SB 72-SEC. SCHOOL CIVICS EDUCATION  3:32:14 PM CHAIR HUGHES announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 72 "An Act relating to civics education, civics examinations, and secondary school graduation requirements; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR HUGHES solicited a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute. 3:32:37 PM SENATOR MYERS moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SB 72, work order 32-LS0478\N, as the working document. 3:32:48 PM CHAIR HUGHES objected for discussion purposes. She advised that the changes in the proposed committee substitute reflect input from the sponsor's office, committee members, and public testimony from the last hearing. 3:33:18 PM DAWSON MANN, Staff, Senator Shelley Hughes, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, read the explanation of changes from version I to version N for SB 72. He clarified that version I was reported from the Education Committee, and the committee discussed version N during the previous hearing but it was not adopted. Sec. 1 AS 14.03 Page 1, Lines 4-14, Page 2, Lines 1- 13 This section is amended to indicate that the statewide civics education curriculum and assessment is based on the civics portion of U.S citizenship test, primary source documents, and systems of governance used by Alaska Natives. This section is also amended to require a that a student must receive a passing score of 60% on the civics assessment to graduate and that receiving a passing score will be indicated on the student's transcript. This change also allows for students to take the assessment as many times as needed to receive a passing score. Changes to this section also add a requirement that districts must report student performance on the civics assessment and curriculum to the department along with an average of district test scores on the assessment. Sec. 2 AS 14.07.168 Page 2, Lines 14-29  This section is amended to remove the obligation of the board to present in person before legislative committees. CHAIR HUGHES asked the sponsor's staff to comment on the proposed committee substitute. 3:35:11 PM TIM LAMKIN, Staff, Senator Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, stated a preference for version N characterizing it as a marriage of the original bill and the version that was reported from the Senate Education Committee. He reported that the sponsor found the changes agreeable. CHAIR HUGHES asked for confirmation that one of the changes was that school districts must provide information about student performance to the department. She asked if the department would include that information in a report to the legislature. 3:35:59 PM MR. LAMKIN answered that is correct. CHAIR HUGHES stated support for the sponsor's idea to allow students to retake the test as many times as needed because the goal is to have the student graduate with this knowledge. She encouraged the committee and the listening public to go online and take the test. She characterized it as a basic foundation for citizenship that will help equip students. She said one of the great aspects of the citizenship exam is that it draws from the source documents such as the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, among others. She noted that Senator Myers wanted to make sure the students' test referenced those documents. Acknowledging that she was excited about the bill, she noted that Commissioner Johnson gave very moving testimony about how important civics education was at this juncture in the country's history. She highlighted that the bill is written to allow districts to craft their curriculum although all students would be required to take the test. The Alaska Native component is also included. 3:38:21 PM SENATOR WILSON asked if the bill had a finance referral. MR. LAMKIN answered that it will go to the finance committee because of the fiscal note associated with the development of curriculum and an assessment. CHAIR HUGHES offered her understanding that the finance referral was added after the Education Committee added that provision. 3:39:07 PM CHAIR HUGHES removed her objection. Finding no further objection, the CS for SB 72, version N, was adopted. Finding no questions or comments, she solicited the will of the committee. 3:39:15 PM SENATOR MYERS moved to report the CS for SB 72, work order 32- LS0478\N, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 3:39:31 PM CHAIR HUGHES announced that without objection, CSSB 72(CRA) moved from the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee.