Current Legislative Alerts
Your contributions are helpful so we don't miss something. Email the Communications Chairman with any new alerts. For past years' legislation, click here.

1. HB 33 (State Rep. Muñoz) - An Act relating to compulsory school attendance; and providing for an effective date.
   SB 102 (State Senator Davis) - An Act relating to compulsory school attendance; relating to the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor; and relating to school disciplinary action and truancy.
   These bills would raise the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18.
   Recommendation: HSLDA and APHEA recommend HB33 & SB102 be opposed.
2. HB 59 (State Rep. Kawasaki) - An Act providing for the establishment of a statewide early childhood education plan and guidelines.
   SB 112 (Education Committee - Senator Davis, Chair) - An Act providing for the establishment of a statewide early childhood education plan and guidelines.
   These bills would require the Alaska Department Education to devise an early childhood education plan for children three and four years old. While the proposed program is described as "Optional," it is likely to become a mandatory program in the future legislation. Parents, not state officials, are in the best position to determine when a child's formal education should begin.
   Recommendation: HSLDA and APHEA recommend HB59 be opposed.
3. HB 69 (State Rep. Tuck) - An Act establishing in the Department of Education and Early Development a voluntary parent education home visiting program for pre-elementary aged children; and establishing a rating system for early childhood education.
   This bill would would be known as the "Alaska Parents as Teachers Act." It would establish a voluntary parent education home visiting program for children from birth to age five administered by the Department of Education and Early Development. These visits would be at least once per month. The program would involve monthly parent group meetings and annual developmental and health screenings of the children. Although this would begin as a voluntary program, it is most likely the
   first step to a mandatory program. HSLDA believes that parents, not state officials, are best qualified to determine what is best for their children.
   Recommendation: HSLDA and APHEA recommend HB69 be opposed.

*There are 3 types of committee votes:
DP: Do Pass, DNP: Do Not Pass & NR: No Recommendation. However, these only indicate how they are going to vote once it gets to the floor. A bill can have all Do Not Passes and still be moved on to the next committee.

**Committee Key

Contacting those who represent you:

Where do I start? What do I do?

Here are some suggestions and tips offered by a former state legislative aide:

When the legislature is meeting, it is said to be "in session." Most years the Legislative session begins meeting (convenes) on the second Monday in January. But, in the year following a gubernatorial (governor) election, the legislature convenes on the third Monday in January (unless that happens to fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in which case it convenes on the Tuesday after). It ends 120 later (most years this would be the second Tuesday in May).

The best way is to call or write your own representative. You are the "constituent" and constituents bring votes. It may not be fair, but it's reality. Be sure to provide your full name, address and phone number at the bottom of your letter (this helps to distinguish the C's from the non-C's and saves the staff from looking you up the voter registration rolls to figure out whose C you are).

Standard e-mail format is:
Representative: Representative_FirstName_LastName@Legis.state.ak.us
Senator: Senator_FirstName_LastName@Legis.state.ak.us
Staff: FirstName_LastName@Legis.state.ak.us

Public Opinion Messages (POMs) are about the least effective means of communication there is. They don't provide much space (50 words) and use up lots of staff time for little gain (I think it was calculated at around 30 minutes per POM).

Bill "packets" (i.e. all info pro/con the SPONSOR chooses to include as backup for his fellow legislators) get distributed about 24 hours before the committee meeting. Thus, bills generally don't make the radar screen until this time. Keep in mind that there are, AT LEAST, 400 or so other bills floating around the Capitol; to maintain sanity, the legislators have to prioritize.

When a bill is scheduled for a committee meeting, mail/email/fax a PERSONALIZED letter to EACH committee member (i.e. "Honorable Representative/Senator __________"). Note the bill number in the "Subject" line so the legislator (or staff) recognizes it as a soon-to-be-heard bill. The fastest way to get the "delete" button is to list and address "all legislators" (someone else on the list will take care of it, right?).

For EACH committee and ALSO when it goes to the House Floor for a vote (if it makes it that far), you will need to do the same thing (an important point most people miss). If you are against the bill, your comments will not necessarily move with the bill's packet (note the earlier comment about who compiles the bill packet) so it's up to you to make sure that each committee hears from you directly.

