HB 388-ALASKA BROADBAND TASK FORCE                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:05:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX announced  that the only order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 388,  "An Act establishing the Alaska Broadband                                                               
Task Force; and providing for an effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:07:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRUCE  JOHNSON,   Director,  Quality   Schools/Quality  Students,                                                               
Alaska  Association   of  School  Boards  (AASB),   reminded  the                                                               
committee  that  at its  last  hearing  on  HB 388,  he  provided                                                               
members  with a  document regarding  Twenty-First Century  skills                                                               
and  the critical  nature of  them  for youth.   Clearly,  having                                                               
quality access  to the Internet  is crucial as young  people move                                                               
through the educational system.  The  AASB and many of its member                                                               
districts agree that  the future is going to be  digital and that                                                               
today's youth  will know a  world that no  one can predict.   Mr.                                                               
Johnson  said  that  AASB  wants  to  be  assured  that  Alaska's                                                               
children have  the opportunities  afforded other  children across                                                               
the world.   Therefore, Mr.  Johnson encouraged the  committee to                                                               
spearhead  efforts to  assure that  all young  people have  equal                                                               
access.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:08:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX, upon determining no  one else wished to testify,                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:09:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  FAIRCLOUGH  moved  to   adopt  CSHB  388,  Version  25-                                                               
LS1490\E,  Bullock,  3/17/08,  as  the  working  document.    [No                                                               
objection was  stated and  Version E was  treated as  adopted and                                                               
before the committee.]                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:09:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAVID   GUTTENBERG,  Alaska   State  Legislature,                                                               
related  that the  only change  encompassed in  Version E  is the                                                               
time  the  task  force  can  begin  from  when  all  members  are                                                               
appointed to when a majority of the members are appointed.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:10:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM related  her understanding from multiple                                                               
committee members that the next  committee of referral for HB 388                                                               
is the House Finance Committee.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:10:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NEUMAN  moved to  report  CSHB  388, Version  25-                                                               
LS1490\E,  Bullock, 3/17/08,  out  of  committee with  individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal notes.   There being                                                               
no  objection,   CSHB  388(CRA)  was  reported   from  the  House                                                               
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.