SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON BROADBAND ASSISTANCE GRANTS
IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT
The Department of Education and Early Development proposes to supplement regulation changes in 4 AAC 33.600-4 AAC 33.690 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with increased internet speed for districts through the Broadband Assistance Grant (BAG) program.
This is a SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE adding to the NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES issued on August 29, 2024, concerning changes to Broadband Assistance Grant program regulations. The department has released this SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE to advise the public that additional regulation changes are proposed relating to the requirements of BAG grant applications and that the State Board of Education and Early Development will take oral and written testimony at a hearing on the proposed regulations changes on December 5, 2024. The proposed supplemental amendments would
(1) repeal and readopt 4 AAC 06.660(a) relating to the contents of a BAG grant application under 4 AAC 33.605.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Executive Secretary to the Board, Kathijo Jolin at P. O. Box 110500, 333 Willoughby Ave. 9th Floor, Juneau, AK 99811. Additionally, the Department of Education and Early Development will accept comments by electronic mail at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 5:00 p.m., on November 17, 2024.
Oral or written comments also may be submitted at a hearing to be held on December 5, 2024 at during the virtual meeting of the State Board of Education and Early Development by joining the online Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84444778423 or by calling 1-253-215-8782 (toll free) and selecting *9 on your phone’s keypad (Meeting ID 844 4477 8423 ). The hearing will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and might be extended to accommodate those present before 9:00 a.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment.
You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action via telephone at the hearing to be held on December 5, 2024, by calling 1-253-215-8782 (toll free) and selecting *9 on your phone’s keypad (Meeting ID 844 4477 8423 ). There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone only. The hearing is scheduled from 8:45 am to 9:45 am and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 9:00 am who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, the State Board of Education’s chair of the Board, James Fields, may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to the Executive Secretary to the Board, Kathijo Jolin at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov, P. O. Box 110500, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, Juneau, AK 99811. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Education and Early Development will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact eed.stateboard@alaska.gov not later than November 12, 2024, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided. A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Kathijo Jolin at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov.
A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.
After the public comment period ends, the State Board of Education for the Department of Education and Early Development will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Statutory authority: AS 14.03.127; AS 14.07.080
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 14.03.127
Fiscal information: These regulations are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
The Department of Education and Early Development keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Department of Education and Early Development notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the State Board of Education at eed.stateboard@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also signup to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.