Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
03/02/2023 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR4 | |
| HB76 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HJR 4 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 76 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 76-PAY FOR AK DEFENSE FORCE
1:05:05 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 76, "An Act relating to pay for the Alaska State
Defense Force; and providing for an effective date."
CHAIR WRIGHT indicated that there would need to be an update to
the title of the bill by adding "allowances", as recommended by
a drafter from Legislative Legal Services. He said that a copy
of the amendment was distributed to committee members.
1:06:12 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 33-GH1579\A.1,
Radford, 2/28/23, which read:
Page 1, line 1, following "pay":
Insert "and allowances"
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW objected for the purpose of discussion.
1:06:27 PM
FORREST WOLFE, Staff, Representative Stanley Wright, Alaska
State Legislature, introduced Amendment 1 to HB 76 on behalf of
Representative Wright, prime sponsor. He stated that since the
bill deals with the substantive issues of pay and allowances,
and there are statutory guidance and definitions for such terms,
Legislative Legal Services advised that the amendment is needed
in order for the title of the bill to reflect the legislation's
substance.
1:07:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked what the definition of "allowances"
is in this context.
1:07:35 PM
MR. WOLFE offered his understanding that the changes relate to
housing stipends, or per diem.
1:07:53 PM
CRAIG CHRISTENSEN, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the
Commissioner, Alaska Department Military and Veterans' Affairs,
answered that active-duty members have a base pay scale. In
addition to active-duty base pay, he said, there are
"allowances" such as subsistence and basic housing. He said
that typically active-duty military see a lump sum in their
paychecks.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned if the language in the
amendment was for housing in addition to pay, and whether it
would affect the fiscal note.
MR. CHRISTENSEN responded that Amendment 1 would not change the
fiscal note. He said the military pay scale is broken down to
basic allowance for subsistence and basic allowance for pay. He
explained that the military continues to use a specific pay
scale by statute and is also using that pay scale for housing
costs and food costs.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER focused attention on page 1, lines 8 and
9, of HB 76. He paraphrased that the bill orders that organized
militia and Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF) would be paid
based on the same conditions as state officials and employees.
He asked if ASDF pay allowances would be indexed to state
workers or active-duty military.
MR. CHRISTENSEN responded by pointing members to the section of
HB 76 above the lines in question on page 1 that address pay,
whereas the section below it pertains to allowances. He said
that the sentence to be changed addresses both pay and
allowances. He said that when HB 76 was drafted, the bill
should have been only addressing "allowances" in the paragraph
and addressing "pay" in the previous paragraph.
1:11:32 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:11 p.m. to 1:13 p.m.
1:13:55 PM
BOB ERNISSE, Director, Division of Administrative Services,
Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, explained that the
allowance related statutes refer to active-duty members
receiving them; an example is per diem. In response to a
follow-up question, he confirmed that the member would receive
the same allowances as a state employee.
1:14:30 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:14 p.m.
1:15:11 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Shaw, Groh, Gray,
Saddler, and Wright voted in favor of Amendment 1. Therefore,
Amendment 1 was adopted by a vote of 5-0.
1:16:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said he supports the bill, as amended,
and ASDF; he offered his concern regarding ASDF and the
potential for that department to evolve into the National Guard.
He said that his intent was to not start the process of
providing more pay and benefits that would ordinarily go to the
National Guard. He opined that ASDF is a very good
organization, has a good mission, and fills an important niche.
1:17:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW moved to report HB 76, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 76(MLV) was
reported out of the House Special Committee on Military and
Veterans' Affairs.
1:17:31 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:17 p.m.
1:17:46 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT reiterated that CSHB 76 (MLV) was reported out of
the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 76 Amendment A.1 2.28.23.pdf |
HMLV 3/2/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 76 |