00                             HOUSE BILL NO. 148                                                                          
01 "An Act establishing the office of military and veteran student assistance at the                                       
02 University of Alaska; relating to the duties of the Department of Military and Veterans'                                
03 Affairs and establishing educational assistant positions in the Department of Military                                  
04 and Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of facilitating enrollment and retention of active                                
05 duty military and their dependents and veterans in education benefits and in the                                        
06 University of Alaska."                                                                                                  
07 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
08    * Section 1. AS 14.40 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
09            Sec. 14.40.053. Establishment of the office of military and veteran student                                
10       assistance. (a) The University of Alaska shall establish an office of military and                              
11       veteran student assistance at the Anchorage and Fairbanks campus locations for the                                
12       purpose of providing statewide outreach and coordination of military and veteran                                  
13       student educational assistance.                                                                                   
01            (b)  The persons employed under AS 44.35.025 shall provide educational                                       
02       assistance at the office established under (a) of this section to incoming, enrolled, and                         
03       graduating military and veteran students. In this subsection, "military and veteran                               
04       students" has the meaning given in AS 44.35.025.                                                                  
05            (c)  The University of Alaska may provide support in the form of equipment,                                  
06       publications, and staffing to assist the coordinators in carrying out the duties                                  
07       established under AS 44.35.025.                                                                                   
08    * Sec. 2. AS 44.35.020(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
09            (a)  The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall                                                  
10                 (1)  conduct the military affairs of the state as prescribed by the                                     
11       Military Code;                                                                                                    
12                 (2)  cooperate with the federal government in matters of mutual                                         
13       concern pertaining to the welfare of Alaska [ALASKAN] veterans, including                                     
14       establishing, extending, or strengthening services for veterans in the state; [AND]                               
15                 (3)  annually, not later than February 1, make available a report to the                                
16       legislature, through the governor, outlining the department's activities during the                               
17       previous calendar year; the department shall notify the legislature that the report is                            
18       available; and                                                                                                
19                 (4)  cooperate with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary                                          
20       Education and the University of Alaska to provide educational assistance to                                   
21       Alaska veterans and active duty military dependents as provided in AS 44.35.025.                              
22    * Sec. 3. AS 44.35 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                     
23            Sec. 44.35.025. Educational assistance; personnel. (a) The Department of                                   
24       Military and Veterans' Affairs shall employ not fewer than two full-time equivalent                               
25       persons to provide year-round educational assistance at the office of military and                                
26       veteran student assistance of the University of Alaska established under AS 14.40.053.                            
27            (b)  The persons employed under this section shall                                                           
28                 (1)  advise the University of Alaska and the Alaska Commission on                                       
29       Postsecondary Education on issues unique to military and veteran students;                                        
30                 (2)  provide, before and after separation from military service,                                        
31       educational assistance to military and veteran students that includes                                             
01                      (A)  facilitating the process for                                                                  
02                           (i)  verification and enrollment in optional federal and                                      
03                 state education benefits packages available to veterans and dependents                                  
04                 of active duty military personnel;                                                                      
05                           (ii)  registration and enrollment in the University of                                        
06                 Alaska;                                                                                                 
07                           (iii)  financial aid applications, benefits, and renewals;                                    
08                      (B)  monitoring progress toward graduation or attainment of a                                      
09            graduate degree;                                                                                             
10                      (C)  providing necessary referrals for academic counseling and                                     
11            health care;                                                                                                 
12                      (D)  making recommendations to teaching staff that will assist                                     
13            in understanding and accommodating mental and physical health needs unique                                   
14            to the military experience;                                                                                  
15                 (3)  provide public and student outreach and education on topics related                                
16       to military and veteran students.                                                                                 
17            (c)  In this section, "military and veteran student" means a person who is a                                 
18       resident of the state and who is a member of the armed forces of the United States or                             
19       the State of Alaska on active duty, a dependent of a member of the armed forces of the                            
20       United States or the State of Alaska on active duty, or a veteran of the armed forces of                          
21       the United States or the State of Alaska.