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.