SB 11-COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE/AK HISTORY  CHAIRMAN GENE THERRIAULT called the Conference Committee on Senate Bill 11 to order at 5:00 p.m. Present were Senators Olson and Wilken, Representatives Coghill, Kapsner and Stevens and Chairman Therriault. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT said he had prepared a committee substitute (CS). He said the CS removes the mandatory Alaska history amendment and retains Representative Coghill's amendment allowing parents who determine their child is not emotionally ready for school at the age of six to withdraw their child within the first 60 days. He said parents could do so under existing statutes but they would be stretching those statutes. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT noted that members still have differences of opinion on the Alaska history issue. He said members have discussed the possibility that the Anchorage School District could donate its Alaska history curriculum to the Department of Education and Early Development (DOEED) to create a model curriculum for other districts to incorporate at a relatively low cost. He said the Alaska history problem is being dealt with and does not require a statutory change. The attendance issue is a very specific issue that cannot be fixed without a statutory change. He distributed an editorial from the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that supports separating the two issues. SENATOR OLSON asked for Chairman Therriault's view on Representative Coghill's amendment. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT said he talked with Representative Coghill about adding that provision when the bill was in the House State Affairs Committee. He said the content of the amendment fit within the original title of SB 11 and it seemed like common sense to allow it. REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL informed members that parents could withdraw their children from school without the amendment, but they would be misusing the statutory list of allowable reasons to do so. He said the issue of withdrawing students at the age of six differs from the Alaska history issue and he wanted to include it in SB 11 because it seemed to fit. REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS thought both bills were excellent. He said members had the choice of either killing both bills or allowing one bill to pass through. He was willing to remove the Alaska history requirement to make sure SB 11 would move forward. SENATOR WILKEN moved CCS SB 11 from committee with attached zero fiscal note and individual recommendations. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT noted that Senator Wilken was referring to Version J. The motion carried with Senator Wilken, Representatives Coghill and Stevens and Chairman Therriault in favor and Senator Olson and Representative Kapsner opposed. Therefore, CCS SB 11 moved out of committee with attached zero fiscal note and individual recommendations. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the committee, the Conference Committee on Senate Bill 11 meeting was adjourned at 5:12 p.m.