Legislature(1997 - 1998)
04/14/1997 04:10 PM House MLV
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
April 14, 1997
4:10 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Beverly Masek, Chair
Representative Joe Ryan
Representative Pete Kott
Representative Eldon Mulder
Representative Richard Foster
Representative Reggie Joule
Representative Irene Nicholia
MEMBERS ABSENT
All Members Present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
* HOUSE BILL NO. 233
"An Act relating to education benefits for members of the Alaska
National Guard, Alaska Naval Militia, or Alaska Territorial Guard."
- BILL HEARING CANCELLED
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 143(RLS)
"An Act relating to education benefits for members of the Alaska
National Guard, Alaska Naval Militia, or Alaska Territorial Guard."
- MOVED CSSB 143(RLS) OUT OF COMMITTEE
(* First public hearing)
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: SB 143
SHORT TITLE: EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
SPONSOR(S): RULES
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
03/19/97 782 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
03/19/97 782 (S) STATE AFFAIRS
04/03/97 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ ROOM 211
04/04/97 984 (S) STA RPT 4DP
04/04/97 984 (S) DP: GREEN, DUNCAN, MILLER, WARD
04/04/97 984 (S) ZERO FISCAL NOTE (DMVA)
04/07/97 (S) RLS AT 10:45 AM FAHRENKAMP RM 203
04/09/97 1053 (S) RULES RPT CS 1DP AND CALENDAR 4/9/97
04/09/97 1053 (S) PREVIOUS ZERO FN APPLIES (DMVA)
04/09/97 1055 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME
04/09/97 1055 (S) RLS CS ADOPTED UNAN CONSENT
04/09/97 1055 (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UNAN CONSENT
04/09/97 1055 (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 143(RLS)
04/09/97 1055 (S) PASSED Y19 N- A1
04/09/97 1065 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/10/97 1053 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
04/10/97 1053 (H) MLV
04/14/97 (H) MLV AT 4:00 PM CAPITOL 124
WITNESS REGISTER
TIM BENINTENDI, Legislative Assistant
to Senator Tim Kelly
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol, Room 7
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: (907) 465-3822
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on CSSB 143(RLS)
CAROL CARROLL, Director
Administrative Services Division
Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs
P.O. Box 110900
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0900
Telephone: (907) 465-4730
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on CSSB 143(RLS)
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 97-3, SIDE A
Number 020
CHAIRMAN BEVERLY MASEK called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans Affairs meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
Members present at the call to order were Representatives Kott,
Foster, Joule and Nicholia. Representatives Mulder and Ryan
arrived at their respective times of 4:06 p.m. and 4:10 p.m.
CSSB 143(RLS) - EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
Number 030
CHAIRMAN MASEK indicated that the committee would consider CSSB
143(RLS), "An Act relating to education benefits for members of the
Alaska National Guard, Alaska Naval Militia, or Alaska Territorial
Guard."
Number 120
TIM BENINTENDI, Legislative Assistant to Senator Tim Kelly came
forward to testify on CSSB 143(RLS). This legislation makes
changes to the Alaska National Guard Tuition Assistance program.
It does not address funding or appropriation levels, just simply
policy changes. It would give the Adjutant General broader
authority to direct funds within the departmental budget in support
of recruitment and retention objectives. CSSB 143(RLS) would allow
the Adjutant General to authorize up to 100 percent payment for
tuition and required fees at Alaskan institutions where Guard
members might receive training and college course work commensurate
with the needs and objectives of the Guard.
MR. BENINTENDI added that this raises the Adjutant General's
authority from 50 percent payment limitations. It would also allow
the Adjutant General to prioritize categories of educational
benefits in terms of the needs the Guard may have at the time these
issues are reviewed. All of these changes are found in Section 3
of the bill. In Section 1, active Guard personnel are identified
as the group made eligible for educational assistance in Alaskan
facilities. Retirees and Territorial Guard members are now
excluded since so few funds are available and because Guard
leadership must focus on incentive for recruitment, as well as
retention of entry level personnel.
MR. BENINTENDI continued that Section 2, provides that recipients
of educational benefits be students in good standing in a program
or class work undertaken. In Section 5, there were a few
unnecessary or outdated references repealed. The committee
substitute deleted a sentence found to be outdated and superseded
by revisions in the Selected Service Act of 1967, which is the
governing federal law dealing with Reserve and National Guard
personnel. Federal law is gender neutral. It provides for
personnel to avail themselves the educational benefits during their
first term of enlistment and not afterward. Removing this language
would eliminate the perception of a separate set of criteria for
men and women.
MR. BENINTENDI summarized that he had reviewed the language change
in the Selective Service law with their bill drafter, the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Administrative
personnel and with their research agency. There has been no
opposition. This legislation is to help the leadership in the
National Guard to apply educational benefits when and where they
feel it is most appropriate under the circumstances.
Number 390
CAROL CARROLL, Director, Administrative Services Division,
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs came forward to testify
on CSSB 134(RLS). The Department fully supports this legislation
and they believed it would give the Adjutant General some
discretion with very limited funds, in order to direct these funds
for recruitment and retention.
CHAIRMAN MASEK asked if current Guard members would have to sign up
for an additional six years to be eligible for benefits under this
statute?
Number 480
MS. CARROLL responded that they would not. Usually what the Guard
would like to require them to do is to complete their initial
training which is about a four to six month period. Then these
funds would be directed to members. Individuals already in the
Guard would not have to sign up for additional six years, although
the Department would want them to stay a certain number of years if
education is going to be paid for, but this is not stated in this
legislation. This is discretionary.
REPRESENTATIVE IRENE NICHOLIA asked that when a person signs up for
the Guard how many years are they signing up for after the six
month training?
Number 540
MS. CARROLL responded, two to three years for the Guard and she
wasn't sure what the stipulations were.
Number 563
REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD FOSTER moved and asked unanimous consent to
move CSSB 143(RLS) out of committee with individual recommendations
and accompanying zero fiscal note. Hearing no objections, CSSB
143(RLS) was moved out of the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans Affairs.
ADJOURNMENT
Number 575
CHAIRMAN MASEK adjourned the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans Affairs meeting at 4:12 p.m.
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