2019-02-20                     House Journal                      Page 0166
The past three years, Alaskans have not received the full value of their                                                        
mineral wealth ownership share.  Instead, either through executive or                                                           
legislative action, the dividend payments have been less than the                                                               
statutory formula directs. I intend to follow the law, and take                                                                 
restorative action to pay the unpaid portions of the Permanent Fund                                                             
dividends from 2016, 2017, and 2018 for all eligible individuals.                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Eligible individuals will be determined by the receipt of a prior year's                                                        
dividend and the eligibility for a current year's dividend. An individual                                                       
eligible for the 2016 unpaid dividend is a person who received the                                                              
2016 dividend and is eligible for a 2019 dividend; an individual                                                                
eligible for the 2017 unpaid dividend is a person who received a 2017                                                           
dividend and is eligible for a 2020 dividend; and an individual eligible                                                        
for the 2018 unpaid dividend is a person who received a 2018 dividend                                                           
and is eligible for a dividend in 2021.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
As our economy faces a recession, and our unemployment rate is one                                                              
of the highest in the nation, the payment of the unpaid amounts of the                                                          
2016, 2017, and 2018 dividends, distributed over the next three years,                                                          
can significantly contribute to improving Alaska's economy. It will                                                             
restore the trust of Alaskans that we will follow the law and the                                                               
statutory formula that has been used since the first dividend check was                                                         
issued in 1982. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this                                                                 
measure.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Michael J. Dunleavy                                                                                                             
Governor"                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 48                                                                                                                         
HOUSE BILL NO. 48 by Representative Wilson, entitled:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act removing from the exempt service of the state persons                                                              
     who are employed in a professional capacity to make a temporary                                                            
     or special inquiry, study, or examination as authorized by the                                                             
     governor and including those persons in the partially exempt                                                               
     service of the state."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Labor & Commerce and                                                                
Finance Committees.