Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532

04/23/2024 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 131 ASIAN AMERICAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER PROGRAM TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
-- <Time Limit May Be Set> --
+ HB 89 CHILD CARE: TAX CREDITS/ASSISTANCE/GRANTS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
SENATE BILL NO. 131                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act requiring education in the history and                                                                             
     contributions   of   Asian    Americans   and   Pacific                                                                    
     Islanders."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:05:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, SPONSOR,  offered a brief history                                                                    
of the bill. She recounted  that a few years previously, the                                                                    
consulate  for Korea  visited Anchorage.  The consulate  had                                                                    
requested that the legislature work  to provide education on                                                                    
the  history  and  contributions   of  Asian  Americans  and                                                                    
Pacific Islanders.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gray-Jackson read from  a Sponsor Statement (copy on                                                                    
file):                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Senate  Bill  131  requires schools  in  the  State  of                                                                    
     Alaska  to   educate  students   on  the   history  and                                                                    
     contributions   of   Asian    Americans   and   Pacific                                                                    
     Islanders.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     This  curriculum will  be established  and provided  by                                                                    
     each  school  district  for  students  in  kindergarten                                                                    
     through grade 12. The  contributions of Asian Americans                                                                    
     and  Pacific  Islanders  are aplenty  and  need  to  be                                                                    
     taught in  schools. In addition  to teaching  about the                                                                    
     contributions  of  the  two communities,  schools  will                                                                    
     also  educate students  on  the  cultural and  economic                                                                    
     diversity  of the  communities.  May  is Asian  Pacific                                                                    
     American History Month and was  established as a way to                                                                    
     commemorate  the  immigration  of  the  first  Japanese                                                                    
     individuals  to  the US  in  1843.  There are  numerous                                                                    
     sister cities between Japan and  Alaska. Closest one to                                                                    
     Juneau is Nemuro, Japan. It  is an ocean facing fishing                                                                    
     port.  As  early as  1788  there  were Filipino  seamen                                                                    
     contacting  Alaskan Natives.  As  Alaska developed  our                                                                    
     natural resource industries, there  was a steady stream                                                                    
     of  Filipino   immigrant  workers.  May  is   also  the                                                                    
     anniversary    of    the   Transcontinental    railroad                                                                    
     completion  where  most  of the  workers  were  Chinese                                                                    
     Immigrants.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Although  we   are  recognizing  Asian   Americans  and                                                                    
     Pacific Islanders  as a group, they  are very different                                                                    
     and  have  their  individual traditions,  culture,  and                                                                    
     ways of  life. It is  important to teach our  youth the                                                                    
     differences   within    these   cultures    and   their                                                                    
     significance to our country.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:08:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LUMA DIAZ, STAFF TO SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON, discussed a                                                                           
Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1: AS 14.30 is  amended by adding a new section                                                                  
     to  article  10 which  will  require  schools to  teach                                                                    
     students about  the history and contributions  of Asian                                                                    
     Americans  and  Pacific  Islanders.  Each  school  will                                                                    
     establish a  program that is  specific to  the history,                                                                    
     contributions, culture and  economic diversity of Asian                                                                    
     Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gray-Jackson emphasized that there had been massive                                                                     
support for the legislation and listed organizations that                                                                       
had expressed support:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Make  Us  Visible  Alaska,  Polynesian  Association  of                                                                    
     Alaska,  Mana, People  of Oceania  Association, Pacific                                                                    
     Community   of  Alaska,   Filipino  American   National                                                                    
     Historical  Society, Filipino  Community of  Anchorage,                                                                    
     AAPI  Student Club    University  of Alaska  Southeast,                                                                    
     Consular Outreach Mission    Alaska, Filipino Community                                                                    
     of  Juneau,  Native  Movement,  UTOPIA  Alaska,  Korean                                                                    
     American  Community  of Anchorage,  Ketchikan  Wellness                                                                    
     Coalition,  Sealaska  Heritage Institute,  Elder  Della                                                                    
     Cheney, Mat-Su Kabayan, Asian Alaskan Cultural Center.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:10:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHAYNE  NUESCA,  INTERIM  STATE DIRECTOR,  MAKE  US  VISIBLE                                                                    
