02/09/2006 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB354 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 354 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
February 9, 2006
1:11 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative Jim Elkins
Representative Bill Thomas
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Max Gruenberg
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Lesil McGuire
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 354
"An Act relating to qualifications of the adjutant general; and
providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 354(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 354
SHORT TITLE: QUALIFICATIONS OF ADJUTANT GENERAL
SPONSOR(s): MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
01/09/06 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/09/06 (H) MLV, STA
01/19/06 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
01/19/06 (H) Bill Postponed
02/09/06 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
WITNESS REGISTER
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIKE BRIDGES, President
Alaska National Guard Officers Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as to the reasoning behind HB354.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:11:07 PM.
Representatives Lynn, Elkins, Thomas, and Cissna were present at
the call to order. Representative Gruenberg arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
HB 354-QUALIFICATIONS OF ADJUTANT GENERAL
1:11:19 PM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 354, "An Act relating to qualifications of the
adjutant general; and providing for an effective date."
1:11:37 PM
CHAIR LYNN informed the committee that he had consulted with
Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) administrators
and based on their suggestions had an amendment to offer.
1:11:50 PM
CHAIR LYNN moved that the committee adopt Conceptual Amendment
1, as follows:
Page 1, line 12;
Delete "shall"
Insert "should"
Page 1, line 12;
Delete "and give preference to"
1:12:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN clarified that the new version would read:
"the governor should consider persons with at least five years'
service in the Alaska National Guard or Alaska Air National
Guard."
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS commented that he liked "shall" more than
"should".
1:12:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA inquired as to the reasoning behind the
DMVA requesting "should" as opposed to "shall".
CHAIR LYNN explained that the concern was in regard to the
separation of authority between the legislature and the
[governor]; the legislature would potentially be dictating how
[the governor] appoints the adjutant general.
1:13:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS opined that if [line 12 of HB 354] reads
"should", the governor wouldn't be able to appoint whomever
he/she desired. Therefore, maintaining "shall" allows the
governor to appoint whomever he/she desires.
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS objected to adopting Conceptual Amendment
1.
1:13:44 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Thomas, Cissna, and
Lynn voted in favor of Conceptual Amendment 1. Representative
Elkins voted against it. Therefore, Conceptual Amendment 1 was
adopted by a vote of 3-1.
1:14:16 PM
CHAIR LYNN explained that the purpose of [HB 354] is to ensure
that Alaska has an adjutant general who is knowledgeable about
Alaska. Currently, the governor of Alaska is free to appoint
any citizen of Alaska, without other qualifications to be the
adjutant general. This legislation attempts to remedy that
situation by recognizing additional guidelines for appointees
because the nature of the job requires substantial experience
and understanding of military operations in general, and the
Alaska National Guard/Alaska Air Guard, in particular. He
opined that an Alaska adjutant general should be selected from a
cadre of professional Alaska officers who go through the
military educational process with active duty military.
1:15:18 PM
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIKE BRIDGES, President, Alaska National
Guard Officers Association, remarked that the National Guard is
unique among the military services because it serves two unique
audiences. The National Guard serves both the federal
government/commander in chief when "federalized" as well as the
active component of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, which
provide the majority of its [resources]. He noted that
depending on funding and [resources], the National Guard is
federally obligated to be equivalent in training, experience,
and capabilities to its active component peers.
1:16:37 PM
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BRIDGES stated that the aforementioned is a
major component of the [Alaska National Guard's] request that
the Alaska adjutant general be federally recognized as a general
officer. When the Alaska adjutant general is beyond Alaska
borders, it is important that he/she is equivalent in standing
to active duty general officers and adjutant generals of other
states, who are federally recognized as general officers. He
noted that if the Alaska adjutant general is not federally
recognized as a general officer, there is a significant
difference in his/her standing.
1:17:29 PM
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BRIDGES explained that in regard to the
National Guard, Alaska is unique in that it has unique criteria,
conditions, population, demographics, and emergency situations.
He opined that it would take a long time for a general officer
from the Lower 48 to become knowledgeable about Alaska. He
opined that the Alaska National Guard Officer Core has
grown/will grow "high quality" [officers] and they should be
looked at first for adjutant general.
1:18:45 PM
CHAIR LYNN, upon determining that no one else wished to testify,
announced the closure of public testimony.
1:18:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS opined that [HB 354] is a good bill,
except for the "should".
1:18:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA added that the only problem she foresees
is the [Alaska National Guard] not having enough [officers to
select from for the adjutant general position]. She suggested
that the committee hear testimony on that particular issue in
order to ensure that it isn't making it difficult to fill [the
adjutant general] position.
1:19:29 PM
CHAIR LYNN reiterated that he had talked with the [DMVA]
administration.
1:20:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS added that a general officer who is
originally from and/or enlisted in Alaska should be eligible for
the Alaska adjutant general position.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA surmised then that enlistment in Alaska
should be an alternative to five years of [service in the Alaska
National Guard or Alaska Air National Guard].
CHAIR LYNN, attempting to clarify, stated that the adjutant
general could be an Alaska resident, knowledgeable about Alaska,
who served outside of Alaska. He then reiterated that HB 354
doesn't require that the governor [appoint a general officer
with at least five years of service in the Alaska National Guard
or Alaska Air National Guard to fill the adjutant general
position].
1:21:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS opined that retired Alaska residents
should be eligible for the [Alaska] adjutant general [position].
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA inquired as to whether the committee would
be able to make [Representative Thomas' suggestion] a conceptual
amendment.
CHAIR LYNN responded that he didn't think such was necessary.
1:22:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS moved that the committee adopt Conceptual
Amendment 2, as follows:
Page 1, line 14;
Insert ", or began their regular service
enlistment in Alaska."
There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 2 was adopted.
1:24:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA moved to report HB 354, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes.
1:24:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked whether there's a need for an
immediate effective date.
CHAIR LYNN responded that he was unaware of a reason.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG remarked that he doesn't generally
favor [effective dates], unless there's a need [for them].
1:25:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA withdrew her motion.
1:25:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG added that typically, laws don't take
effect until 90 days after the governor signs them, unless
there's a reason for an immediate effective date, which requires
passage by a two-thirds majority.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BRIDGES informed the committee that there
isn't a specific reason for an immediate effective date.
1:26:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved that the committee adopt
Amendment 3, which would delete the immediate effective date,
thus deleting Section 2. There being no objection, Conceptual
Amendment 3 was adopted.
1:26:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA renewed her earlier motion to report HB
354, as amended, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection, CSHB 354(MLV) was reported out of the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
There was discussion regarding potential legislation, including
a specialized license plate for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as
well as appropriation/federal funding for the CAP.
1:28:56 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:28 p.m.
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