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Action necessary:
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Print and distribute this message to colleagues and friends.
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Tell your lawmakers to
support the K-12 funding package submitted by Governor Palin.
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Send an e-mail to Sen.
Ellis (Anch), Sen. Davis (Anch) and Sen. Hoffman (Bethel)
thanking them
for their vote to move SB183 out of the Senate L
& C Committee
Calendar:
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2/15/08:
Senate Education Finance Subcommittee - 8:00 am - Discussion of Moore vs
State of AK
► 2/15/08:
Senate Finance - 9:00 am SB240 - K-12 Education Funding
► 2/18/08:
Senate Rules - SB119 - School Library Grants
► 2/18/08:
House DEED Finance Subcommittee - 5:15 pm - Budget Closeout
► 2/19/08:
11:00 am - House Chambers - Address by U.S. Senator Ted Stevens
The Longest Journey Begins With the First Step
Leave it
to a Chinese adage of over 2,500 years ago to begin the process
to a return to a Defined Benefit Pension System for public
employees in Alaska.
Earlier today, In the Senate Labor and Commerce
committee, SB 183 moved out of the committee on a 3-1 vote.
The bill now has four Co-Sponsors (Senators Elton, McGuire,
Ellis and Wielechowski) and today it picked up two more votes to
move to the next committee of referral ( Senate State Affairs).
Senators Ellis, Davis and Hoffman voted to move
the bill. Sen Bunde voted NO. Please send a Thank You e-mail
to the three senators that moved the bill (see action
necessary—above) and send one to Sen. Bunde and ask him why
he voted NO (especially as a TRS retirement system
recipient himself).
Yesterday, one of the must have pieces of
legislation (SB 125—PERS/TRS cost share) received conference
committee appointments. On the Senate Side it will be Senator
Hoffman (Bethel, Western Alaska), Senator Huggins
(Mat/Su—Chugiak) and Senator Bunde (Anchorage). On the House
side it is Rep. Meyer (Anchorage), Rep. Samuels (Anchorage) and
Rep. Kerttula (Juneau).
Also in the Labor and Commerce committee, SB 187
(raising the minimum wage passed out of committee on a 3-2 vote.
Senate State Affairs
This
morning the Senate State Affairs Committee met and heard SCR 15,
which will create a standing committee on education in the
legislature. This bill is a part of the Joint Legislative
Education Funding Task Force recommendations and NEA-Alaska
testified in support of the bill. The bill moved from committee
House Finance Committee
The House
Finance committee met today and took up SB 72 (Municipal Revenue
Sharing). An interesting proposal to capitalize a $150 million
fund and spin-off $50 million per year for revenue sharing was
presented. The idea would be to continue to replenish the fund
as long as oil prices stayed above $60 per barrel. The bill was
held for further discussion.
Busy Times In Juneau
The activity in Juneau is at a historic pace.
They have reached day 30, or 1/3rd of the way to the first ever
90-day finish line. The House DEED Finance Subcommittee
(Chaired by Rep. Kevin Meyer—Anchorage) has already met on six
separate evenings for hearings that average about 90 minutes.
For several of the meetings they were joined by Senators for the
hearings. This is a new system driven by the new 90-day limit.
They have talked about DEED’s budget, Performance Pay, Mt.
Edgecumbe, State Libraries and Museums, the Mentor program and
many other topics.
Earlier today, one of the must have pieces of
legislation (SB 125—PERS/TRS cost share) received conference
committee appointments. On the Senate Side it will be Senator
Hoffman (Bethel, Western Alaska), Senator Huggins
(Mat/Su—Chugiak) and Senator Bunde (Anchorage). On the House
side it is Rep. Meyer (Anchorage), Rep. Samuels (Anchorage) and
Rep. Kerttula (Juneau).
Senate Education Committee
This morning the Senate Education Committee met
and heard two bills. HB 192 would move the date of teacher
notification of Non-retention to the “last day of the school
year” regardless of tenure. NEA-Alaska testified against this
legislation and it was held in committee until at least next
Wednesday. Several members have asked how we decide to testify
on legislation and whether we submit prepared testimony or speak
on issues “off the cuff.” While some of the best testimony
comes from the heart and is free-flowing we often prepare
testimony to stay within the three minute limit of public
testimony. NEA-Alaska has
attached sample testimony of today’s hearing on HB 192. If
any legislation impacts the 13,000 members of NEA-Alaska we
testify on the legislation, be it in support or opposition.
House Finance Committee
The House Finance committee met today and moved
HB 325 (teacher and health care loans) out of committee. The
Finance committee passed an amendment that requires the
legislation to sunset in 2013. 373 loans have been made under
the program and about 60% of those have gone to teachers. The
next stop is the House Floor.
If you know anyone who wishes to
receive the LCS/Legislative
Update, please send us an e-mail with their home e-mail address if
possible, and we’ll add them to the growing list of K-12
education advocates.
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