Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106

05/03/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION

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Audio Topic
08:01:58 AM Start
08:03:15 AM Consideration of Governor's Appointees: University of Alaska Board of Regents
08:16:35 AM HB144
08:21:31 AM HB139
08:23:26 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: TELECONFERENCED
University of Alaska Board of Regents - Albiona
Selimi
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
+= HB 144 REPEAL EDUCATION TAX CREDITS SUNSET TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 144 Out of Committee
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 139 CORRESPONDENCE STUDY PROGRAM FUNDING TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 139(EDC) Out of Committee
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                          May 3, 2023                                                                                           
                           8:01 a.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Co-Chair                                                                                       
Representative Mike Prax                                                                                                        
Representative CJ McCormick                                                                                                     
Representative Tom McKay                                                                                                        
Representative Rebecca Himschoot                                                                                                
Representative Andi Story                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jamie Allard, Co-Chair                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Albiona Selimi  Anchorage                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 144                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to education tax credits; and providing for an                                                                 
effective date by repealing the effective date of secs. 1, 2,                                                                   
and 21, ch. 61, SLA 2014."                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 144 OUT OF COMMITTE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 139                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to funding for correspondence study programs."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED CSHB 139(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB 144                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: REPEAL EDUCATION TAX CREDITS SUNSET                                                                                
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RUFFRIDGE                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
03/29/23       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
03/29/23       (H)       EDC                                                                                                    
04/19/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/19/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/19/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
04/21/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/21/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/21/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
05/03/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB 139                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: CORRESPONDENCE STUDY PROGRAM FUNDING                                                                               
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RUFFRIDGE                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
03/27/23       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
03/27/23       (H)       EDC, FIN                                                                                               
04/05/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/05/23       (H)       Scheduled but Not Heard                                                                                
04/07/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/07/23       (H)       Scheduled but Not Heard                                                                                
04/12/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/12/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/12/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
04/17/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/17/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/17/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
04/19/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/19/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/19/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
04/21/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
04/21/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/21/23       (H)       MINUTE(EDC)                                                                                            
05/03/23       (H)       EDC AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ALBIONA SELIMI, Appointee                                                                                                       
University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                                           
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified as an appointee to the University                                                              
of Alaska Board of Regents.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:01:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  JUSTIN RUFFRIDGE  called the  House Education  Standing                                                             
Committee  meeting to  order at  8:01 a.m.  Representatives Prax,                                                               
McKay, Himschoot, Story,  and Ruffridge were present  at the call                                                               
to order.   Representative McCormick  arrived as the  meeting was                                                               
in progress.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
^Consideration  of Governor's  Appointees:  University of  Alaska                                                               
Board of Regents                                                                                                                
  Consideration of Governor's Appointees: University of Alaska                                                              
                        Board of Regents                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
8:03:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that the  first order  of business                                                               
would be a confirmation hearing  for Albiona Selimi, appointee to                                                               
the Alaska Board of Regents.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:03:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALBIONA  SELIMI,   Appointee,  University  of  Alaska   Board  of                                                               
Regents, testified  as an appointee  to the University  of Alaska                                                               
Board of  Regents.  She  provided a brief background  and related                                                               
that she is entering her junior  year at the University of Alaska                                                               
Anchorage  (UAA).   Having  served in  student  government for  2                                                               
years at UAA,  she said, she knows how important  students are to                                                               
the success of the university as  well as the economic future for                                                               
the state of  Alaska.  She added that she  is honored and humbled                                                               
to be  considered to serve  as student regent for  the University                                                               
of Alaska,  and she appreciated  the opportunity to speak  to her                                                               
passion about student leadership.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:04:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE invited questions from committee members.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:04:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY  thanked Ms.  Selimi  for  her passion  for                                                               
education and observed  that her resume had shown  she was highly                                                               
involved  in  university life.    She  asked how  she  envisioned                                                               
serving in  the position to  ensure connections with  the student                                                               
body, and how best to bring their voice to the board.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SELIMI explained  that while  serving in  student government                                                               
she  learned  to  lead events  that  brought  together  students,                                                               
staff,  faculty, and  administration,  bridging  the gap  between                                                               
students  and  administration.    Faculty,  she  said,  was  very                                                               
important  and  maintaining  an   open  ear  and  willingness  to                                                               
collaborate  is  important  when trying  to  communicate  efforts                                                               
between board of regents and other universities.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:05:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked Ms. Selimi  about her ideas on how                                                               
to engage the student body with the board of regents.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. SELIMI responded she would  love more open communication with                                                               
the  respective student  governments  of the  universities.   She                                                               
said she  believed that  serving in  UAA student  government, the                                                               
