Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

03/23/2026 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= SCR 11 LEG. COMMISSION ON STATE SEAL TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCR 11 Out of Committee
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled
+= SB 238 LIBRARY MATERIALS POLICIES; CENSORSHIP TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 238(EDC) Out of Committee
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
              SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         MARCH 23, 2026                                                                                       
                           3:31 P.M.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair                                                                                                       
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair                                                                                                
Senator Jesse Bjorkman                                                                                                          
Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                             
Senator Robert Yundt                                                                                                            
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 11                                                                                             
Establishing a legislative commission to review and make                                                                        
recommendations to the legislature relating to the official                                                                     
state seal.                                                                                                                     
     - MOVED SCR 11 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 238                                                                                                             
"An Act relating  to access to library material;  and relating to                                                               
affirmative defenses  to the offenses  of enticement of  a minor,                                                               
contributing to the  delinquency of a minor,  and distribution of                                                               
indecent material to minors."                                                                                                   
     - MOVED CSSB 238(EDC) OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                     
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
BILL: SCR 11                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: LEG. COMMISSION ON STATE SEAL                                                                                      
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEVENS                                                                                                  
01/30/26       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        

01/30/26 (S) EDC, STA 02/25/26 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 02/25/26 (S) Heard & Held 02/25/26 (S) MINUTE(EDC) 03/23/26 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) BILL: SB 238 SHORT TITLE: LIBRARY MATERIALS POLICIES; CENSORSHIP SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) KAWASAKI 02/09/26 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/09/26 (S) EDC, JUD 03/02/26 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 03/02/26 (S) Heard & Held 03/02/26 (S) MINUTE(EDC) 03/23/26 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) WITNESS REGISTER TIM LAMKIN, Staff Senator Gary Stevens Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a brief recap of SCR 11 and explained the updated fiscal note. JENNA COLQUHOUN, Staff Senator Scott Kawasaki Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a summary of changes for SB 238, version I to version G. ACTION NARRATIVE 3:31:10 PM CHAIR TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Yundt, Stevens, Kiehl, and Chair Tobin. Senator Bjorkman arrived soon after. SCR 11-LEG. COMMISSION ON STATE SEAL 3:32:28 PM CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 11 Establishing a legislative commission to review and make recommendations to the legislature relating to the official state seal. 3:32:54 PM TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a brief recap of SCR 11 and explained the updated fiscal note. He said SCR 11 would call upon a group of stakeholders and legislatures to create a commission to evaluate and make possible recommendations to redesign the Alaska State seal. He displayed sided by sided images of the 1884 seal and the current seal. He said a new fiscal note reflects the spirit of the resolution that suggests that the costs associated with the taskforce is relatively minimal. He said existing budgets of those appointed to the commission could absorb travel and per diem expenses. 3:34:05 PM CHAIR TOBIN acknowledged Senator Bjorkman joined the meeting. 3:34:19 PM CHAIR TOBIN solicited the will of the committee. 3:34:22 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to report SCR 11, work order 34-LS1292\N, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 3:34:43 PM CHAIR TOBIN found no objection and SCR 11 was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee. SB 238-LIBRARY MATERIALS POLICIES; CENSORSHIP 3:35:05 PM CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 238 "An Act relating to access to library material; and relating to affirmative defenses to the offenses of enticement of a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and distribution of indecent material to minors." CHAIR TOBIN said the committee would consider a CS for SB 238. 3:35:36 PM JENNA COLQUHOUN, Staff, Senator Scott Kawasaki, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, offered a summary of changes for SB 238, version I to version G: [Original punctuation provided.] Senate Bill 238 Library Materials Policies; Censorship Summary of Changes Version I to Version G Changes the responsibility of establishing and updating the model library curation policy from the Commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development to the Director of the division of the department that has responsibility for state libraries, archives, and museums. Page 2, line 8 Page 3, line 21 Page 4, line 23 Page 6, line 11 Alters the requirements necessary for a patron of a public library to submit a reconsideration request for a library material from someone who has used the services of the public library in the past five years to a person who holds a current library card issued by the public library for at least six months. Page 3, lines 2-3 A new paragraph was added to define "director" as the Director of the division of the department that has responsibility for state libraries, archives, and museums. Page 8, following line 10 3:36:48 PM CHAIR TOBIN solicited a motion. 3:36:50 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SB 238, work order 34-LS1136\G, as the working document. 3:37:03 PM CHAIR TOBIN found no objection and CSSB 238 was adopted as the working document. 3:37:17 PM MS. COLQUHOUN commented that SB 238 is a great piece of legislation that librarians support. 3:37:39 PM CHAIR TOBIN solicited the will of the committee. 3:37:40 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to report CSSB 238, work order 34- LS1136\G, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s), authorizing Legislative Legal Services to make technical and conforming changes. 3:38:00 PM CHAIR TOBIN found no objection and CSSB 238(EDC) was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee. 3:38:32 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee meeting at 3:38 p.m.

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SCR 11 Fiscal Note LEG-SESS 03.20.2026.pdf SEDC 3/23/2026 3:30:00 PM
SCR 11
SB 238 Version G - SEDC CS 03.17.2026.pdf SEDC 3/23/2026 3:30:00 PM
SB 238
SB 238 Summary of Changes Version I to Version G 03.23.2026.PDF SEDC 3/23/2026 3:30:00 PM
SB 238
SB 238 Testimony - Volume 1 03.06.2026.pdf SEDC 3/23/2026 3:30:00 PM
SB 238
SB 238 Testimony - Volume 2 03.24.2026.pdf SEDC 3/23/2026 3:30:00 PM
SB 238