Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/20/1996 02:00 PM Senate CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Number 001 SB 294 COMMUNITY MOVES TO DIFFERENT REAA CHAIRMAN TORGERSON called the Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. He brought SB 294 before the committee as the first order of business. Number 015 SENATOR GEORGIANNA LINCOLN, prime sponsor of SB 294, explained the legislation has been introduced to provide the communities within one regional educational attendance area (REAA) the ability to become part of a different educational service area in the same regional corporation boundary with the approval of the commissioner of the Department of Education. Under existing law, a community within an REAA can only become part of another REAA within the boundaries of a separate regional corporation. SB 294 provides that a community could merge with an REAA that has common interests, yet is in the same regional corporation. Senator Lincoln said passage of the legislation would enable the REAA's to become more cohesive and coordinated. Some communities in rural and bush Alaska feel special bonds with other communities that are in other REAA's, for example, their language, culture, family and friends are shared between them. The ability to administer a school district between these types of communities could be beneficial in both cultural and fiscal terms. Senator Lincoln said SB 294 will facilitate improvement in the state's educational system by allowing schools to transfer to closely related, adjacent REAA's using stringent guidelines to insure a responsible, consistent process. Number 075 HUGH SHORT, student intern, directed attention to a map and the village of Chistochina and the community of Gustavus, both which have requested to move within a like regional corporation. Number 092 SENATOR LINCOLN pointed out that in order for a community to become part of a different educational service area, it must have a population of at least 25 residents; the majority of residents that are qualified voters have to vote upon the move; and the commissioner of the Department of Education has 30 days in which disapprove a move from one REAA into another. Number 140 KIMBERLY HOMME, Special Assistant, Department of Education, stated the department is in the process of reviewing SB 294 and they haven't assessed any of its costs to the state. She added the department recognizes there are a number of communities within Alaska in REAA's that do feel that they are not properly aligned with the proper school district, and the bill would give them an opportunity to move where they feel they would be more culturally, or economically, or linguistically aligned. Number 155 SENATOR TORGERSON asked for the pleasure of the committee on SB 294. SENATOR ZHAROFF moved that SB 294 be moved out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.
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