CSSCR 22(STA) - KIDS VOTING ALASKA PROGRAMS CHAIR JAMES announced the next order of business is CSSCR 22(STA), Relating to promotion of Kids Voting Alaska programs, sponsored by Senator Miller. Number 0236 MARY GORE, Legislative Assistant to Senator Mike Miller, Alaska State Legislature, indicated there isn't a sponsor statement because it is self-explanatory. Basically the resolution supports Kids Voting Alaska program which began in Fairbanks in 1992. She stated Kids Voting is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization funded by businesses, (primarily Alyeska, National Bank of Alaska and Carrs Quality Center) and is operated by hundreds of volunteers across the state. MS. GORE said the goal is to teach Alaska youth about the fundamental democratic principals of voting and promote good lifelong voting habits. The curriculum will be taught in at least 35 school districts during the school year and during the next general election. About 90 percent of kids eligible around the state (120,000) will have the opportunity to vote in the general election. MS. GORE indicated she heard about the program through Senator Duncan's staff who actually worked the polls in Juneau, and her kids started talking at the dinner table about the different issues that were going to be on the ballot and about the different people that were up for election. They started encouraging their parents. The children said, "We need to vote mom, we have to go to the poll on the day that they're going to have the election." Ms. Gore said she couldn't say if there was a larger turn out at the polls in Juneau, but she does know that one family felt it was unqualified success just based on the discussion that it led to at their own dinner table. Number 0251 REPRESENTATIVE HODGINS noted this is a good idea. He asked if it's self-explanatory and there's no reason for a sponsor statement why is there a committee substitute. MS. GORE replied in a committee on the Senate side they added two more people that they wanted the resolution sent to. REPRESENTATIVE RYAN said he tracked the kids' voting candidates, their votes versus the general election, and there was a wide disparity between how the kids voted from what they heard in school and how the general population voted. He indicated it favored people not particularly in his party. CHAIR JAMES stated, in that respect, there is that concern and especially in the conservative ranks. She said she shares the concern for the education that we're giving our children not being balanced in many cases. A balanced education is very important and we shouldn't be on one side or the other of the issue. Chair James mentioned the teachers in the North Pole school have done a very good job of making it balanced. MS. GORE noted that the program itself, the curriculum, is designed to be nonpartisan. REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ observed the students are voting the right way because they're studying the issues. Number 0271 REPRESENTATIVE IVAN IVAN made a motion to move CSSCR 22(STA) out of committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSCR 22(STA) moved out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.