SB 146-UNIVERSITY: TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS COST  9:06:40 AM CHAIR HOLLAND announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 146 "An Act relating to costs of and charges for textbooks and other course materials required for University of Alaska courses; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR HOLLAND noted there was a committee substitute (CS) for the committee to consider. 9:06:54 AM SENATOR HUGHES moved to adopt the proposed CS for SB 146, work order 32-LS1062\I, as the working document. 9:07:07 AM CHAIR HOLLAND objected for purposes of discussion. 9:07:15 AM ED KING, Staff, Senator Roger Holland, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, read the explanation of changes between Version B and Version I. [Original punctuation provided.] The Senate Education Committee Substitute makes three changes: 1. Added the phrase "to the extent practicable" on page 1, line 13. 2. Included "low-cost" resources on page 2, line 5. 3. Pushed the effective date beyond the expected completion time of the current university system upgrade (now July 1, 2026). 9:07:41 AM CHAIR HOLLAND removed his objection. He found no further objection and CSSB 146 was adopted. 9:08:04 AM SARA PERMAN, Government Relations Manager, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that changes to the fiscal note for SB 146 were based on the concerns expressed during the previous meeting. The university reviewed the fiscal note and determined that $802,000 per year is absorbed in salaries since additional people are not being hired. Therefore the amount is a productivity cost not a fiscal cost and was zeroed out. Therefore, it has been zeroed out. A one-time capital upfront cost of $397,000 remains for consulting and Office of Information Technology staff. An upgrade for the university's system remains a cost in the fiscal note rather than assuming separate funding will pass. 9:09:28 AM SENATOR BEGICH acknowledged the work of the sponsor and university in producing SB 146. He affirmed his commitment to upgrading a university system older than one of his staff members. The system is a critical component of the university's budget request. He opined that the Education Committee's influence would be helpful given the difficulties the university has experienced over the past few years. 9:10:25 AM CHAIR HOLLAND found no further comments or questions and solicited a motion. 9:10:46 AM SENATOR HUGHES moved to report the CS for SB 146, work order 32- LS1062\I, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 9:11:05 AM CHAIR HOLLAND found no objection and CSSB 146 was reported from the Senate Education Standing Committee. 9:11:28 AM SENATOR MYERS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 146, thanked the committee and the chair's staff for putting together the CS. He also thanked the university for its work and acknowledged its need for an upgraded information system. Pending funding, the system is expected to be functional by 2025, which moves the effective date for SB 146 to 2026.