00                             SENATE BILL NO. 207                                                                         
01 "An Act creating the military and veteran family help desk in the Department of                                         
02 Military and Veterans' Affairs; and providing for an effective date."                                                   
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 44.35 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
05            Sec. 44.35.025. Military and veteran family help desk. (a) The military and                                
06       veteran family help desk is created in the Department of Military and Veterans'                                   
07       Affairs.                                                                                                          
08            (b)  The military and veteran family help desk shall                                                         
09                 (1)  conduct outreach to and advocate on behalf of military members,                                    
10       veterans, and their families;                                                                                     
11                 (2)  provide direct assistance and information about state services to                                  
12       military members, veterans, and their families;                                                                   
13                 (3)  provide information about state statutes and regulations to military                               
14       members, veterans, and their families;                                                                            
01                 (4)  research issues military members, veterans, and their families may                                 
02       be facing and create informational materials relating to those issues;                                            
03 (5)  in coordination with military installations, the United States                                                     
04 Department of Defense, municipalities, and other departments of the state, provide                                      
05 recommendations to the department for improving assistance to military members,                                         
06 veterans, and their families relating to issues including workforce development,                                        
07       employment, physical and behavioral health, education, and access to child care;                                  
08                 (6)  assist the family members of a military member in obtaining                                        
09       professional licenses, credentials, or employment in the state;                                                   
10 (7)  in coordination with the Department of Labor and Workforce                                                         
11 Development, develop a standard form for the spouse of a military member to                                             
12 complete that details the spouse's skills, education, and training for the purpose of                                   
13       assisting the spouse in finding employment;                                                                       
14                 (8)  encourage a municipality with close economic or community ties to                                  
15       a military installation to create a military and veteran family liaison; and                                      
16                 (9)  provide an annual report to the adjutant general.                                                  
17            (c)  In this section, "family member" means a person related to a military                                   
18       member by blood, marriage, or adoption, and a person living in the military member's                              
19       household on a permanent basis.                                                                                   
20    * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).