A New Bill to Protect the Alaska Yoga Community!
Last Updated: December 9, 2016
As you know, last year Yoga Alliance heard from members of Alaska’s yoga community that the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) is requiring yoga teacher training (YTT) providers to comply with extensive regulatory requirements intended for vocational schools and to pay expensive fees in order to offer YTT programs to their students. Since then, we have been working hard on your behalf to protect the rights of the Alaska yoga community to operate and offer YTT programs without unnecessary and costly government interference.
We are pleased to announce that Rep. Lynn Gattis from Wasilla introduced HB 305 in the Alaska State House of Representatives this week. The bill, HB 305 will exempt YTTs from unnecessary regulation by ACPE. We are grateful for the support of Rep. Gattis!
Get Involved!
As our team advocates for the legislature to pass this bill into law, we need your help to build support! Here are a few things you can do to help:
Email Your Representative
A direct personal message to your legislator is much more effective than sending a mass blast email. We’ve provided quick and easy instructions for contacting your representative below:
- Find your legislator on the homepage for the Alaska State Legislature. There is a box for your ZIP code in the lower right hand corner, under “Who Represents Me?”
- Locate your representative in the Directory of House of Representatives. Click on their picture to get to his/her page – your representative’s official email address is right at the top.
- Send your representative an email asking for his/her support on HB 305. Be sure to include your mailing address so your representative knows that you live in his or her district! We have provided a draft email below, but feel free to write your own.
Subject Line: Vote YES on HB 305!
Dear Representative ___________________,
As your constituent, I am asking for your support on HB 305, an important bill that would protect the rights of yoga studios to operate in Alaska without unnecessary and burdensome regulation by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE).
HB 305 would prevent the ACPE from requiring advanced yoga programs – known as yoga teacher training programs (YTTs) – around the state to pay expensive fees and to comply with unnecessary requirements in order to continue operation.
ACPE is only supposed to license occupational/vocational schools in Alaska, but YTTs are not occupational/vocational programs. In fact, the vast majority of individuals who attend YTTs do not make a living teaching yoga, but rather, attend class for avocational reasons – like personal growth or practicing yoga with like-minded individuals. HB 305 seeks to protect this activity.
Further, many yoga studios that offer YTTs are small businesses with tight budgets. The fees and administrative requirements imposed by ACPE are hefty and harmful to these small businesses. HB 305 would support and grow Alaska’s vibrant yoga community.
There is no need for regulation. YTTs have been around for years, and we are not aware of a single complaint against these programs. As the saying goes, “if it’s not broken, why fix it?”
Please support Alaska small business and the yoga community by voting “Yes” on HB 305.
Sincerely,
___________________
Share Your Experience With Us
We want to hear from you! If you have been impacted by the ACPE’s regulations, want to get involved, or have any questions, please contact us by email at yaadvocacy@yogaalliance.org.
Stay Tuned For Updates
We will keep you posted on new developments as soon as they happen. Yoga Alliance® is proud to stand with you to protect Alaska’s yoga community. If you haven’t already, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.