HB 57 Alaska House · 34th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools; relating to education reports; relating to charter schools; relating to student transportation funding; relating to secondary school vocational and technical instruction funding; relating to the base student allocation; relating to reading proficiency incentive grants; relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools; relating to the use of tax revenue from highly digitized businesses; relating to the duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; establishing the Task Force on Education Funding; and providing for an effective date.

HB 57 sets maximum classroom sizes for Alaska public schools, requiring districts to maintain an average of no more than 23 students per class for grades K-6 and 30 for grades 7-12, excluding certain specialized classes. It mandates annual reporting on class sizes, student performance data (including reading proficiency for early grades), and high school graduate outcomes like career and postsecondary education tracking. The bill also updates procedures for charter school applications and requires school boards to establish clear application processes for new charter schools. These provisions directly affect all public school districts, students, and educators across Alaska.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jul 2025

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Signed Jul 30, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled HB 57 → HB 57 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten from a comprehensive 8-section education funding and classroom size measure into a single 2-section bill focused solely on prohibiting wireless telecommunications devices in public schools. This represents a fundamental scope change where the original bill's provisions on classroom sizes, education reporting, charter schools, student transportation, vocational funding, and task force establishment were entirely removed, while the new version adds specific definitions for wireless devices and sets a July 1, 2025 effective date.

Scope change

The bill's scope was dramatically narrowed from covering multiple education funding and policy areas to exclusively addressing wireless telecommunications device restrictions in public schools.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to maximum classroom sizes, education reporting requirements, charter school applications and contracts, student transportation funding, secondary school vocational funding, base student allocation, reading proficiency grants, and the Task Force on Education Funding.

Changed bill title and scope from comprehensive education funding legislation to focused wireless device policy legislation.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirement for the Department of Education to develop a model policy prohibiting nonschool-issued wireless telecommunications devices in public schools during regular school hours, including lunch and passing periods.

Added requirement for each school district to adopt a policy prohibiting students from possessing or using nonschool-issued wireless telecommunications devices during regular school hours and to share this policy with parents, students, and school employees.

DEFINITION

Added definition of 'wireless telecommunications device' as any portable wireless device capable of providing voice, messaging, or data communication between two or more parties.

TIMELINE

Added effective date of July 1, 2025 for the wireless telecommunications device restrictions.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

100

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 20, 2025

Vetoed

(H) GOVERNOR VETO OVERRIDDEN Y46 N14

lower

May 19, 2025

Vetoed

(H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 5/19/25

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) PASSED Y17 N3

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) AM NO 27 ADOPTED UC

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Introduced

(S) RESCIND ACTION IN ADOPTING AMENDMENT 26 UC

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) PASSED ON RECONSIDERATION Y19 N1

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) PASSED Y19 N1

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) AM NO 26 ADOPTED Y20 N-

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 13 FAILED Y5 N15

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 12 FAILED Y5 N15

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 10 FAILED Y5 N15

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 9 FAILED Y7 N13

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 24 FAILED Y8 N11 A1

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 23 FAILED Y6 N14

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 22 FAILED N6 N14

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 19 FAILED Y7 N13

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 17 FAILED Y5 N15

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 16 FAILED Y7 N13

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 15 FAILED Y6 N14

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 14 FAILED Y8 N12

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 11 FAILED Y6 N14

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 8 FAILED Y6 N14

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Amended

(S) AM NO 7 FAILED Y7 N13

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) AM NO 2 ADOPTED UC

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) FIN SCS ADOPTED UC

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

(S) Moved SCS CSHB 57(FIN) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --

upper

1 primary · 20 co-sponsors