04/17/2010 02:45 PM Senate FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 224(FIN)                                                                                               
     "An Act relating to  the AlaskAdvantage education grant                                                                    
     program;  relating  to  professional  student  exchange                                                                    
     program  availability;  establishing the  Alaska  merit                                                                    
     scholarship  program  and   relating  to  the  program;                                                                    
     relating   to   student  records;   making   conforming                                                                    
     amendments;  establishing  a Joint  Legislative  Higher                                                                    
     Education  Scholarship  Task   Force;  establishing  an                                                                    
     advisory  task force  on  higher  education and  career                                                                    
     readiness in the legislative  branch of government; and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
(recording begins at 2:46:51)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman MOVED  to ADOPT  the  new CS  for SB  224,                                                                    
labeled  26-GS2271\O,  Mischel,   4/17/10.  There  being  NO                                                                    
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
TIM  LAMKIN,  STAFF,  SENATOR GARY  STEVENS,  explained  the                                                                    
legislation.  He explained  that  section 1  contains a  new                                                                    
section to  set out  district determination  for scholarship                                                                    
eligibility.  Section  2  was   amended  to  read  that  the                                                                    
commission  may adopt  regulations under  the Administrative                                                                    
Procedure Act.  Section 3 establishes  that no less  than $3                                                                    
million   dollars   shall   be   spent   annually   on   the                                                                    
AlaskAdvantage education grant program.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Lamkin  explained that Section  4 increases  the minimum                                                                    
needs based  award and  the cap. Section  5 is  a conforming                                                                    
amendment that  increases the overall cap  over the lifetime                                                                    
of the grant. Section 6 is  the core of the program and sets                                                                    
out requirements. Award tiers  have been eliminated. Section                                                                    
7 includes  language from another piece  of legislation that                                                                    
includes Alaska's participation in WICHE.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Lamkin   reported  that  Section  8   is  a  conforming                                                                    
amendment that requires  private post secondary institutions                                                                    
to maintain records for students  who want to participate in                                                                    
the program.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:49:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Lamkin  related  that  Sections  9  and  10  deal  with                                                                    
transition language.   Section  11 creates  a task  force to                                                                    
focus on the funding component.  Section 12 creates a second                                                                    
task force which would focus on reform of the K-12 system.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Section  13   sunsets  the  higher  education   task  force.                                                                    
Sections 14 and 15 are effective dates.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Ellis asked  if the  scholarship  task force  could                                                                    
explore more  than the funding  mechanism. Mr.  Lamkin noted                                                                    
that the  language was broad.  He referred to Page  9, lines                                                                    
14 - 20,  where the task force  would recommend improvements                                                                    
or additions to the  laws pertaining to student preparedness                                                                    
for, and completion, of secondary study.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman noted  that there  would be  a forthcoming                                                                    
SFIN fiscal note for $3 million.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman MOVED  to  report CSSB  224  (FIN) out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
forthcoming fiscal  note. There  being NO OBJECTION,  it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
AT-EASE        2:53:14 PM                                                                                                     
RECONVENED     7:32:44 PM