Association of Alaska School Boards

Legislative Bulletin

A weekly digest of activity by the Alaska Legislature and U.S. Congress for Alaska’s School Board Members. AASB Tel. 907-586-1083, Fax 907-586-2995. Executive Director, Carl Rose, crose@aasb.org; Editor, John Greely, Review past issues of the Bulletin on the AASB website at http://www.aasb.org. To unsubscribe send an email requesting the same to jgreely@aasb.org

This bulletin is distributed by email only. School districts should copy for board members not online.

March 20, 2008

LEGISLATURE TAKES EASTER BREAK; THREE WEEKS TO ADJOURNMENT

With major budget bills poised for action, the House and Senate face the final three weeks of the 2008 legislative session and adjournment on April 13. First, lawmakers are taking the Easter weekend to return to their home districts. When they return next week, the clock will be ticking on these major bills:

• HB 310, the operating budget. The Senate version of the state’s FY 2009 spending plan passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday en route to a vote of the full Senate and a conference committee with the House
• HB 311or SB 221, the capital budget. Both finance committees have been examining projects requested by the administration, but as yet have not released the additional projects each will add to the budget before its passage. The capital budget traditionally is the final bill adopted each session.
• SB 256, the supplemental budget. The governor announced today (Thursday) that she was inviting legislators to meet with her individually to discuss $70 million in capital projects added to the budget by lawmakers. The $4.3 billion supplemental appropriates $3.6 billion to reserve accounts, $300 million for energy programs, $180 million for a revenue sharing fund with municipalities and $18 million for the Senior Benefit Program. The deadline for the governor to sign or veto the bill is April 5.
• HB 273, the education funding bill. The historic re-write of the state’s education funding formula must be signed or vetoed by March 28. Governor Palin said Thursday that she remains concerned about the Legislature raising the Base Student Allocation by $100 in each of the next three years. She requested a $200 increase.
• SB 125, the PERS-TRS subsidy bill. The measure lowering retirement costs for public employers, including school districts, has passed both houses and is awaiting transmittal to the governor. The $448 million annual subsidy to public employers will fix rates for the Public Employees’ Retirement System at 22 percent and the Teachers’ Retirement System at 12.56 percent.
• SB 72, revenue sharing. The legislature has earmarked $60 million for distribution to municipal governments. AASB has endorsed the improvement as a means to help local governments meet their requirements for K-12 education support. SB 72 is awaiting transmittal to the governor.
• HB 373, extending the school debt reimbursement program. The House-passed bill extends until November 2010 the current program under which the state pays between 60 and 70 percent of local school construction bonds. HB 373 is pending in the Senate.
• SB 285, state intervention in school districts. The measure requested by the Department of Education & Early Development is in response to a judge’s ruling in the Moore v. State lawsuit that the state expand its oversight over low-performing schools. The Senate Finance Committee approved a version of the bill yesterday (Wednesday) and sent it to the Rules Committee for calendaring.

AASB SPRING BOARDSMANSHIP ACADEMY AND LEGISLATIVE FLY-IN

The 2008 AASB Spring Boardsmanship Academy & Legislative Fly In is scheduled for April 5th-8th, in Juneau at the Baranof Hotel. The academy begins on Saturday, the 5^th, and includes workshops on school accountability; Medicaid and how it can work for your district; WorkKeys, a state program to prepare students for work or college; and afternoon sessions on Positive Youth Development, featuring staff of the Alaska ICE program.

The Legislative Fly-in on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday includes special briefings by AASB staff and remarks by legislative leaders, followed by opportunities to take your district’s story to the Capitol before the scheduled adjournment of the Legislature on April 13.

You can register via mail or fax, using the brochure or you can register online at, http://www.aasb.org/FORMS/Sprflyin.html.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to seeing you in April.