SB 41-SCHOOL SPORTS/INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES  8:01:51 AM CHAIR STEVENS announced that the first order of business would be SB 41. He said it was the second hearing of the bill and he intended to move the bill from committee. [SSSB 41 was before the committee.] SENATOR DUNLEAVY moved to adopt [SSSB] 41, labeled 28-LS0392\U as the working document. CHAIR STEVENS objected for discussion purposes. CHUCK KOPP, Staff, Senator Fred Dyson, related that SB 41 amends current statutes to make participation in interscholastic activities at a non-public school available to a larger number of students who are otherwise not eligible to participate. This is a continuation of legislative work that began in 2012 in SB 119 by Senator Meyer. SB 119 allowed for home school students to participate in interscholastic activity at public schools, and SB 41 adds private schools to that option. 8:03:22 AM SENATOR GARDNER joined the meeting. JOSHUA BANKS, Staff, Senator Fred Dyson, offered to answer questions related to SB 41. CHAIR STEVENS noted that public testimony was closed. SENATOR HUGGINS thanked the sponsor for drawing attention to the situation. He shared an incident from Chugiak High School. SENATOR GARDNER asked why a private school would want to accept outside students into their programs and incur the costs of those students. MR. KOPP clarified that the bill is more about parents of home schooled children wanting their children to be able to participate in activities in a non-public school. The bill makes that partnership possible. 8:06:04 AM SENATOR GARDNER asked why the state should tell a non-government school that they have the option to accept students who are not enrolled in their program. She inquired how the costs of the programs are handled. SENATOR DYSON joined the meeting. MR. KOPP explained that the bill is permissive; it does not mandate that private schools must accept home schooled students in their programs. It simply makes sure that the law is not standing in the way, should the private school wish to accept those students into their activities. SENATOR HUGGINS referred to the commentary sent to the committee by Grace Christian School voicing similar concerns. It was pointed out to the principal that the bill allows students to participate, but does not mandate that private schools must accept them into their programs. 8:07:27 AM CHAIR STEVENS spoke of the cost of transporting teams for competition. He pointed out that a private school would make the decision whether or not to accept students into their programs. MR. KOPP agreed. He said the language in SB 41 is similar to that in SB 119 and is permissive. He gave an example of how a school might decide how many students to accept. 8:09:15 AM SENATOR DUNLEAVY commented on the difficulty of dividing students into two classes, public school and private school. CHAIR STEVENS removed his objection. 8:10:44 AM SENATOR DUNLEAVY SENATOR moved to report SSSB 41, version U, from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, the motion carried.