CSSB 55(FIN): "An Act relating to housing and care needs of veterans; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 55(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to housing and care needs of veterans; and providing for an effective 02 date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 05 to read: 06 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) The legislature finds that 07 (1) federal standards do not currently allow for federal financial support of 08 Alaskan veterans in the Alaska Pioneers' Home; 09 (2) discussions are occurring between state and federal officials concerning 10 potential methods of providing federal financial assistance for services to veterans in this state 11 while continuing to preserve the essence of the Alaska Pioneers' Home concept; 12 (3) state and federal officials have agreed to work cooperatively to seek 13 solutions to the issues that exist regarding services for veterans, including, if needed, federal 14 legislation that would allow for federal support of veterans in the Alaska Pioneers' Home;
01 (4) part of the agreement between the officials concerns development of a 02 demonstration project that studies whether the needs of veterans can be adequately served in a 03 population like that of the Alaska Pioneers' Home that includes both veterans and 04 nonveterans. 05 (b) It is the legislature's intent, by authorizing and funding the survey described in 06 sec. 2 of this Act, to convey the legislature's concern about the needs of veterans who reside 07 in this state. The legislature strongly supports the negotiations that are continuing between 08 state and federal officials about the best alternatives for meeting the needs of this state's 09 veterans. The legislature urges the federal government to base a pilot program on veterans 10 who already live in the commingled population of the Alaska Pioneers' Home. Based on the 11 results of that pilot program and other negotiations, the legislature intends to entertain the 12 possibility of changing the name of the Alaska Pioneers' Home to include a reference to 13 veterans if federal assistance for their care in the home can be obtained. 14 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 15 read: 16 SURVEY AND EVALUATION. Subject to the availability of an appropriation for 17 the purpose of this section, the Department of Administration shall survey and evaluate the 18 housing and care needs of all veterans in this state. The Department of Administration shall 19 report to the governor and the legislature on the results of the survey and evaluation not later 20 than the first day of the Second Regular Session of the Twenty-Third Alaska State 21 Legislature. 22 * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).