00 SENATE BILL NO. 154 am H 01 "An Act relating to bidder preferences in state procurement; creating the military and 02 veteran family help desk in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; and 03 providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05  * Section 1. AS 36.30.321(i) is amended to read: 06 (i) To qualify for a preference under (b), (d), [OR] (f), or (l) of this section, a 07 bidder or offeror must add value by actually performing, controlling, managing, and 08 supervising the services provided, or the bidder or offeror must have sold supplies of 09 the general nature solicited to other state agencies, other governments, or the general 10 public. 11  * Sec. 2. AS 36.30.321 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 12 (l) If a bidder or offeror qualifies as an Alaska bidder and is a qualifying 13 entity, a two-percent preference shall be applied to the price in the bid or proposal. 14 The preference may not exceed $5,000. In this subsection, "qualifying entity" means 01 an entity that 02 (1) employs at least one person who is currently enrolled in, or within 03 the previous two years graduated from, a United States Department of Defense 04 SkillBridge or United States Army career skills program for service members or 05 spouses of service members that offers civilian work experience through specific 06 industry training, pre-apprenticeships, registered apprenticeships, or internships during 07 the last 180 days before a service member separates or retires from the service; or 08 (2) has an active partnership with an entity that employs an apprentice 09 through a program described in (1) of this subsection. 10  * Sec. 3. AS 44.35 is amended by adding a new section to read: 11 Sec. 44.35.025. Military and veteran family help desk. (a) The military and 12 veteran family help desk is created in the Department of Military and Veterans' 13 Affairs. 14 (b) The military and veteran family help desk shall 15 (1) provide a central point of contact for military members, veterans, 16 and their families seeking information, resources, and state services; 17 (2) provide information about state statutes, regulations, and court 18 decisions to military members, veterans, and their families; 19 (3) cooperate with the University of Alaska to research issues military 20 members, veterans, and their families may be facing; 21 (4) in coordination with local veteran service organizations, agencies, 22 and nonprofit organizations, identify and address the needs of military members, 23 veterans, and their families, facilitate coordination and communication to enhance the 24 range and quality of services, streamline the delivery of services, and share data and 25 information for improving services for military members, veterans, and their families; 26 (5) in coordination with military installations, federal departments that 27 operate branches of the military, municipalities, and other departments of the state, 28 provide recommendations to the department for improving assistance to military 29 members, veterans, and their families relating to issues including workforce 30 development, employment, physical and behavioral health, education, and access to 31 child care; 01 (6) in coordination with the Department of Labor and Workforce 02 Development, Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, 03 and other professional licensing entities, reduce barriers to employment for the 04 spouses of military members; 05 (7) upon request, assist a municipality with close economic or 06 community ties to a military installation in creating a military and veteran family 07 liaison; and 08 (8) provide an annual report to the adjutant general. 09 (c) In this section, 10 (1) "family member" means a person related to a military member or 11 veteran by blood, marriage, or adoption, and a person living in the military member's 12 or veteran's household on a permanent basis; 13 (2) "military" means the armed forces of the United States, the United 14 States Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 15 Commissioned Officer Corps, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned 16 Corps, or the Alaska National Guard. 17  * Sec. 4. Section 3 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).