House Education Committee advances bill to require Asian American and Pacific Islander history in Alaska schools

The House Education Committee voted Feb. 13 to move CS for Senate Bill 6 out of committee after adopting an amendment that directs the Department of Education to make curricular materials available free of charge on its website.

Senator Elvie Gray Jackson, who spoke in support during the committee hearing, said the legislation "seeks to more accurately tell the history of The United States by ensuring that our students learn that Asian and Pacific Islander communities have been part of this nation since the very beginning," and emphasized those communities' contributions to infrastructure, science and the arts. The senator identified herself as representing District G in Anchorage.

Co Chair Himshoo summarized the amendment as adding language to the bill so "the materials are available to schools to take a little bit of the burden off the schools" and said the materials will be "on the department's website" as a one-stop resource. The record also identifies the bill sponsor in the agenda announcement as "Senator Grama Jackson." (The hearing transcript uses multiple variations of the sponsor's name in different lines; the senator speaking identified herself as Senator Elvie Gray Jackson.)

Co Chair Story moved the bill from committee, stating: "I move Senate Bill 6, also known as 34-LS-0071, as amended, from the House Education Committee with attached fiscal notes and individual recommendations." The committee adopted the amendment and moved the bill "without objection," and Co Chair Himshoo asked members to remain after the hearing to sign paperwork.

The committee record notes an attached fiscal note and "individual recommendations," but it does not include detailed vote counts or a recorded roll-call vote. The motion advanced the bill to the next step in the legislative process; the committee did not take further substantive action on implementation details during this meeting.

The committee also announced it will not meet on Monday, Feb. 16, observed Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, and scheduled a joint meeting with the Senate Education Committee for Feb. 18 to hear short municipal testimonies during the Alaska Municipal League Winter Legislative Conference. The meeting was adjourned at 9:43 a.m.

What's next: CS for Senate Bill 6 was moved out of the House Education Committee as amended; the next formal steps will follow the legislature's calendar and any required further committee consideration or floor action.