Alaska 33rd Legislature (2023-2024) Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 6 R · 6 D cosponsors

SB 29 — An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation requirements; and providing for an effective date.

Last action — (H) NOT TAKEN UP - ADJOURNED SINE DIE

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 33rd Legislature (2023-2024). It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

114 added · 102 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of SB 29 now requires school districts to report annually on the civics courses they offer and how students perform on the civics assessment. Additionally, the requirement for the education board to present its annual report in person to legislative committees has been removed, which may streamline the reporting process but could reduce direct accountability. These changes matter because they focus on enhancing civics education while making legislative oversight potentially less interactive.

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33-LS0246\U CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.
33-LS0246\A SENATE BILL NO.
29(EDC) IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE Referred:
29 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY SENATORS STEVENS, Tobin, Giessel, Bjorkman, Claman, Bishop, Stedman, Kaufman, Gray-Jackson, Hughes, Dunbar, Wielechowski, Kawasaki Introduced:
Finance Sponsor(s):
1/18/23 Referred:
SENATORS STEVENS, Tobin, Giessel, Bjorkman, Claman, Bishop, Stedman, Kaufman, Gray-Jackson, Hughes, Dunbar, Wielechowski, Kawasaki A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation requirements;
Education, Finance A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to civics education, civics assessments, and secondary school graduation requirements;
(b) A school may not issue a secondary school diploma to a student unless the student SB0029B -1- CSSB 29(EDC) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\U (1) has completed one semester of a civics education course taught using the curriculum developed under (a) of this section;
(b) A school may not issue a secondary school diploma to a student unless the student SB0029A -1- SB 29 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\A (1) has completed one semester of a civics education course taught using the curriculum developed under (a) of this section;
(d) In this section, "passing score" means a student correctly answers 70 percent or more of the questions.
(d) A district shall annually provide to the department a report that includes a description of the civics courses offered in the district, average student performance on the civics assessment, and other civics curriculum information as required by the department in regulation.
(e) In this section, "passing score" means a student correctly answers 70 percent or more of the questions.
(4) a summary of implementation and utilization of the consortium established under AS 14.30.800, including a review of consortium effectiveness and the participation rates of districts, teachers, and students;
(4) a summary of implementation and utilization of the consortium established under AS 14.30.800, including a review of consortium effectiveness and SB 29 -2- SB0029A New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\A the participation rates of districts, teachers, and students;
(5) recommendations made by the Alaska Civics Education Commission to the board under AS 14.07.215.
(5) a description of the civics education curriculum in the state public school system, civics courses offered in each district, student performance by district on the civics assessment developed under AS 14.03.076, the number of students who took a civics education course taught using the curriculum developed under AS 14.03.076(a), and the number of students who completed the civics education course;
(6) recommendations made by the Alaska Civics Education Commission to the board under AS 14.07.215.
CSSB 29(EDC) -2- SB0029B New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\U Sec.
Sec.
(4) recommendations made by the Alaska Civics Education Commission to the board under AS 14.07.215.
(4) a description of the civics education curriculum in the state public school system, civics courses offered in each district, student performance by district on the civics assessment developed under AS 14.03.076, the number of students who took a civics education course taught using the curriculum developed under AS 14.03.076(a), and the number of students who completed the civics education course;
(5) recommendations made by the Alaska Civics Education Commission to the board under AS 14.07.215.
Article 3.
SB0029A -3- SB 29 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\A Article 3.
The department shall provide staff to the commission.
The lieutenant governor shall provide staff to the commission.
(2) a retired judicial officer, appointed by the chief justice;
(2) the chief justice of the supreme court or another justice of the supreme court appointed by the chief justice;
if no retired judicial officers are available to be appointed under this paragraph, the administrative director described in AS 22.20.300 shall appoint a member with judicial experience in the state;
in this paragraph, "judicial officer" has the meaning given in AS 22.20.010;
SB0029B -3- CSSB 29(EDC) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\U (5) two members from the senate, one of whom is appointed by the president of the senate and one of whom is appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(5) two members from the senate, one of whom is appointed by the president of the senate and one of whom is appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
one member must be a teacher for a correspondence study program in the state and the other must be a member of the National Education Association;
one member must be a teacher for a correspondence study program in the state and the other must be a member of te h National Education Association;
A person appointed to a vacancy serves for the unexpired portion of the term.
A SB 29 -4- SB0029A New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\A person appointed to a vacancy serves for the unexpired portion of the term.
The legislative council may assist the commission in conducting meetings under this section, including by providing office space, equipment, and additional staff support for the commission.
Members of the commission serve without compensation, but are entitled to per diem and travel CSSB 29(EDC) -4- SB0029B New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS0246\U expenses authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180.
Members of the commission serve without compensation, but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180.
SB0029B -5- CSSB 29(EDC) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
SB0029A -5- SB 29 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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Action History

