Senator Gary Stevens
Capitol Report for February 25, 2013
I welcome your questions and comments at any time. Phone: 1-800-821-4925 | Fax: 486-5264
Mail: AK State Capitol, Room #429, Juneau, AK 99801 | E-mail: sen.gary.stevens@akleg.gov

Hello from the Alaska State Capitol. The 2013 session is rapidly approaching the halfway point and lawmakers are busy considering numerous bills, resolutions and other issues. In the coming weeks, I expect to see the House pass its version of the 2014 operating budget and transmit it to the Senate for further consideration. In the meantime, various budget subcommittees have been meeting to consider the budgets for state departments and agencies and make recommendations to the full Finance Committee. This session, I am serving on the Education and Early Development, Fish and Game, and University of Alaska finance subcommittees.

Also ahead, and of great interest and importance to many of my constituents and local government officials, is discussion on the FY ’14 capital budget. It is too early to know what the final budget will look like, but myself and Representatives Alan Austerman (R-Kodiak) and Bryce Edgmon (D-Dillingham) are working hard to ensure District R’s needs are well-represented in the final budget.

School Choice and Vouchers

The capitol has been abuzz in recent days with discussion of vouchers and school choice. As you may know, resolutions have been introduced in both bodies (SJR 9 and HJR 1) proposing to place a constitutional amendment question before voters to allow public funds to be used for private and religious schools. Although my Senate Education Committee will not hear the resolutions directly, we will hold presentations on school vouchers. Many of us in the legislature are interested in finding out if such a system will work or not here in Alaska, how it would impact our current educational programs, and what other states have experienced. I expect to have more information on when these hearings will take place in the near future.

Personal Legislation Update

SB 31, which I introduced at the request of the community of Akhiok, was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, February 20th. The bill renames the village’s runway the Jim Andie and Robin Starrett Memorial Runway in honor of two pilots who are fondly remembered by Akhiok residents. The bill has been referred to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

On February 15th, I introduced SB 57, which will change state education statutes in three distinct ways. One part of the bill requires the Department of Education and Early Development to provide parents and guardians of kids in grades kindergarten through third attending public schools information on the importance of early literary, including intervention strategies, home literary plans, grade retention standards and strategies and resources to help children read.

A second part of the bill establishes an inflation-proofing mechanism for pupil transportation funding. This clause will help school districts better cope with ever-rising fuel and other costs impacting school bus services.

The bill’s final section changes the date that school districts have to notify teachers of layoffs or nonretention from March 16 to May 15. The idea behind this section is help districts avoid pink-slipping and potentially losing a qualified teacher before they have a better idea of what their actual funding situation will be, which is often not known until after the legislature adjourns in April.

SB 57 will be heard first by the Senate Education Committee. It has a further referral to the Senate Finance Committee.

Following the passage of SB 17 by the Senate Education Committee on Friday, February 1st, the bill is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill extends the Special Education Service Agency (SESA) until June 30, 2021. SESA provides cost-free services for numerous students in rural schools throughout Alaska, many of which have no means of helping disabled students.

The Senate Transportation Committee passed SB 24 out of committee on Tuesday, February 19th. This bill increases the membership of the Marine Transportation Advisory Board (MTAB) from 11 to 12 members by creating a separate seat for Southcentral Alaska. This seat will represent the interests of Old Harbor, Kodiak, Port Lions, Ouzinkie, Seldovia and Homer on MTAB, which considers issues involving the Alaska Marine Highway System. Currently, these cities are part of the Southwest region, which also includes ferry-served communities in the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.

Tracking the Legislature

Follow the status of mine or any other lawmaker’s legislation through the state’s Bill Action and Status Inquiry System (BASIS). Through BASIS, you can see what committee a bill is in, when it will be heard, how committee members voted, and much more. You can also view all bills relating to your specific areas of interest by selecting “Subject Summary” from the menu on the right.

Access BASIS through the link below, or by doing a search for “BASIS Alaska” http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/start.asp.

Legislative Information Offices a Valuable Resource

District R’s Legislative Information Offices (LIOs) are valuable resource for helping you follow bills and resolutions, contact lawmakers, offer testimony to the various Senate and House committees, apply for the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) and more.

Michelle Hahn O’Leary and Mimi Briggs can assist you at the Cordova’s LIO. You can reach them at 424-5461.

The Dillingham LIO’s is staffed by AnnaMay Sorensen and Wanda Fulton. Their number is 842-5319

Lorna Steelman and Heather Fincher are available to help you at the Kodiak LIO. You can reach them at 486-8116.

Student Artwork Sought

The Juneau LIO is encourages school districts around the state to take part in the Art in the Capitol program again this year. As part of the program, which has been going on since 1988, student displays are featured in the display case on the ground floor and in the stairwell of each floor of the Capitol building. The displays rotate monthly and are featured on a first come first serve basis, serving as a constant visual reminder of the diversity of Alaska’s people and geography.

You can find a display request form on the internet at at w3.legis.state.ak.us/students/capart.php. Please call the Juneau LIO at465-4648 if there are any questions on the program.

Constituents in the Capitol

Throughout the session, I have had the opportunity to visit with numerous District R constituents during their trips to Juneau. Among the recent visitors to my capitol building office were Dillingham’s Martin Gardiner, Bill McLeoud, Bernina Venua and Elizabeth Himschoot, who also served as a guest page during her stay; Aimee Kniaziowski, Kevin Brennan, Duncan Fields, Pat Olson, Norm Wooten, Betty MacTavish, Stewart McDonald, Marilyn Davidson, Lisa Pearce, Melissa Borton, Katie Oliver, Debra Kirk, Rick Kniaziowski, Heather Corriere and Mayor Pat Branson of Kodiak; Whittier’s Andrea Korbe and Mayor Lester Lunceford; New Halen’s Fedosia Balluta and Kathleen Gust; Mayor Dan Clarion and Darren Muller of Ouzikie; Jodie McDonnell of Naknek; Mayor Dan O’Hara of the Bristol Bay Borough; Bristol Bay Borough School District Superintendent Jack Walsh, teacher Ginger Moore, and students Cheyenne Geffken and Stephanie Summerville; George Owletuck and Stanley Tom from Newtok; and Mark Leary of Napaimute.

Don’t Forget to File for Your PFD

The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) application period ends Sunday, March 31st. If you have not already applied for this year’s PFD, I encourage you to do so soon, as applications must be postmarked or delivered to the PFD offices by the filing deadline. The easiest way to apply is via the PFD Division’s website at: www.pfd.state.ak.us. Stop by the Legislative Information Offices in Cordova, Dillingham and Kodiak if you would like to obtain a paper application.

Again this year, PFD applicants can help Alaska’s nonprofit organizations though the PFD Charitable Contributions Program, called “Pick.Click.Give.”

This program is only available to those who file online.

http://stevens.alaskasenate.org/