CSHB 216(HES) EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM                         
                                                                              
 CHAIRMAN GREEN brought CSHB 216(HES) before the committee as the              
 next order of business.                                                       
                                                                               
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 ROGER POPPE, staff to Representative Pete Kott, explained the                 
 legislation would encourage and enable the Department of Education            
 to be a center for encouragement of education technology on a                 
 statewide basis.  He noted the bill has had bipartisan support, as            
 well as support from the Department of Education, NEA-Alaska and              
 the Alaska Association of School Boards.  He added that there are             
 no state dollars available for the center this year, but the                  
 sponsor wanted to set the fund up anyway in order to provide a                
 source mechanism for the pass-through to make the state and the               
 school districts eligible for federal and private foundation                  
 dollars, which will be coming available.  There is over $2 billion            
 in federal grants that the state would be eligible to apply for               
 through the school districts.                                                 
                                                                               
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 There being no further testimony on HB 216, CHAIRMAN GREEN asked              
 for the pleasure of the committee.                                            
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN moved CSHB 216(HES) and the accompanying zero fiscal            
 notes be passed out of committee with individual recommendations.             
 Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.