  1. (H) NOT TAKEN UP - ADJOURNED SINE DIE

  2. (H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  3. (H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  4. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/15/2024

  5. (H) -- Recessed to a Call of the Chair --

  6. (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519

  7. (H) DISCHARGED FROM FIN UC

  8. (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  9. (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Recessed to 5/14/24 at 9 AM --

  10. (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519

  11. (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --

  12. (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519

  13. (H) <Pending Referral> -- MEETING CANCELED --

  14. (H) RULES at 06:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  15. (H) Heard & Held -- Please Note Time Change --

  16. (H) FINANCE at 09:00 AM ADAMS 519

  17. (H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --

  18. (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519

  19. (H) FN7: (EED)

  20. (H) FN6: ZERO(GOV)

  21. (H) AM: STORY

  22. (H) NR: HIMSCHOOT, MCCORMICK, PRAX

  23. (H) DP: MCKAY, ALLARD

  24. (H) EDC RPT HCS(EDC) 2DP 3NR 1AM

  25. (H) Minutes (HEDC)

  26. (H) Moved HCS CSSB 29(EDC) Out of Committee

  27. (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  28. (H) Minutes (HEDC)

  29. (H) Heard & Held

  30. (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  31. (H) EDC, FIN

  32. (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  33. (S) VERSION: CSSB 29(FIN)

  34. (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  35. (S) COSPONSOR(S): DUNBAR, WIELECHOWSKI, KAWASAKI

  36. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  37. (S) PASSED Y20 N-

  38. (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 29(FIN)

  39. (S) COSPONSOR(S): HUGHES

  40. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/5 CAL

  41. (S) FIN CS ADOPTED UC

  42. (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  43. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/3/23

  44. (S) COSPONSOR(S): KAUFMAN, GRAY-JACKSON

  45. (S) FN5: ZERO(GOV)

  46. (S) FN4: ZERO(LEG)

  47. (S) FN3: (EED)

  48. (S) NR: OLSON

  49. (S) DP: STEDMAN, KIEHL, MERRICK, BISHOP

  50. (S) FIN RPT CS 4DP 1NR NEW TITLE

  51. (S) COSPONSOR(S): BISHOP, STEDMAN

  52. (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  53. (S) Moved CSSB 29(FIN) Out of Committee

  54. (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  55. (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  56. (S) Heard & Held

  57. (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  58. (S) FN2: (GOV)

  59. (S) FN1: (EED)

  60. (S) DP: TOBIN, BJORKMAN, GRAY-JACKSON, STEVENS, KIEHL

  61. (S) EDC RPT CS 5DP SAME TITLE

  62. (S) Minutes (SEDC)

  63. (S) Moved CSSB 29(EDC) Out of Committee

  64. (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  65. (S) Minutes (SEDC)

  66. (S) Heard & Held

  67. (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  68. (S) COSPONSOR(S): TOBIN, GIESSEL, BJORKMAN, CLAMAN

  69. (S) EDC, FIN

  70. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  71. (S) Prefile released 1/9/23

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 12 co-sponsors · 52 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (12)

Not signed on (52)

52 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 52 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 29?
SB 29 is sponsored by Scott Kawasaki (D), Bill Wielechowski (D), Forrest Dunbar (D), Elvi Gray-Jackson (D), James Kaufman (R), Bert Stedman (R), Bishop, Shelley Hughes (R), Matt Claman (D), Jesse Bjorkman (R), Cathy Giessel (R), Löki Tobin (D), and Gary Stevens (R).
What is the current status of SB 29?
This bill died with 33rd Legislature (2023-2024). It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 29?
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