1996-01-12                     House Journal                      Page 2436
HB 417                                                                       
away from only those recipients who should not be even minimally               
affected by the loss.                                                          
                                                                               
The bill looks only at income, and not assets, so that recipients with         
moderate incomes will continue to receive the bonus even if they own           
valuable but nonliquid assets, such as homestead property or a                 
residence that has greatly increased in value over the years.  The bill        
also provides that a recipient disqualified by reason of the income            
maximum is not permanently disqualified.  If his or her income drops,          
or circumstances change, the recipient can become eligible again.  This        
will protect recipients on fixed incomes who enjoy a one-time gain             
from the sale of a residence or some other asset.                              
                                                                               
Similarly, the bill contains a special provision for persons who become        
eligible for the longevity bonus by age and residency in 1996 and              
apply before January 1, 1997, but are disqualified because of the              
income maximum.  If those persons subsequently become eligible, they           
will be entitled to $100 a month payments.                                     
                                                                               
The second part of the bill is intended to address a specific problem:         
bonus recipients who spend little of the year in Alaska, but time their        
absences so that they are never out of Alaska for more than 90 days            
at a time.  The bill would disqualify recipients who are out of the state      
for 180 days or more in any one-year period, excluding absences                
beyond the recipients control.  This is in keeping with the original           
intent of the program to assist seniors who are truly residents of             
Alaska.                                                                        
                                                                               
I urge your prompt consideration and passage of this bill.                     
                                                                               
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Tony Knowles                                                             
						Governor                                                                 
                                                                               
HB 418                                                                       
HOUSE BILL NO. 418 by the House Rules Committee by request of                  
the Governor, entitled: