HB 77: "An Act relating to the Joint Armed Services Committee, a permanent interim committee of the Alaska State Legislature; and providing for an effective date."
00HOUSE BILL NO. 77 01 "An Act relating to the Joint Armed Services Committee, a permanent interim 02 committee of the Alaska State Legislature; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 05 (1) the Secretary of Defense, in both the Quadrennial Defense Review and the 06 Defense Reform Initiative, has called for the reestablishment of a Base Realignment and 07 Closure Commission to conduct two new rounds of military base closures; 08 (2) all military bases in Alaska are scheduled for review and evaluation for 09 potential placement on the closure list; 10 (3) the strategic location of the state's military bases, their unparalleled training 11 and maneuver areas, and their modern facilities represent an asset of unmatched military value 12 to the nation; 13 (4) the total economic value that the military adds to the state exceeds 14 $1,700,000,000 annually;
01 (5) any new base closure or realignment actions in the state would create 02 serious economic and socioeconomic effects for the communities where they are located; 03 (6) the closure of Adak Naval Air Facility and realignment of army activities 04 at Fort Greely by the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission continues to create 05 challenges for communities committed to their productive reuse and integration into the state's 06 economy; 07 (7) the unprecedented proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic 08 missiles constitutes a growing threat to the United States, which has begun to develop a 09 weapons system capable of defending the nation against ballistic missile attack; 10 (8) sites in Alaska are under consideration for the deployment of that system 11 that offer the unmatched military value of strategic location from which all 50 states can be 12 defended as required by the United States Constitution; and 13 (9) as our nation's armed forces continue to shift from a forward deployed 14 force based overseas to a power projection force stationed within the United States, Alaska's 15 modern bases, extensive training areas, and established tradition of joint operations between 16 the individual services offer the United States Department of Defense an unequaled location 17 to organize, train, and deploy the integrated forces the United States requires in the Twenty- 18 First Century. 19 * Sec. 2. AS 24.20 is amended by adding new sections to read: 20 Article 5. Joint Armed Services Committee. 21 Sec. 24.20.650. Joint Armed Services Committee established. (a) The Joint 22 Armed Services Committee is established as a permanent interim committee of the 23 legislature. 24 (b) The committee is composed of 25 (1) five members of the senate, at least one of whom is a member of 26 the minority, appointed by the president of the senate; 27 (2) five members of the house of representatives, at least one of whom 28 is a member of the minority, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 29 (3) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who 30 is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 31 representatives after considering the recommendations of the Alaska chapters of each
01 of the following organizations: 02 (A) the Association of the United States Army; 03 (B) the Air Force Association; 04 (C) the Navy League of the United States; 05 (D) the Marine Corps Association; 06 (4) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who 07 is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 08 representatives after considering the recommendation of the Seventeenth Coast Guard 09 District Auxiliary; 10 (5) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who 11 is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 12 representatives after considering the recommendation of the mayor of the Municipality 13 of Anchorage; 14 (6) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who 15 is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 16 representatives after considering the recommendation of the mayor of the Fairbanks 17 North Star Borough; and 18 (7) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who 19 is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 20 representatives after considering the recommendation of the adjutant general of the 21 Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. 22 Sec. 24.20.655. Terms of office; vacancies. (a) Each legislative member 23 serves for the duration of the legislature during which the member is appointed. Each 24 public member serves for three years. An individual who has served on the committee 25 may be reappointed. 26 (b) A legislator ceases to be a member of the Joint Armed Services Committee 27 if the legislator ceases to be a member of the house from which the legislator was 28 appointed. When a seat on the committee becomes vacant, it shall be filled within 30 29 days in the manner of the original appointment. An individual appointed to fill a 30 vacancy serves for the remainder of the term to which appointed. 31 Sec. 24.20.660. Travel and per diem allowances. Members of the Joint
01 Armed Services Committee are entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses. 02 Members of the committee shall receive per diem allowances in accordance with the 03 policy adopted by the legislative council under AS 24.10.130(c). 04 Sec. 24.20.665. Meetings. (a) Eight members of the Joint Armed Services 05 Committee constitute a quorum. 06 (b) The committee members shall select one member from the senate and one 07 member from the house of representatives to serve as co-chairs of the committee. 08 (c) The committee may meet during sessions of the legislature and during 09 intervals between sessions at the times and places the co-chairs may determine. 10 Whenever possible, meetings shall be teleconferenced to reduce travel cost. 11 Sec. 24.20.670. Administration. The legislative council shall provide 12 administrative and other services to the Joint Armed Services Committee. Within the 13 limits of the amounts made available to the committee by the legislative council, the 14 committee may make expenditures and enter into contracts to carry out the purposes 15 of AS 24.20.650 - 24.20.675. Contracts must be approved by a majority of the 16 members of the committee and are otherwise subject to procedures adopted by the 17 legislative council under AS 36.30.020. 18 Sec. 24.20.675. Powers and duties. (a) The Joint Armed Services Committee 19 shall 20 (1) review and encourage state policies to ensure the continued well- 21 being and education of members of the armed forces, both active and reserve components, 22 stationed in the state, including the Alaska National Guard and the United States Coast Guard, 23 and of dependents of those members; 24 (2) monitor the military base realignment and closure activities of the 25 federal government for bases in the state; 26 (3) work on specific realignments and closures proposed by the federal 27 government for bases in the state; 28 (4) work with the state's congressional delegation regarding federal 29 military base realignments and closings in the state; 30 (5) attend meetings and hearings related to federal realignments and 31 closures of military bases in the state and provide testimony as necessary;
01 (6) review the effect on the state and its communities of federal 02 realignments and closures of military bases in the state; 03 (7) monitor the development of the national ballistic missile defense 04 system and work with the congressional delegation of the state, other state and local 05 government organizations, and community groups to advocate and expedite the 06 deployment of the system in this state; 07 (8) investigate opportunities to increase joint and combined military 08 training in the state; 09 (9) advocate the stationing of reconfigured power projection forces at 10 bases located in the state; and 11 (10) prepare and submit a report of its activities to the legislature on 12 the first day of each second regular session. 13 (b) The committee may appoint a citizens' advisory board. Individuals 14 appointed to an advisory board may not receive reimbursement for travel expenses or 15 per diem allowances. 16 * Sec. 3. TRANSITION. The Joint Armed Services Committee established in sec. 2 of this 17 Act is a continuation of the Joint Committee on Military Bases in Alaska established in ch. 31, 18 SLA 1998. Notwithstanding AS 24.20.655(a), enacted in sec. 2 of this Act, members 19 appointed to the Joint Committee on Military Bases in Alaska continue to serve on the Joint 20 Armed Services Committee for terms that end on the day the First Regular Session of the 21 Twenty-Second Alaska State Legislature convenes. New members appointed to the Joint 22 Armed Services Committee serve for the terms provided in AS 24.20.655, enacted in sec. 2 23 of this Act. 24 * Sec. 4. Chapter 31, SLA 1998, is repealed. 25 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect July 1, 1999.