ALASKA, spoke  in support of  the bill. She offered  a brief                                                                    
history of  her emigration to  the Unites States at  6 years                                                                    
old.  She discussed her  work collecting and documenting the                                                                    
oral  histories  of  Filipinos in  Alaska.  She  cited  that                                                                    
Asian-Americans  and  Pacific   Islanders  were  the  fasted                                                                    
growing group  in the  state. She  noted that  Anchorage was                                                                    
one of  the most diverse  cities in  the country    but that                                                                    
was not reflected in the  History curriculum in schools. She                                                                    
listed notable  contributions made by Filipino  Americans in                                                                    
Alaska. She  relayed stories of  being bullied in  her youth                                                                    
for   being  Filipino   and  hoped   that  passage   of  the                                                                    
legislation   would  lead   to  a   better  informed,   more                                                                    
inclusive, and empathetic society.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:14:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LUCY HANSEN,  CEO, POLYNESIAN  ASSOCIATION OF  ALASKA, spoke                                                                    
in support of  the bill. She stressed the  importance of the                                                                    
bill to herself and young  students so they would know their                                                                    
history.  She  emphasized  the  importance  of  history  and                                                                    
instilling  knowledge  in  youth.  She  said  that  she  had                                                                    
provided  Asian and  Pacific  Islander historical  knowledge                                                                    
and information  during Asian and Pacific  Islander Heritage                                                                    
Month for over  20 years. She believed  that the legislation                                                                    
would instill  history and  truth of  the Asian  and Pacific                                                                    
Islander experience in the youth of Alaska.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:17:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bishop was  not certain how the  curriculum would be                                                                    
developed  and how  it would  be taught.  He requested  that                                                                    
some history of navigation skills be included.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Hansen  thought other  testifiers  could  speak to  the                                                                    
curriculum.                                                                                                                     
Co-Chair  Olson  expressed  amazement  at  the  history  and                                                                    
amazing achievement of navigation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hansen agreed.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:18:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OPENED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:19:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REBECCA CARRILLO, SELF, JUNEAU,  testified in support of the                                                                    
bill.  She   asserted  that  Asian  Americans   and  Pacific                                                                    
Islanders  were  an  integral   part  of  America  and  were                                                                    
comprised  of  over  50 ethnic  groups,  speaking  over  100                                                                    
languages,  with connections  to Chinese,  Indian, Japanese,                                                                    
Filipino, Vietnamese, Samoan, Tongan,  and others. She added                                                                    
that  it  was crucial  to  add  to  the curriculum  to  K-12                                                                    
education  in  the  state.  She  asserted  that  adding  the                                                                    
material  to K-12  curriculum would  help for  understanding                                                                    
the  struggles,  sacrifices,   and  contributions  of  Asian                                                                    
Americans and Pacific Islanders  in the building of America.                                                                    
She  added  that  the  added  curriculum  would  enrich  the                                                                    
experiences of  Asian American  and Pacific  Islander youth,                                                                    
foster understanding, encourage  tolerance, bring friendship                                                                    
across   cultures,  and   bring   hope  and   peace  to   an                                                                    
increasingly divided nation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:22:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked  how the bill would impact  the work of                                                                    
the schools.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KELLY MANNING,  DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF  INNOVATION AND                                                                    
EDUCATION  EXCELLENCE,  DEPARTMENT  OF EDUCATION  AND  EARLY                                                                    
DEVELOPMENT (via  teleconference), was not able  to speak to                                                                    
the  district's possible  response to  passage of  the bill.                                                                    
She  shared that  updates to  Social Studies  standards were                                                                    
already being done.  She said that, should the  bill pass, a                                                                    
rubric  would  be  identified  to  evaluate  curriculum  and                                                                    
support districts in incorporating the curriculum.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  asked Ms.  Manning  to  address the  fiscal                                                                    
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Manning discussed FN 1  from the Department of Education                                                                    
and  Early Development.  She cited  that  the note  included                                                                    
costs  for gathering  educators  to  evaluate standards  and                                                                    
creating a  rubric for curriculum evaluation.  She said that                                                                    
the note  included a stipend  for 20 educators to  help with                                                                    
the process and  $35,000 for a facilitator to  help with the                                                                    
