News from Hughes » January 29, 2024

SESSION UPDATE – January 29, 2024

The Best of the Best
Before I update you on a couple pressing items, I want to point out to you that this newsletter is packed full of relevant and useful sections, designed to help you know what is going on and how you can weigh in. Please take at least a few seconds to scroll down to see all the great items my talented and smart staff include and update each week! They are awesome! Now some news…

Concealed Carry in Schools SB 173
We had our first hearing last week for SB 173, The Safe Schools Act, and it was a success. We wanted to start the conversation, and boy, have we ever!

We heard from a district superintendent in Ohio; he and certain staff take the job duty of concealed carry very seriously and school policy requires thorough training. In a rural area of the state, he estimates law enforcement response time would be 20 minutes, so in close coordination with the county sheriff’s office and community support, he and his staff have responsibly stepped up to the plate.

We also heard from former law enforcement officers who support the “concealed-carry-in-schools-by-highly-trained-persons-with-assigned-job-duty” policy.

Lastly, we heard written testimony from a school nurse who has the assigned duty of concealed carry as part of a safety program at a public school district as well as heard from the CEO of a training foundation that has assisted thousands of school personnel, through a 4-day course, be prepared via the assigned duty of concealed duty in the event of an active shooter incident on school grounds.

Although public testimony was scheduled at the SB 173 hearing, the time ran short. A second hearing will likely be held next week and will include time for the public to weigh in. Check out my article from last week on SB 173 here or below.

Send it in! Call it in!
We are receiving written support from constituents and other Alaskans for SB 173, but with support comes opposition too (and they have been quite coordinated and loud!). That’s where you come in. Please send your emails/letters of support so we get a better representation of Alaskans on this topic. With a rate of 64.5% gun ownership in Alaska, I believe the rate of 5 Alaskans opposing the bill to 1 supporting it (as of last week) is not reflective of our state residents. Please send in your support and plan to testify (stay tuned for day/time)!

AI and Deepfakes: Cannot Ignore
In other bill news, Senate State Affairs will hear our SB 177, AI and Deepfakes on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. There won’t be public testimony in this hearing; however, we can expect that opportunity to be scheduled before long. You can read more about SB 177 and the protections it includes in my article shown below and here. It’s interesting to note that we’ve heard several comment in the past two weeks that SB 177 is likely the most important piece of legislation this session.

And now for two more news items happening in the halls of your Capitol building this week before we call it a wrap…

SB 88 Alaska’s Backward Attempt among the States
The bill proposing to re-instate defined benefits for public employees (SB 88) will be on the Senate floor today. Many other states have or are moving away from defined benefits. Alaska got off the expensive pension pathway back in 2006 and is the only state considering going backward  – but should we be?

Fiscal conservatives are expected to vote against SB 88; I will be one of those. I expect there will be the votes though for the bill to pass the Senate and be sent over to the House. The fact that the fiscal note on the bill won’t be available for another month and that projections could put the state on the hook for as much as $9 billion are two of a number of reasons I don’t support this backward step. Without a fiscal plan in place, with the potential of burdening our children and grandchildren with taxes to fill a huge hole this could create, with the advent of the state putting private sector employers at a disadvantage hiring employees, and with a large portion of public employees actually preferring upwardly adjusted salaries and a mobile 401K plan instead of defined benefits, I cannot in good conscience support SB 88.

SB 140 The Education Bill to Watch
Few disagree that school districts are contending with high healthcare costs, difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers due to the national shortage, and inflation pressures. At the same time, Alaskans are also alarmed that on a statewide basis, schools have been ranked among the very worst in the nation based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress scores for a number of years.

In other words, we have two problems looking at us square in the face: a financial problem and a student outcomes problem. Two general camps have formed in response.

Those who generally consider themselves left-of-center on the political spectrum are passionately declaring money is the solution to both problems and a large increase in the Base Student Allocation (BSA) under the formula is the trick. They believe the schools should be able to spend a large increase however they choose, whether directing it to the classroom or operating the swimming pool or paying administrative staff.

Those generally right-of-center, are saying: whoa. According to NEA data, from 2002 to 2021, adjustments to the formula and funding outside the formula have increased per student spending by 98% while inflation during that period was 56%. Is this really a money problem? This camp wants to focus on improving student achievement by directing new funding to that purpose and do so outside the BSA, out from under the formula.

I say, marry the two. Put money specifically targeted to proven methods to improve academic outcomes under the BSA formula – require the increase be spent to help our students, not swimming pool operations. By putting these dollars in the formula targeted to improve outcomes, we can know this essential mission will be consistently funded. I also wish to add that the NEA needs to stop burying its head in the sand, to cease dissing SB 140, and to contemplate the Harvard study about charter schools. Read my article here and below.

Worth Noting . . . .
I hope you’re able to tune in for my Facebook Live broadcast tonight. We had a few hiccups with the technology last week, but hopefully (fingers crossed!) we are now ready to roll!

My responsibility to you is always front and center, whether I am on the Senate floor, drafting policy, in a meeting, out and about in our community, or communicating with you. I will strive to be available in multiple ways to hear from you and what concerns you most. I am on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter(X) at AKShelleyHughes. You can also email me at Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.com or call my office (907)465-3743 (Session) or (907)376-3725 (Interim) to get in touch.

As I state on my Facebook Senator page, mention in live broadcasts, and tell many of you in one-on-one conversations, with the volume of contacts I receive daily (multiple hundreds), my staff and I work hard to read and listen to everything so I can understand what you, our district, and the rest of the state is thinking. If you would like to ensure you receive my feedback on your issue and ideas, please call my office to set up a phone call with me or come by one of my constituent meetings so we can connect in-person. Hearing your input continues to be a top priority to me!

Working on your behalf,