SB 145-VETS' RETIREMENT/LOANS/HOUSING/EMPLOYMENT  10:08:00 AM CHAIR DYSON announced the consideration of SB 145. CURTIS THAYER, Commissioner, Department of Administration, Juneau, Alaska, presented information about SB 145. He explained that there are over 75,000 veterans and 25,000 active military with their families in Alaska. The bill was introduced by the Governor to rectify three main provisions in statute. First, there is a hiring preference for veterans, which the state has not revised since the Vietnam War. SB 145 would bring this provision up to date and in line with federal definitions. He said the second revision concerns Alaska Housing Finance. It allows the federal definition of a veteran to also be used by the state for the Alaska Housing Program and for future federally funded veteran programs. Thirdly, the state is not in compliance with the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act, passed by Congress in 2008. The bill would provide benefits to the family of a state employee in the reserves, who is called up to active duty and is killed. The family would receive state benefits the employee would have received if they had remained employed. He pointed out that the state is out of compliance on these issues and there is an audit coming in 2015. COMMISSIONER THAYER noted a zero fiscal note because the aforementioned situation has never occurred. He called SB 145 a "clean up bill." CHAIR DYSON asked Commissioner Thayer if he knows of any opposition to the bill. COMMISSIONER THAYER answered no. 10:11:52 AM CHAIR DYSON announced the committee would stand at ease. CHAIR DYSON [held SB 145 in committee.]