Alaska Education Update: Jun 23, 2011

This blog contains highlights from the Alaska Education Update. The update is issued daily during session and contains detailed summaries of education issues under consideration by the Alaska State Legislature. If there is a hearing on a Monday, a report will, with few exceptions, be released by Tuesday morning. There is also a weekly edition of the update. During interim, reports are issued only when there has been action. Interim action may include hearings, bill signings, the release of the Governor's proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and other items that may be of interest to the education community.

To subscribe to full reports, contact Shana Crondahl at (907) 500-7069 or akedupdate@gci.net. To subscribe to blog posts, submit your email:

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Governor Parnell's Budget Vetoes Imminent; Possible Special Session on Coastal Zone Management

Governor Parnell's budget vetoes are due by Friday, July 1, and his goal is to cut about $400 million from the capital budget, decreasing it from $3.2 billion down to $2.8 billion. I predict he will wait until the deadline to release his vetoes because there is still talk of a last-minute deal and special session on coastal zone management. If he releases his vetoes while the legislature is in special session, they could vote to override the vetoes.

Here's an update of all the education-related legislation that passed:

HB 15 - Student Athlete Concussions: Signed by the governor on Friday, May 27; effective date 8/25/11 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20%2015&session=27

HB 108 - Operating Budget: Transmitted to the governor on Wednesday, June 8; vetoes due back on Friday, July 1 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20108&session=27

HB 109 - Mental Health Budget: Transmitted to the governor on Wednesday, June 8; vetoes due back on Friday, July 1 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20109&session=27

HB 155 - Public Construction Contracts, awaiting transmittal to the governor (raises the threshold for public works projects from $2,000 to $25,000 for before projects have to pay wages under Alaska's Little Davis-Bacon Act) http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=HB%20155&session=27

SB 1 - Board of Education & Early Development Report/Legislative Task Force, Signed by the governor on Friday, May 27; effective date 8/25/11 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%20%201&session=27

SB 46 - Capital Budget: Transmitted to the governor on Wednesday, June 8; vetoes due back on Friday, July 1 http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?session=27&bill=SB46

SB 76 - Supplemental Budget, Signed by the governor on Tuesday, May 17; see bill for effective dates
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%2076&session=27

SB 84 - Vocational Education/Tax Credits/Pilot, awaiting transmittal to the governor
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%2084&session=27

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