SENATE BILL NO. 171                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act increasing the base student allocation used                                                                        
     for public school funding; and providing for an                                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:04:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  looked at  the two  new fiscal  notes from                                                                    
the Department of Education and Early Development.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Thomas stated  that  SB 171  would  raise the  base                                                                    
student  allocation  to  $125,   $130,  and  $135  over  the                                                                    
following  three fiscal  years.  He stressed  that the  bill                                                                    
would give school  districts financial planning flexibility.                                                                    
He stressed  that the Alaska Senate  had implemented forward                                                                    
funding  of   education.  He   thanked  the   committee  for                                                                    
addressing the issue.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  queried the  administration's position  on SB                                                                    
171.  Senator  Thomas  replied that  the  governor  did  not                                                                    
support SB 171.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator  McGuire supported  SB 171,  and commented  that she                                                                    
had spoken  to the Harbor  View Middle School  principal, an                                                                    
explained that the work of  the Senate had made a difference                                                                    
in faculty retention. She reiterated  that the Senate's work                                                                    
over  the past  few years  was very  positive in  the school                                                                    
districts.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  MOVED to  report SB  171 out  of committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
notes. There being NO OBJECTION it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SB  171 was  REPORTED  out  of committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation  and with  two new  fiscal impact  notes from                                                                    
the Department of Education and Early Development.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman discussed the following day's agenda.