HB 59-STATE-TRIBAL EDUCATION COMPACTS  9:03:58 AM CO-CHAIR STORY announced that the final order of business would be CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 59(TRB), "An Act relating to demonstration state-tribal education compacts; relating to demonstration state-tribal education compact schools; and providing for an effective date." 9:05:27 AM DR. DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Education & Early Development, on behalf of House Rules by request of the governor, prime sponsor, presented HB 59 (TRB) to the committee. 9:08:37 AM DR. JOEL ISAAK, Director of Tribal Affairs, Department of Education & Early Development, on behalf of House Rules by request of the governor, prime sponsor, presented HB 59 (TRB) to the committee. He gave a PowerPoint presentation for HB 59 (TRB) [included in the committee packet] on slide 4, which highlighted the agenda of HB 59 (TRB) and moved to slide 5, which explained the difference between compacting and other types of tribal education. He continued to slide 6, which explained what compacting was with regard to tribal education and moved to slide 7, which described the policy differences between two different pieces of Alaska legislation concerning tribal compacting. He continued through slides 9-11, which explained the policies of SB 34, a previously passed tribal compacting bill, and moved through slides 12-13, which detailed the timeline of the negotiation schedule for tribes and the state. He continued to slide 14, which gave broad introduction and overview of the proposed policies of HB 59 (TRB). He skipped to slide 16, which detailed the overlapping policies of tribal compacting and HB 59 (TRB) and moved through slides 17-18, which described sections 1 and 2 of a report on the outcomes of SB 34. He continued through slides 19-21, which detailed the findings of section 2 of a report on the outcomes of tribal compacting and moved through slides 22-24, which described the findings of sections 4 and 5 of a report on the outcomes of tribal compacting in Alaska. He continued to slide 25, which detailed the pilot tribal compacting program proposed by HB 59 and skipped through slides 26-31. 9:29:51 AM REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked Dr. Isaak to describe the difference between the tribal compacts in schools and Alaska Native Corporations. DR. ISAAK said that one might "need a masters degree to understand Alaksa tribal landscape" and explained that the federally recognized tribes recognized tribes function as tribal governments, while tribal corporations do not. He said that tribal corporations can provide some services that tribal governments might, though it is often at a federal level through bill appropriations language. He said that village corporations can set up foundations to provide services to their shareholders, who are different than tribal citizens or members. He explained how a 1986 congressional amendment precluded that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) from giving money to Alaska for school funding and construction. 9:35:35 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELAM asked Dr. Isaak to elaborate further on the governing power of Alaska Native Tribes. DR. ISAAK described how Alaska Native Tribal governments might be able to issue government proclamations, like the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slop (ICAS) declaring a state of emergency for education within the boundaries of its tribal area. He explained that tribal schools are note currently recognized as public schools under state law, which was why the proposed legislation was before the committee. 9:39:33 AM DR. MICHAEL ROBBINS, Superintendent, Ketchikan School District, gave invited testimony in support of HB 59 (TRB). He said that the proposed legislation would provide an "important opportunity to advance culturally responsive education across Alaska". He proposed that HB 59 (TRB) include a "hold harmless" provision for funding to support school districts that may not be able to meet certain criteria for a school currently outlined in Alaska Statute. 9:44:18 AM CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked Dr. Robbins if his idea to amend HB 59 (TRB) to include a "hold harmless clause" were based on existing laws regarding "hold harmless". DR. ROBBINS answered that he was referring to existing "hold harmless" laws to be implemented into HB 59 (TRB). 9:45:31 AM JAMIE BURGISS, Superintendent, Nome School District, gave invited testimony in support of HB 59 (TRB). She explained how the Nome School District (NSD) was already in a "hold harmless" situation due to its enrollment decline in the past several years and explained how the proposed legislation would benefit the NSD. She said that the NSD currently faces the potential for specialty teachers to be laid off and detailed how specialized programs are important to students within the NSD. 9:51:08 AM The committee took a brief at-ease at 9:51 a.m. 9:51:29 AM MS. BURGISS continued her testimony by explaining how the NSD utilized place-based learning and indigenous reading classes as apart of a indigenous language immersion program that is now at risk of being cut if funding were to fall through. She detailed how a declining enrollment in the current statutory landscape could negatively affect the NSD emphasized the school district's full support of HB 59 (TRB). 9:55:48 AM CO-CHAIR STORY thanked the invited testifiers and delivered committee announcements. [HB 59 (TRB) was held over]. 9:56:32 AM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.