may  need  a substitute,  both  in  planned  and                                                               
unplanned absences.  He explained that  it is easy to point to an                                                               
experienced teacher  to be  a substitute,  and while  the current                                                               
substitutes  in  the  district  do  a  fair  job,  they  are  not                                                               
professional educators.   He  stated that HB  147 could  meet the                                                               
substitute  need by  removing the  cost for  retired teachers  to                                                               
obtain a  lifetime certificate;  extending the  substitute period                                                               
from 120  days to 165 days;  and encouraging retired and  soon to                                                               
be retired teachers to remain in  the state.  He recalled when he                                                               
had a  teacher who taught  math in the special  education section                                                               
of the  school and said  it is  important that such  teachers are                                                               
retained since  they are rare  to find.   He said that,  when the                                                               
teacher retired after 28 years,  he could not find a replacement;                                                               
however, when  he called her to  fill in the vacancy,  she agreed                                                               
to come back for three years.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:45:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  asked whether the bill  just covers teachers                                                               
who retired  and want to retain  the certificate, or if  it would                                                               
also  cover  teachers who  retired  and  let their  certification                                                               
lapse.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:45:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KELLY  MANNING, Director,  Innovation  and Education  Excellence,                                                               
Department of  Education and  Early Development  (DEED), answered                                                               
that  the  lifetime  certification  would apply  to  any  retired                                                               
teacher.    She  said  they  do   not  need  to  have  a  current                                                               
certification to be eligible.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  sought confirmation that any  person who has                                                               
held a  teaching certificate and  is in retirement can  apply for                                                               
the proposed lifetime certificate.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. MANNING answered that's correct.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:46:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER inquired  as  to whether  the bill  would                                                               
facilitate  retired  teachers  returning  just  as  a  mentor  to                                                               
teachers.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH  responded, "That's  not really  the purpose  of this."                                                               
She said that, when there is  a retired teacher on staff, it just                                                               
naturally evolves into mentoring new teachers.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked if  the retired  teacher has  to be                                                               
teaching or could be hired as a master teacher to mentor others.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:48:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT  said the  retired teacher with  a lifetime                                                               
certificate  would  have to  apply  to  be  a substitute  in  the                                                               
district.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER reiterated the question.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. SMITH  answered no, as  being a  mentor would be  a different                                                               
position.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:49:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced HB 147 was held over.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB192 Letter of Support - Uber Eats.pdf HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 192
AK HB 192 - letter of support FINAL.pdf HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 192
DOLWD HB 186 Response.pdf HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 186
HB 147 I am oppossed to the non-payment for the license..docx HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 147
HB192 Support Letter HLC 2-13-24.pdf HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 192
HB192 Amendments Updated.pdf HL&C 2/2/2024 3:15:00 PM
HB 192