01/31/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

        SB 136-INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYING A VETERAN                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:03:10 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WIELECHOWSKI,   speaking   as  sponsor,   announced   the                                                               
consideration of SB  136. The bill would provide  a $2,000 credit                                                               
for each veteran  a business hires who works at  least 30 hours a                                                               
week for  12 months. The  purpose is  to help those  veterans who                                                               
are  struggling to  find employment  after their  service to  our                                                               
nation.  Young  male veterans  between  the  ages of  18-24  face                                                               
particularly  high  unemployment  rates   -  almost  22  percent.                                                               
Previous testimony in support of  the bill was from the Anchorage                                                               
Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans  of America, Vets Helping Vets in                                                               
Anchorage, and  from the Alaska Veterans  Organization for Women.                                                               
The  committee amended  the bill  last week  to clarify  that the                                                               
credit is not  limited to Alaskan veterans per se,  as that would                                                               
create legal problems, but to all veterans hired in Alaska.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to report the  CS for SB 136, version I, as                                                               
amended, from  committee with individual recommendations  and the                                                               
attached fiscal note.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  announced that  that without  objection, CSSB
(STA) moved from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.