SB  23-CIVICS EDUCATION                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:33:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN  announced the  consideration of  SENATE BILL  NO. 23                                                               
"An  Act relating  to civics  education, civics  assessments, and                                                               
secondary school  graduation requirements;  and providing  for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:33:54 PM                                                                                                                    
TIM   LAMKIN,  Staff,   Senator   Gary   Stevens,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, provided a  brief summary of  SB 23                                                               
stating the bill  aims to increase awareness  of civics education                                                               
and would offer  students three options to  meet the requirement:                                                               
passing  the  U.S.  immigration citizenship  test,  completing  a                                                               
semester-long  civics course  developed  with  the Department  of                                                               
Education and  Early Development,  or completing  a project-based                                                               
assessment.  He explained  that students  must achieve  a passing                                                               
grade through one of these pathways in order to graduate.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:34:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN opened  public testimony on SB 23;  finding none, she                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:35:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 23 in committee.