Legislature(2003 - 2004)
05/02/2003 06:00 PM House RLS
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 25-TEACHERS' HOUSING/AHFC LOANS CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the final order of business would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 25(FIN), "An Act relating to the acquisition of teachers' housing by regional educational attendance areas and to teachers' housing loan programs in the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation; and providing for an effective date." REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to adopt HCS CSSB 25, Version W, as the working document. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ objected for discussion purposes. Number 1542 CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that Version W on page 2, line 10, has deleted "administrator" and inserted "principal". He explained that the prior version included a provision requiring that nurses working at least 80 hours a month would qualify for this loan program. However, [Version W] requires that the [nurses] would have to be full-time employees. CHAIR ROKEBERG related that the idea behind this legislation is to provide incentives for hiring new teachers, counselors, principals, and nurses. The rationale behind changing "administrator" to "principal" is that many administrators have very high salaries and thus don't need the additional benefit provided by this legislation. Furthermore, the change helps restrict the scope of eligible people. He acknowledged that there was an issue regarding whether a nurse could work on a part-time basis and qualify for this program. However, Chair Rokeberg reminded the committee that the legislation intends to recruit and retain teachers and nurses, and therefore he didn't believe the legislation would be best served by including part- time employment. By allowing AHFC to develop the eligibility regulations, the nurses association could provide information with regard to peculiar work hours [that need to be accommodated]. Number 1704 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked if "principal" and "administrator" are defined terms. He inquired as to what would happen if someone was an acting principal or a vice principal. He then turned to the language on page 2, line 14, which specifies that only one loan per borrower can be made, and asked if that means once in a lifetime. He pointed out that teachers and principals in rural Alaska may move from one district to another. CHAIR ROKEBERG related his belief that the intention is [for the program] to be similar to the VA loan program in which there is a one-time use. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL interjected that when the Alaska Housing and Finance Corporation (AHFC) was before the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee the indication was that this offer could only be used once. CHAIR ROKEBERG returned to the change from "administrator" to "principal" and explained that the intent was to narrow the field of eligible people. He wasn't aware of a statutory definition for either. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA pointed out that vice principals wouldn't be included and she noted her discomfort with that. CHAIR ROKEBERG suggested that the term "principals" could be used or "vice principals" could be specified. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ recalled that schools have a peculiar situation in which people providing support for a principal might not be eligible for one of these loans, although the principal would. CHAIR ROKEBERG reminded everyone that the original intent is to help the recruitment of teachers and thus the scope should be narrowed because those receiving high levels of compensation don't need help. Chair Rokeberg said that he wouldn't object to including "assistant principals". REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL pointed out that the legislation requires that the individual be certificated and thus the individual would have to be a teacher. He also pointed out that there will be schools in which the administrators hold class. Therefore, having the "certificated" language would seem to serve the purpose. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA remarked that administrators in rural Alaska often function as a teacher and administrator. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ returned to Representative Coghill's point that this legislation seems to focus on those who are certificated and work in the school. Therefore, a list wouldn't be necessary, he said. CHAIR ROKEBERG noted that there is a definition of teacher. He expressed concern with people who earn $100,000 a year getting a deal. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ reiterated that a list isn't necessary and the problem could be addressed by inserting a period after "certificated". Number 1959 SENATOR GARY WILKEN, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as the sponsor of SB 25, explained that the purpose of SB 25 was to create something that Alaska could offer to attract teachers. The ability to utilize this benefit is limited to someone in the school. Senator Wilken expressed his preference for specifying principal and vice principal. However, he agreed that merely referring to certificated individuals would serve the same purpose. CHAIR ROKEBERG said that he didn't object to [including] vice principals. However, he reiterated his concern with regard to using the language "administrator" because of their high salaries. SENATOR WILKEN remarked that limiting this benefit to those inside the school would seem to eliminate those he considered to be an administrator. However, he noted his agreement with deleting the "administrator" language. CHAIR ROKEBERG agreed with Representative Kerttula's earlier testimony that some school employees could wear more than one hat. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked whether those wearing multiple hats would clearly qualify for this when one of those hats is a teacher in some capacity. CHAIR ROKEBERG said he believes so. REPRESENTATIVE KOTT interjected that those certificated as a teacher would qualify. CHAIR ROKEBERG said that he wouldn't object to adding the "assistant principal" language. SENATOR WILKEN suggested that "principal" could be defined in regulation. Number 2097 REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked if all teachers are classified as full-time. CHAIR ROKEBERG said that there is a statutory definition of a full-time teacher. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA related that she wanted to be sure that [the definition] included regular teachers. She said that she could double-check before the legislation goes to the floor. CHAIR ROKEBERG remarked that the intent is for the statutory definition of a full-time teacher to be controlling. SENATOR WILKEN thanked Representative Wilson for making this legislation better. He further thanked Chair Rokeberg from whom he took this legislation. CHAIR ROKEBERG informed the committee that AS 14.25.220 specifies: (19) "full-time teacher" means a teacher occupying a position requiring teaching on a regular basis for the normal work period per day or week at a teaching assignment, excluding teaching as an assistant or graduate assistant or teaching on a substitute, temporary, or per diem basis; Number 2235 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT moved that the committee adopt Conceptual Amendment 1 to page 2, line 10, after "or", insert "assistant principal". There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA expressed concern with regard to increasing the requirement from 80 hours to full-time. She related her understanding that often in rural Alaska flexible hours are allowed in order to [recruit and retain] nurses. REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON, Alaska State Legislature, speaking [as the sponsor of the portion of the legislation dealing with nurses], noted that in several areas two people work part-time to fill a full-time slot. In response to Chair Rokeberg, Representative Wilson explained that such [job sharing] is done because a parent wants to do so while in other instances an individual might be retired [and only wants to work part-time]. CHAIR ROKEBERG pointed out that the intent of the legislation is to provide a bonus in order to entice people into the nursing profession. REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA remarked that nursing is a stressful job and many nurses are women, many of whom have families. Offering flexible hours has helped get nurses into rural Alaska, she said. She expressed concern with regard to increasing [the requirement] to full-time. REPRESENTATIVE WILSON said that she didn't want to lose the inclusion of the nurses in this legislation [over the full-time requirement]. Number 2360 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ related his understanding that there isn't a requirement that the nurse work full-time but rather that there are regulations determining [whether the nurse is working full-time]. CHAIR ROKEBERG clarified that his intent was for the determination to be developed such that it's flexible and recognizes real life situations. Chair Rokeberg noted that the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee changed the title and thus there is already a title resolution for the legislation. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report HCS CSSB 25, Version W, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. TAPE 03-3, SIDE B There being no objection, HCS CSSB 25(RLS) was reported from the House Rules Standing Committee.
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