review.  She   said  that  the   legal  cost   for  updating                                                                    
regulation had also been included in the note.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:25:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  asked how to  implement the bill so  that it                                                                    
would not be viewed as an unfunded mandate.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Manning  thought it would  be dependent on  the existing                                                                    
Social  Studies   curriculum.  If  there  was   not  already                                                                    
curriculum, curriculum would need to be purchased.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:26:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  wondered whether the sponsor  had heard from                                                                    
any school districts about any anticipated cost.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Gray-Jackson   relayed  that  she  had   not  heard                                                                    
comments from any school districts.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:27:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KAYE ROLDAN,  SELF, JUNEAU,  spoke in  support of  the bill.                                                                    
She relayed  that she had  moved to Alaska  at the age  of 1                                                                    
year. She  discussed finding community and  belonging at the                                                                    
Filipino Community Hall in Juneau.  She mentioned a showcase                                                                    
of  Filipino History  in Alaska  at  the city  museum.   Ms.                                                                    
Roldan   stressed  the   importance  of   representation  in                                                                    
history. She quoted the late  Dr. Walter Soboleff,  Once you                                                                    
know  yourself    you dont   harm yourself.   She said  that                                                                    
education  about who  you are  and where  you come  from was                                                                    
critical for building confidence and keeping culture alive.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:30:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LEE MONTOYA, SELF, ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference), spoke in                                                                    
support of the  bill. He relayed that he was  a retired high                                                                    
school counselor from the Anchorage  School District. He had                                                                    
found that  Alaska and especially  Anchorage was one  of the                                                                    
most diverse places in the  United States. He recounted that                                                                    
he had worked  with families from all over  the world. There                                                                    
was  a  large Hmong  population  in  Anchorage. Mr.  Montoya                                                                    
stressed  that  there was  a  huge  need for  the  education                                                                    
proposed  in   the  bill.  He  encouraged   passage  of  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:33:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TAFILISAOA TOLEAFEOA, EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR, PACIFIC COMMUNITY                                                                    
OF  ALASKA,  ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference),  testified  in                                                                    
support of the bill. She  relayed that the Pacific Community                                                                    
of  Alaska was  an  organization that  worked in  Anchorage,                                                                    
Juneau, Barrow, and  Fairbanks. She was a mother  of two and                                                                    
mentioned the  importance of  representation. She  felt that                                                                    
the  bill would  elevate  the voices  of  Asian and  Pacific                                                                    
Islanders. She spoke  of the Hokule'a voyage  to Juneau. She                                                                    
noted that  both Pacific  Islanders and  Indigenous Alaskans                                                                    
were a part of that original history.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:36:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gray-Jackson  corrected that  there was a  letter of                                                                    
support  from  the  Anchorage  School  District  in  members                                                                    
packets.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Diaz  stressed that  the importance of  the bill  was to                                                                    
make the curriculum mandatory and not optional.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SB  131  was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SB 131 Sectional Analysis ver A.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SSTA 2/8/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 131
SB 131 Sponsor Statement ver A.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SSTA 2/8/2024 3:30:00 PM
SB 131
SB 131 Letters of Support.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SB 131
HB 89 LOS Allmeroth.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SHSS 4/11/2024 3:30:00 PM
HB 89
HB 89 Legal Memo to Dunbar.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Legal Memo.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Letter of Support - ACT.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Letter of Support- Fairbanks Chamber.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Letter of Support -Thread.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 News Story-ADN Article 2.09.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Public Testimony.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Support Amer Heart Assoc.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Support Letter ANDSVA.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Support Letter Rabbi Goodstein.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Support Letter-Recieved as of 2.16.2024.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 TFCC-Recommendations.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 CSHB89 Summary of Changes ver. R 4.23.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 SCSHB89(HSS) Sponsor Statement - 4.23.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 SCS CSHB 89(HSS) Sectional Analysis 4.23.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 Presentation 4.23.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
SB 131 Korean Consulate Testimony.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SB 131
HB 89 - Supporting Doc - CU1 Letter 4.22.24.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
SB 131 Support Izard.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SB 131
HB 89 Child Care Funding Sign On Letter April 2024.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
HB 89 thread HB89 Testimony- Senate Finance 4.23.24 Final.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
HB 89
SB 131 AK AAPI SB 131 Letter of Support.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SB 131
SB 131 Letter of Support for SB 131 Fillipino Community.pdf SFIN 4/23/2024 9:00:00 AM
SB 131