03/06/2006 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

   CSHB 167(STA) AM -DECEASED VETERAN DEATH CERTIFICATE/HONOR                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:54:47 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   GENE  THERRIAULT   announced  HB   167  to   be  up   for                                                               
consideration.  Without  objection  he  moved Version  L  as  the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER  BRAKES,  Staff  to   Senator  Therriault,  detailed  the                                                               
changes in Version L.                                                                                                           
   · Page 2, line 22-26 - clarifies that eligible recipients may                                                                
     receive one certified copy of a veteran's death certificate                                                                
     for the purpose of receiving a benefit related to the death                                                                
     of the veteran.                                                                                                            
   · Page 3, lines 14-21 - relates to the meaning of "veteran."                                                                 
     The language  is re-crafted  to be as  broad as  possible to                                                               
     include individuals  on active duty or  those with honorable                                                               
     or general discharges from the  U.S. armed services. It also                                                               
     includes the Alaska Scouts and  the Alaska Territorial Guard                                                               
     and reconciles the difference between the two.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:59:55 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGGINS  interjected  to   advise  that  there  are  two                                                               
components to  the Alaska  National Guard.  He moved  Amendment 1                                                               
page 3, line 17 to insert Alaska Air National Guard.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT  announced that Amendment 1  was adopted without                                                               
objection.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KIM  ELTON asked  if  there  had been  discussion  about                                                               
including the U.S. Coast Guard.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if he would like to move that amendment.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELTON moved  conceptual Amendment  2 to  add U.S.  Coast                                                               
Guard and any reserve unit that may be involved.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  announced  that without  objection  conceptual                                                               
Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BRAKES   asked  the  committee  to   consider  an  immediate                                                               
effective date.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT moved Amendment 3  to add an immediate effective                                                               
date and acknowledged  it may trigger a  title change resolution.                                                               
There was no objection.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:04:39 AM                                                                                                                   
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, Chair of  the House Special Committee on                                                               
Military and Veterans Affairs, expressed  support for the changes                                                               
that had been made.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS pointed  out that  the fiscal  note is  based on                                                               
issuing five  death certificates and  that sometimes only  one is                                                               
needed.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT clarified  that  the language  was modified  so                                                               
that the number  isn't limited to five. It says  that an eligible                                                               
individual may  receive a copy  of the death certificate  for the                                                               
purpose of  applying for a  benefit. It's likely that  the fiscal                                                               
note would be recast as indeterminate.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER  motioned  to   report  SCS  CSHB  167(STA)  and                                                               
attached   fiscal   notes    from   committee   with   individual                                                               
recommendations. There being no objection, it was so ordered.