ability to engage  ideas and concerns of the  students comes from                                                               
having respective communication.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:06:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX thanked  Ms. Selimi for applying  and for her                                                               
interest  in the  position.    He referred  to  her relating  the                                                               
importance  of   students  to  the   university,  and   from  the                                                               
perspective of the institution, he  asked what the student regent                                                               
would bring.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SELIMI responded that the  student experience is important to                                                               
relay, and  a student  who would  serve on  the board  of regents                                                               
could provide  a more  realistic perspective  about communicating                                                               
the needs of the students and the university.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:07:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  asked Ms. Selimi  for her thoughts  on what                                                               
made a  difference for her  and her earlier  education experience                                                               
that made her choose the university.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SELIMI   explained  that  her  high   school  teachers  were                                                               
paramount  to her  success,  and expressed  her  belief that  all                                                               
educators in Alaska  are passionate.  She added  that her history                                                               
teacher  in  particular  encouraged   her  to  explore  political                                                               
science, and without  that encouragement, she said  she would not                                                               
have pursued it as much.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:08:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCORMICK thanked  Ms.  Selimi  for donating  her                                                               
time and wondered  whether she could speak to issues  she took on                                                               
as  student council  for UAA,  and how  that experience  might be                                                               
used to take up similar issues with the board of regents.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. SELIMI replied  that she served as  the university's activity                                                               
chair, and she  said she was more focused  on planning activities                                                               
for the  students.  She  added that some  of the issues,  such as                                                               
textbook costs, have been very big the last couple of years.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:10:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE  opened public testimony on  the University of                                                               
Alaska   Board   of   Regents  confirmation   hearing.      After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one who  wished to  testify, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:10:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE  moved to advance the  confirmation of Albiona                                                               
Selimi, appointee to  the University of Alaska  Board of Regents,                                                               
to a  joint session  of the House  and Senate  for consideration.                                                               
He   reminded  members   that  signing   the  reports   regarding                                                               
appointments  to  boards  and  commissions  in  no  way  reflects                                                               
individual members'  approval or  disapproval of  the appointees,                                                               
and the nominations are merely  forwarded to the full legislature                                                               
for confirmation  or rejection.   There  being no  objection, the                                                               
confirmation was advanced.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:11:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY noted  that Ms. Selimi was  the recipient of                                                               
the  Alaska  Performance  Scholarship  (APS), which  was  in  the                                                               
process  of being  modernized and  asked whether  Ms. Selimi  had                                                               
followed  the corresponding  bill.   In addition,  she asked  Ms.                                                               
Selimi when  she was first aware  of the scholarship and  how she                                                               
came to the decision to  take the curriculum requirements to earn                                                               
that degree.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SELIMI  replied  she  had not  followed  the  bill  closely;                                                               
however,  she  shared her  understanding  that  a resolution  was                                                               
passed  in support  of  the bill.   In  response  to a  follow-up                                                               
question, she explained  that her high school made  it a priority                                                               
to inform  students about the APS  from their very first  year so                                                               
they could tackle the requirements early, she said.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  thanked her  for working  hard to  earn the                                                               
APS.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:13:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:13 a.m. to 8:16 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
           HB 144-REPEAL EDUCATION TAX CREDITS SUNSET                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:16:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that  the next  order of  business                                                               
would be  HOUSE BILL NO. 144,  "An Act relating to  education tax                                                               
credits; and  providing for  an effective  date by  repealing the                                                               
effective date of secs. 1, 2, and 21, ch. 61, SLA 2014."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE  confirmed no  amendments were received  on HB
144  and  invited  additional  questions  or  comments  from  the                                                               
committee.  Seeing none, he asked for the will of the committee.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:17:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 8:17 a.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:18:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK moved to report  HB 144 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  HB 144 was reported out of the                                                               
House Education Standing Committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:18:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:18 a.m. to 8:21 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          HB 139-CORRESPONDENCE STUDY PROGRAM FUNDING                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:21:31 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that the  final order  of business                                                               
would  be HOUSE  BILL NO.  139, An  Act relating  to funding  for                                                               
correspondence study programs."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RUFFRIDGE noted that at  the prior hearing on 4/21/23, a                                                               
motion was made  to adopt Amendment 8 to HB  139, as amended, and                                                               
then  [by a  vote  of 4:2],  Amendment  8 had  been  tabled.   He                                                               
inquired whether  Representative McKay wished to  bring Amendment                                                               
8 off  the table.  [The  committee had adopted Amendment  3 to HB
139.]                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:22:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY withdrew his motion to adopt Amendment 8 to                                                                
HB 139, as amended.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:22:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK  moved to  report HB 139,  [as amended],                                                               
out  of   committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  the                                                               
accompanying  fiscal  notes.   There  being  no  objection,  CSHB
139(EDC)  was  reported  out  of  the  House  Education  Standing                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:23:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:23 a.m.                                                                 

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
5.3.23 Albiona Selimi Regents Resume_Redacted.pdf HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144- Fiscal note DOR as of 4.3.23.pdf HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144
HB 144 Sectional Analysis.pdf HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144
HB 144 Presentation.pdf HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144
HB 144 Sponsor Statement.pdf HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144
HB0144A.PDF HEDC 5/3/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 144