I believe that faxing a letter to the LIO will automatically get your testimony entered into the official record (you'll need to verify this part as I don't remember the protocol). Don't wait for the chairman's office to get back to you. Just ask the LIO staff; they'll know.

Lastly, and most importantly, please be informed when you write or call. Don't just repeat the mantra, "Bill ___ is bad, don't pass it". Know why. Expect to be questioned about the bill and be prepared with some thoughtful answers. I don't know how many phoned in and just repeated the same few words they were told to say and some, when questioned, had no clue why it was good or bad policy. Volume is good, but educated volume is so much better. It gives your cause (and you) so much more credibility.

Past legislation:

1. HB 353 (State Rep. Keller) - An Act relating to the blocking of certain Internet sites at public libraries and to library assistance grants. Ways to keep kids safe.
   02/06/08 Referred to STA, FIN
   03/25/08 Passed (S)STA
   04/02/08 Passed (S)FIN, Referred to RLS.
   Never scheduled for floor vote before legislature adjoured.
   Bill dies*
2. H.R. 1592 (Rep Conyers, MI, US Congress) Related Bill: S. 1105 (Senator Kennedy, US Congress)
   To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.
   Read more information on the bills and sign the petition.
   3/20/07 Introduced in House
   4/30/07 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-113.
   5/3/07 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 237 - 180 (Roll no. 299).
   5/7/07 Referred to Senate committee: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to Judiciary.
3. SB 14 (State Sen. Davis) - An Act raising the compulsory school attendance age; relating to the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a minor; relating to duties of the Department of Education and Early Development; relating to truancy; and relating to employment of a minor.
   01/16/07 Referred to Special Committee on Education (S)SED, then to Judiciary (JUD) and Finance (FIN) Committees.
   01/16/07 0017 (S) REFERRED TO SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUDICIARY & FINANCE
   04/18/07 (S)SED AT 8:00 AM, BUTROVICH 205
   04/18/07 (S) Heard & Held (minutes available online)
   08/17/07 10:15 AM Senate SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
   02/13/08 (S)SED 8:00 AM, BUTROVICH 205
   02/13/08 (S) Heard & Held (minutes available online)
   NO ACTION TAKEN - Bill dies*
4. HB 52 (State Rep. Ramras) - An Act relating to driver's licenses for persons under 18 years of age
   No Driver's Licenses For Minor Dropouts
   01/16/07 Referred to House State Affairs and Finance Committees
   04/01/07 Thanks to your letters and calls, the bill has been pulled by the sponsor.
5. HB 345 (Rep. Weyhrauch) - Raising Compulsory School Attendance Age to 17
   01/09/06 2228 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS EDU, HES
   01/09/06 2228 (H) REFERRED TO EDUCATION
   01/11/06 2253 (H) COSPONSOR(S): KERTTULA
   NO ACTION TAKEN - Bill dies*
6. H.R. 3753 (Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N. [CO-4]) Related Bill: S.1691. To amend selected statutes to clarify existing Federal law as to the treatment of students privately educated at home under State law.
   9/13/2005 Introduced. Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
   10/12/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform
   Doesn't appear that it went anywhere.
7. H.R. 1815 (Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52], US Congress) - Section 591 (Recruitment and Enlistment of Homeschooled Students in the Armed Forces)
   More info: http://www.homeedmag.com/blogs/groupnews/?p=48
   4/26/05 Introduced.
   1/6/06 - Signed by President. Became Public Law No: 109-163
8. HB 267 (Rep. Neuman) - An Act authorizing credit in a public correspondence study program for privately purchased curriculum materials from a religious institution.
   04/11/05 0965 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS EDU, HES
   01/09/06 2232 (H) COSPONSOR(S): LYNN, STOLTZE
   NO ACTION TAKEN - Bill dies*
9. SB 28 (Sen. Davis) - Legal Age for School Attendance (lowering to age 6)
   01/11/05 0025 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
   01/11/05 0025 (S) HES, FIN
   01/11/05 0025 (S) REFERRED TO HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
   NO ACTION TAKEN - Bill dies*

*In the Alaska State Legislature, a bill has two years to travel through the legislative process. If it isn't passed by both house and senate by the end of the second session (even years), it dies. It is possible for the idea to be re-introduced in a future legislative term, but it will get assigned a new number and the process begins anew.