Alaska House passes bill to protect the state’s college scholarship fund

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – The Alaska Home of Representatives handed a invoice with a 23-9 vote on Thursday that might shield the state’s faculty scholarship fund.

The $410 million Greater Training Funding Fund has been used to pay faculty scholarships for greater than 5,000 Alaska college students every year. It was drained final 12 months on account of a failed procedural vote by the Legislature wanted to maintain it full.

Anchorage Superior Courtroom Choose Adolf Zeman sided with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration in February, saying its authorized interpretation was legitimate to empty the fund, however that ruling has been appealed.

Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, launched a invoice that might successfully take away the scholarship fund from the state treasury in order that it couldn’t be emptied once more by one other failed procedural vote. He mentioned that would supply certainty for 1000’s of Alaska faculty college students.

Zeman wrote in his determination that the Legislature might try this, however some Republican legislators from the Home minority have been skeptical. They cited the Alaska Structure that prohibits the dedication of state funds in most situations.

Josephson mentioned in response that the plan is “completely, 100% authorized” and that the Legislature would nonetheless have the authority to attract cash from the fund for different functions. The fund, established in 2012, has used funding earnings from an preliminary deposit to pay for scholarships and pupil support.

A few of the opposition to the invoice got here from the concept faculty scholarships wouldn’t compete with different appropriations within the annual price range course of.

The Home handed an working price range final week that put aside $359 million to recapitalize the fund, permitting it to proceed paying out scholarships. The price range nonetheless wants help within the Senate.

Tuan Graziano, the College of Alaska Anchorage’s pupil physique president, has been watching debates in regards to the fund intently. He traveled to Juneau earlier within the 12 months to advocate for its safety.

“When college students don’t have the understanding of their scholarships, or these support packages, that actually places their lives in limbo,” he mentioned.

Graziano, 24, obtained the Alaska Efficiency Scholarship for the primary two years he was at school and mentioned it was “an enormous deciding issue” for why he selected to check at UAA and stay in Alaska.

Home Invoice 229 now heads throughout to the Senate for its consideration. The present legislative session should finish by Could 19.

Copyright 2022 KTUU. All rights reserved.