Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
04/25/2023 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB155 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
April 25, 2023
1:06 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Stanley Wright, Chair
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Cliff Groh
Representative Andrew Gray
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ben Carpenter
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 155
"An Act establishing the Alaska Military Affairs Commission; and
relating to the duties and powers of the Alaska Military Affairs
Commission."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 155
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH AK MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMISSION
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STAPP
04/10/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/10/23 (H) MLV
04/20/23 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/20/23 (H) Heard & Held
04/20/23 (H) MINUTE(MLV)
04/25/23 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
BRITNEY SMART, Assistant
Mayor Bryce Ward
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 155.
TIM JONES, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 155.
JOMO STUART, President
Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 155.
REPRESENTATIVE WILL STAPP
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding HB 155, as
prime sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:06:50 PM
CHAIR STANLEY WRIGHT called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:06 p.m.
Representatives Groh, Gray, Shaw, Rauscher, Saddler, and Wright
were present at the call to order.
HB 155-ESTABLISH AK MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMISSION
1:07:32 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 155, "An Act establishing the Alaska Military
Affairs Commission; and relating to the duties and powers of the
Alaska Military Affairs Commission."
1:08:05 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT opened public testimony on HB 155.
1:08:29 PM
BRITNEY SMART, Assistant, Mayor Bryce Ward, Fairbanks North Star
Borough, expressed support for HB 155, on behalf of the
Fairbanks North Star Borough. She expressed the opinion that
the commission the bill proposes would help veterans integrate
into communities.
1:09:45 PM
TIM JONES, representing self, shared that he served 27 years in
the U.S. Army and retired in Fairbanks in 2011. He stated that
he participates in the town's local Tiger Team, which works to
help military families in communities. As budgets tighten, he
pointed out that the military would be looking more at its
decisions concerning its bases. He stated that it is important
for Alaska to have a knowledgeable, committed, and permanent
group that seeks out ways to build synergy between military and
civilian communities. He shared that he has recently served on
the governor's Alaska Civilian Armed Services Team, which was
formed to address statewide issues relating to the military in
the state. He stated that the group had served to advise the
governor and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs;
however, recently it was allowed to sunset. He suggested that
the proposed legislation would create a commission that would
provide similar services for Alaska on a more permanent basis.
He suggested that the proposed commission be made of members who
are knowledgeable of the operational requirements, as well as
the social needs of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S.
Coast Guard installations and the communities they operate in.
Furthermore, he suggested that the commission should have a
voice with lawmakers and the administration.
1:12:31 PM
JOMO STUART, President, Fairbanks Economic Development
Corporation, expressed the opinion that HB 155 is a great bill.
He said that the state should not be shy about properly
resourcing and staffing this sort of commission so that it can
be most effective in pursuing its goals.
1:14:00 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 155.
1:14:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER referred to the comment made by Mr. Jones
suggesting that the commission should represent the executive
and legislative branches. He asked whether a representative
from the Joint-Armed Services Committee should be on the
commission.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP expressed approval of the idea.
[HB 155 was held over.]
1:16:10 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:16 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 155 Supporting Document - FEDCO Letter of Support - Alaska Military Affairs Commission.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |
| HB 155 Supporting Document - 2023-04-24_FNSB_LOS_HB155.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 155 |