CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 133(HES) am An Act relating to a two-year transition for implementation of the public high school competency examination and to establishing a secondary student competency examination as a high school graduation requirement; and providing for an effective date. Co-Chair Williams advised that there had been a MOTION PENDING on Amendment #2. Vice-Chair Bunde reiterated his OBJECTION. Vice-Chair Bunde maintained that other states have held to high standards even for the children education without an Individual Education Program (IEP). He stated that the "alternative assessment", determined by each district has two faults. The local school districts may find it cheaper and easier to reduce the standard to the student rather than raising the student to a higher standard. He added that it is a problem because each school board would determine what an assessment is. There is no statewide standard established. Representative Lancaster commented that the intent of the amendment was to work with the Department and the Alaska State School Board Association. A roll call vote was taken on the motion. IN FAVOR: Hudson, Lancaster, Moses, Whitaker, Croft, Davies, Foster, Williams OPPOSED: Bunde, Harris Co-Chair Mulder was not present for the vote. The MOTION PASSED (8-2). Representative Croft MOVED to ADOPT Amendment #3. He explained that SB 105 had been pending referral at the time that the amendment was drafted. Representative Croft stated that the amendment was prepared in that context. He noted that he would WITHDRAW Amendment #3 as it was not needed with the passage of HB 105. Representative Davies stressed that it would not be harmful to have too much money on the table. He pointed out that HB 105 had further Committees to pass through before passage. Representative Hudson MOVED to report HCS CS SB 133 (FIN) out of Committee with the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HCS CS SB 133 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with a fiscal note #1 by Department of Education & Early Development dated 3/20/01.