SJR 25-CONST. AM: EDUCATION FUND                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SANDY  ALTLAND, staff  to  Senator  Ward,  sponsor of  SJR  25,                                                            
explained  that   SJR  25  proposes  an  amendment   to  the  Alaska                                                            
Constitution relating to  education.  It is the companion resolution                                                            
to  SB  188.     The  constitutional   amendment  would   allow  the                                                            
legislature to  create and education fund as a separate  fund in the                                                            
state  treasury.   It addresses  the source  of funds  and what  the                                                            
income from the fund may be used for.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRWOMAN  GREEN   announced  that  there  were  no   questions  or                                                            
testimony on  SJR 25 and that she  would hold it in committee  until                                                            
Friday.  She announced  that on Friday, the committee  would hear SB                                                            
178,  SB 11,  HB  99, HB  203,  SB 41,  and  a continuation  of  the                                                            
presentation on Medicaid.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN  noted that in response  to a comment made  earlier by                                                            
Senator Ward,  the state spends quite  a bit more than $830  million                                                            
per year  on education because  that amount  does not include  pupil                                                            
transportation services and others.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WARD  said he does not disagree  and that it makes  no sense                                                            
to him to not develop the state's resources.