HB 122: "An Act relating to payment of premiums for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance on behalf of members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 122 01 "An Act relating to payment of premiums for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance 02 on behalf of members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone; and 03 providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 06 to read: 07 FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) The legislature finds that 08 (1) the Alaska National Guard has a proud tradition of military service with 09 many Alaskans having answered the call of the nation and served in the national guard; 10 (2) there have been instances in which the dependents of members of the 11 Alaska National Guard have been left without adequate financial resources when a national 12 guard member has been killed while on active duty; 13 (3) members of the Alaska National Guard are now being asked to serve 14 extended periods of active duty in combat areas;
01 (4) members of the Alaska National Guard are eligible for life insurance 02 policies with limits up to $250,000 through the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance 03 program (38 U.S.C. 1965 et seq.) administered by the United States Department of Veterans 04 Affairs; and 05 (5) members of the Alaska National Guard provide the state and its citizens 06 valuable benefits through their service in the state and through recently extended periods of 07 active duty in combat zones outside of the state, and, in exchange for these extended periods 08 of active duty, they should receive assistance with their premiums for the Servicemembers' 09 Group Life Insurance program. 10 (b) The purpose of creating and funding the servicemembers' life insurance premium 11 fund is to provide a benefit to members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat 12 zone in exchange for and in recognition of their assumption of extended periods of active duty 13 in combat zones, in addition to their increased contributions to the safety and welfare of the 14 citizens of the state. 15 * Sec. 2. AS 26.05 is amended by adding new sections to read: 16 Sec. 26.05.263. Payment of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance 17 premiums; establishment of fund. (a) The servicemembers' group life insurance 18 premium fund is established as a separate fund in the state treasury. The principal and 19 earnings of the fund shall be held by the state for the purpose of paying premiums to 20 the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program (38 U.S.C. 1965 et seq.) on behalf 21 of members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone . 22 (b) The fund consists of appropriations by the legislature to the fund. 23 (c) Nothing in this section creates a dedicated fund. 24 Sec. 26.05.264. Use of the servicemembers' group life insurance premium 25 fund. (a) The adjutant general of the department may make expenditures from the 26 servicemembers' group life insurance premium fund to pay premiums to the 27 Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program (38 U.S.C. 1965 et seq.) on behalf of 28 a member of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone . 29 (b) Subject to appropriation, the servicemembers' group life insurance 30 premium fund may be used to pay the expenses incurred by the commissioner of 31 revenue in managing the fund and administrative expenses incurred by the department
01 in administering the program under this section. 02 (c) Except as provided in (b) of this section, money in the servicemembers' 03 group life insurance premium fund is available for expenditure without further 04 appropriation. 05 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 06 read: 07 APPLICABILITY. The payment of premiums on behalf of members of the Alaska 08 National Guard deployed to a combat zone to the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance 09 program (38 U.S.C. 1965 et seq.) enacted in sec. 2 of this Act applies to premiums due on or 10 after the effective date of this Act. 11 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).