Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
04/25/2024 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Vietnam War Native Allotments | |
| SB154 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 154 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
April 25, 2024
1:16 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Stanley Wright, Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Cliff Groh
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative Andrew Gray
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: VIETNAM WAR NATIVE ALLOTMENTS
- HEARD
SENATE BILL NO. 154
"An Act relating to bidder preferences in state procurement."
- MOVED SB 154 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 154
SHORT TITLE: BIDDER PREF MILITARY CAREER SKILLS PROG
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) WIELECHOWSKI
05/17/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/23 (S) L&C
03/04/24 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/04/24 (S) Heard & Held
03/04/24 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
03/29/24 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/29/24 (S) DP: BJROKMAN, DUNBAR
03/29/24 (S) NR: MERRICK
03/29/24 (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)
04/02/24 (S) RULES TO CALENDAR
04/02/24 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME
04/02/24 (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/3 CAL
04/03/24 (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1
04/03/24 (S) COSPONSOR(S): KAWASKI, TOBIN, GRAY-
JACKSON, CLAMAN, MYERS
04/03/24 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/03/24 (S) VERSION: SB 154
04/05/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/05/24 (H) H(MLV)
04/09/24 (H) MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS AT 1:00 PM
GRUENBERG 120
04/09/24 (H) -- Invited & Public Testimony --
04/09/24 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/16/24 (H) MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS AT 1:00 PM
GRUENBERG 120
04/16/24 (H) Heard & Held
04/25/24 (H) MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS AT 1:00 PM
GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
VINCE TUTIAKOFF, Mayor
City of Unalaska
Unalaska, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on the Alaska Native Vietnam-era
Veterans Land Allotment Program.
NICHOLAI LEKANOFF, representing self
Unalaska, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on the Alaska Native Vietnam-era
Veterans Land Allotment Program.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:16:07 PM
CHAIR STANLEY WRIGHT called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:16 p.m.
Representatives Carpenter, Groh, and Wright were present at the
call to order. Representatives Saddler and Rauscher arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: VIETNAM WAR NATIVE ALLOTMENTS
PRESENTATION: VIETNAM WAR NATIVE ALLOTMENTS
1:16:54 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the first order of business would be
the presentation on Vietnam War Native land allotments.
1:17:15 PM
VINCE TUTIAKOFF, Mayor, City of Unalaska, testified on the
Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program. He
shared that he served in the U.S. Navy from 1967 to 1971.
NICHOLAI LEKANOFF, representing self, shared that he served in
the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1971.
MR. TUTIAKOFF stated that he had been unaware that land was
being offered to Native veterans, as the program [started in
2019]. He noted that in Unalaska and the Aleutian Islands there
is no land available in the program, as it is U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service land or state land with airports. He stated
that the Ounalashka Corporation is the village corporation in
the area, and it has received over 150,000 acres, and this
covers the prime spots for the veteran land application. He
stated he has filed six different claims with the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), but each area was unavailable. He stated that
he and Mr. Lukanoff and others have selected land in Bristol
Bay, north of Naknek, and they are awaiting confirmation. He
stated that of the 11 Native Vietnam veterans in Unalaska, only
4 are left. He stated that he is getting older and would like
this process completed. He requested that the state open land
in the Aleutian Islands for this purpose.
1:20:24 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT questioned how long he has been working on this
issue.
MR. TUTIAKOFF responded that this is around the fourth year, and
he pointed out that the deadline is five years after the
original application process started. He expressed the
understanding that there were 3,000 Native veterans that filed
applications, but only 51 have been certified, with the rest in
the process of being surveyed or reviewed by BLM.
CHAIR WRIGHT questioned how long the process has taken for those
who have been successful.
MR. TUTIAKOFF stated that the BLM surveys can only be done in
the spring and summer, and he estimated that the survey, which
is the longest part, should only take three to four months.
1:22:10 PM
MR. TUTIAKOFF introduced Mr. Lekanoff.
CHAIR WRIGHT offered closing comments and thanked the
testifiers.
1:23:57 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:23 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
SB 154-BIDDER PREF MILITARY CAREER SKILLS PROG
1:30:34 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the final order of business would be
SENATE BILL NO. 154, "An Act relating to bidder preferences in
state procurement."
1:31:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER moved to report SB 154 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, SB 154 was reported out of the
House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
1:31:39 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:31 p.m. to 1:34 p.m.
1:34:57 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT invited Representative Rauscher to speak.
1:35:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER gave a tribute to Abby St. Clair, a
staff member who would soon be leaving.
1:38:51 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT made closing comments.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:39 p.m.
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