Senators Kim Elton (D-Juneau) and Hollis French (D-Anchorage) show off the homemade baked at the Pro-Education Rally.

House and Senate Democratic Legislators held a bake sale today at a pro-education rally and joined over a hundred people who attended the rally to ask the Republican members of the Legislature to fund both the public school system K-12 and the statewide university system. Pro-education rallies were also held in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Democrats held the bake sale as a last ditch effort to demonstrate the desperate situation our students will face without full funding for our K-12 and university system. Hundreds of cookies, brownies, and sweet breads were sold to supporters. The funds raised will be turned over to the state to offset the millions of dollars of cuts to K-12 and under-funding of the university found in Governor Murkowski's proposed FY04 budget.

Education remains the top priority for the Democrats in the Legislature. Democratic legislators will continue to work for increased funding to education at all levels, from Head Start to K-12 to University.

Representative Ethan Berkowitz (D-Anchorage), Representative Eric Croft (D-Anchorage), Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage), Representative Mary Kapsner (D-Bethel), Senator Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage), and Senator Georgianna Lincoln (D- Rampart) take a moment to smile for the camera as they sell baked goods to supporters of education.

Pro-Education Bills Sponsored By Democratic Legislators:

House Bill 220 - Increase Education Funding by Rep. Les Gara
House Bill 72 - Board Of Regents Qualifications by Rep. David Guttenberg
House Bill 84 - Alaska History Curriculum by Rep. Mary Kapsner
House Bill 222 - Foundation Formula Inflation Adjustment by Rep. Mary Kapsner
House Concurrent Resolution 19 - Urging Implementation Of Alaska History by Rep. Mary Kapsner
House Bill 42 - Pupil\Teacher Ratio In Public Schools by Rep. Beth Kerttula

Senate Bill 3 - Inflation Proof Foundation Formula by Sen. Bettye Davis
Senate Bill 4 - Forward Funding of Education by Sen. Bettye Davis
Senate Bill 5 - Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment for Students by Sen. Bettye Davis
Senate Bill 7 - Legal Age for School Attendance by Sen. Bettye Davis
Senate Bill 91 - Increase Amount of Base Student Allocation by Sen. Bettye Davis
Senate Bill 154 - Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program by Sen. Hollis French
Senate Bill 10 - Education Funding: Instructional Component by Sen. Gretchen Guess
Senate Bill 11 - Foundation Formula Inflation Adjustment by Sen. Gretchen Guess
Senate Bill 12 - Teacher Loan Assumption Program by Sen. Gretchen Guess
Senate Bill 196 - George W. Bush No Child Left Behind School Improvement Grants by Sen. Gretchen Guess
Senate Bill 101 - Teacher Cadet Program by Sen. Georgianna Lincoln
Senate Bill 131 - School Construction Funding by Sen. Georgianna Lincoln

Senators Kim Elton (D-Juneau) and Hollis French (D-Anchorage) pose with students at the Pro-Education Rally held in front of the capitol.

UPCOMING:

Senator Hollis French's Bill to Increase Penalties for Repeat Sex Offenders Scheduled in Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senator Hollis French's Senate Bill 85 to get tough on repeat sex offenders is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, April 28 at 1:00pm.

Senate Bill 85 has two purposes: first, to increase the penalties for repeat sex offenders and, second, to reduce the rate at which repeat sex offenders earn “good time” while incarcerated.

Representative David Guttenberg (D-Fairbanks) talking with a supporter as she buys a cookie with Representative Eric Croft (D-Anchorage) on the right.