Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
03/11/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB296 | |
| HB15 | |
| SB278 | |
| HB284 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 15 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 296 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 278 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 284 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 284-PFD ALLOWABLE ABSENCE: FELLOWSHIPS
10:26:52 AM
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of HB 284. [Before the
committee was CSHB 284(FIN).]
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAWKER, Alaska State Legislature, presented
HB 284. He said it corrects a regulatory problem on allowable
absences for qualifying for Alaska's permanent fund dividend
(PFD). He has resisted adding allowable absences in statute, but
in this case a constituent pointed out that he was denied his
dividend. He was in Italy on a Fulbright Fellowship. The current
exemption requires a student to be enrolled, but fellowships are
endowed chairs so the enrollment process is avoided. So he
wasn't "enrolled," he was occupying a fellowship chair, so he
didn't qualify for a PFD. The legislative intent was for a
student receiving secondary or postsecondary education on a full
time basis. He took up the issue with the Department of Revenue,
and it was sympathetic and asked for a fix. He suggests adding
"in a student fellowship sponsored by the United States
Department of Education or Department of State. That is how the
Fulbright Fellowship works, he explained.
10:30:18 AM
SENATOR GREEN asked if there are other comparable programs, like
the Rhodes Scholar program.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said those programs do qualify now, and
the Fulbright is the only program that has this problem.
SENATOR BUNDE said endowed chairs often get a salary. He asked
if these are both teachers and students.
10:32:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said testimony from the students indicated
they were just students and were not compensated.
SENATOR GREEN asked if it is three months - "most of them were
full time or 15 hours representing a nine-month stay."
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said the duration of fellowships can be
from three months and to a year.
SENATOR GREEN noted the mention of education on a full-time
basis and if that countermands Reference 16.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said she thinks it gets around "that whole web of
qualification and enrollment, and simply makes a specific
allowance for the fellowship."
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said Fulbright students are full time.
SENATOR BUNDE said if it's less than three months a person isn't
disqualified for the PFD anyway.
SENATOR GREEN said she is having trouble comporting what is in
statute with the regulation that requires a student to be
enrolled. She suggested a review of the language.
10:34:54 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he wants to distribute an amendment for
consideration at the next hearing.
SENATOR BUNDE asked if fellowships are assumed to be full time.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said he isn't aware of any that involve
part-time activity.
SENATOR FRENCH moved Amendment 1, labeled 25-LS1142\C.2, as
follows:
Page 1, line 1:
Delete "as an allowable absence"
Insert "and AmeriCorps programs as allowable absences"
Page 2, line 25:
Delete "[OR](16) or (17)
Insert "or (16) - (18)
Page 3, line 2, following "(17)":
Insert "serving as a volunteer under the National and
Community Service Trust Act of 1993 (AmeriCorps): (18)"
SENATOR GREEN objected.
SENATOR FRENCH said Amendment 1 corrects an inequity in
exception 14 that allows a Peace Corp volunteer to collect a PFD
but not an AmeriCorps volunteer. For example, a Peace Corps
volunteer could be across the river in Mexico from an AmeriCorps
volunteer in Texas, and only the one in Mexico would get a PFD.
10:37:10 AM
SENATOR MCGUIRE asked for the number of people involved.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said that amendment was introduced on the
House floor, and there was no information on the program so it
wasn't adopted. It is now a separate bill in the House.
SENATOR BUNDE asked to hear from the PFD division.
SENATOR STEVENS said he has no idea what AmeriCorps is.
SENATOR FRENCH asked the sponsor if he supports it.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said he doesn't have enough information,
but it should be addressed on its own merit. The public and
students would be best served without the amendment at this
time.
10:39:34 AM
SENATOR MCGUIRE said she will allow HB 284 to carry over to the
next hearing on Thursday.
SENATOR FRENCH said he means no disrespect to the sponsor but
it's a natural outgrowth of a 90-day session that requires such
efficiency.
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