Legislature(1995 - 1996)
1996-05-07 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf1996-05-07 Senate Journal Page 4122 HB 4 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4(STA)(title am) An Act allowing, for the purposes of permanent fund dividend eligibility, an individual to accompany, as the spouse or minor or disabled dependent, another eligible resident who is absent for vocational, professional, or other specific education for which a comparable program is not reasonably available in the state, for secondary or postsecondary education, for military service, for medical treatment, for service in the Congress or in the Peace Corps, or for other reasons that the commissioner of revenue may establish by regulation; requiring, for the purposes of permanent fund dividend eligibility, an individual who is not physically present in the state to maintain and demonstrate at all times an intent to return to the state to remain permanently; relating to the eligibility for 1992, 1993, and 1994 permanent fund dividends of certain spouses and dependents of eligible applicants; relating to appeal periods for certain 1994 permanent fund dividends; and providing for an effective date which had been held in second reading (page 4099) was before the Senate. Senator Halford moved and asked unanimous consent for the adoption of the Finance Senate Committee Substitute offered on page 4057. Without objection, SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4(FIN) (new title, page 4057) was adopted and read the second time. Senator Halford moved and asked unanimous consent that the bill be advanced to third reading and placed on final passage. Without objection, it was so ordered. SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4(FIN) was read the third time. Senator Halford moved and asked unanimous consent that the following Letter of Intent be adopted as a Senate Letter of Intent. Without objection, the Senate Letter of Intent was adopted. 1996-05-07 Senate Journal Page 4123 HB 4 Letter of Intent for SCS for CS for HB 4(FIN) One of the three initial purposes of the permanent fund dividend program as enacted by chapter 12, SLA 1980 was "to encourage persons to maintain their residence in Alaska and to reduce population turnover in the state." Nevertheless, the legislature determined that there were some reasons to allow an otherwise eligible resident to remain eligible for a dividend while temporarily absent from the state, as long as the individual retained their Alaska residency, if not their residence in Alaska. However, since the inception of the program, the number of individuals who have retained their eligibility while being absent from Alaska has grown significantly. Each year there are numerous proposals to expand the list of allowable absences, placing pressure on both the legislature and the administration to add to the list of allowable absences. However, each proposal to add another allowable absence raises questions of equity and disparity with the original intent of the program. In addition, each added absence increases the number of dividends that are paid to individuals living outside of Alaska. Although this legislation contains a provision sunsetting all specifically allowable absences effective January 1, 1998, it is not the intent of the legislature to express a prejudice against any of the absences allowable under current law as amended by this act. It is the intent of the legislature that the administration 1.initiate a comprehensive review of all currently allowable absences and previously proposed absences; 2.develop a philosophical framework for establishing absences consistent with the original intent of the permanent fund dividend program; and 3.submit to the first session of the twentieth legislature proposed legislation to reestablish a specific list of allowable absences consistent with that philosophical framework. 1996-05-07 Senate Journal Page 4124 HB 4 The question being: Shall SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4(FIN) An Act relating to absences from the state for the purposes of permanent fund dividend eligibility; relating to the following allowable absences: receiving secondary or postsecondary education on a full-time basis, receiving vocational, professional, or other specific education on a full-time basis for which a comparable program is not reasonably available in the state, serving on active duty as a member of the military of the United States, receiving certain medical treatment, accompanying a minor who is receiving certain medical treatment, providing care for a parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild with a life-threatening illness who is being treated at a medical specialty complex outside the state, providing care for a terminally ill parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild, settling the estate of a deceased parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild, serving as a member of the Congress, serving on the staff of a member of the Congress from this state, serving in the Peace Corps, serving as an employee of the state, actively participating on a United States national athletic team, accompanying another eligible resident as the spouse, minor dependent, or disabled dependent of the eligible resident, and for any reason consistent with the individual's intent to remain a resident; requiring, for the purposes of permanent fund dividend eligibility, an individual who is not physically present in the state to maintain and demonstrate at all times an intent to return to the state to remain permanently; relating to the eligibility for 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996 permanent fund dividends of certain spouses and dependents of eligible applicants; and providing for an effective date pass the Senate? The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 4(FIN) Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date Letter of Intent YEAS: 20 NAYS: 0 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Adams, Donley, Duncan, Ellis, Frank, Green, Halford, Hoffman, Kelly, Leman, Lincoln, Miller, Pearce, R.Phillips, Rieger, Salo, Sharp, Taylor, Torgerson, Zharoff and so, SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 4(FIN) passed the Senate. 1996-05-07 Senate Journal Page 4125 HB 4 Senator Halford moved and asked unanimous consent that the vote on the passage of the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Without objection, it was so ordered and the bill was referred to the Secretary for engrossment with a Senate Letter of Intent.