00SENATE BILL NO. 54                                                                                                      
01 "An Act relating to eligibility for the longevity bonus; and providing for an                                           
02 effective date."                                                                                                        
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 47.45 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                    
05  Sec. 47.45.015.  Maximum income for eligibility to receive longevity bonus.                                           
06 (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a person is eligible to receive                               
07 the bonus for the period from July of one year through June of the following year only                                  
08 if                                                                                                                      
09   (1)  the person is not married, or is married but is not sharing a                                                   
10 residence with the person's spouse, and the person's gross income for the calendar year                                 
11 preceding the July through June period is less than $60,000; or                                                         
12   (2)  the person is married, is sharing a residence with the person's                                                 
13 spouse, and the gross income of the person and the person's spouse for the calendar                                     
14 year preceding the July through June period is less than $80,000.                                                       

01  (b)  The commissioner of administration may, by regulation,                                                           
02   (1)  in order to verify gross income amounts,                                                                        
03   (A)  provide for access to records of a person who is applying                                                      
04 for or receiving a bonus; and                                                                                           
05   (B)  establish procedures for auditing gross income statements                                                      
06 made by a person who is applying for or receiving a bonus;                                                              
07   (2)  establish appropriate procedures for a hearing at the request of a                                              
08 person determined under this section to be ineligible for the bonus.                                                    
09  (c)  A period of ineligibility to receive the bonus under this section does not                                       
10 constitute disqualification for the bonus under this chapter.                                                           
11  (d)  In this section "gross income" has the same meaning as "adjusted gross                                           
12 income" in 26 U.S.C. 62, except that                                                                                    
13   (1)  income received from bonuses under this chapter is not included in                                              
14 gross income; and                                                                                                       
15   (2)  income that is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. 102                                               
16 (gifts and inheritances) and 26 U.S.C. 103 (interest on state and local bonds) is                                       
17 included in gross income.                                                                                               
18    * Sec. 2.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to the eligibility determinations for bonuses                            
19 paid on or after July 1, 1997.                                                                                          
20    * Sec. 3.  TRANSITION: REGULATIONS.  Notwithstanding sec. 5 of this Act, the                                         
21 commissioner of administration may proceed to adopt regulations necessary to implement the                              
22 provisions of this Act.  The regulations take effect under AS 47.45.100, but not before the                             
23 effective date of secs. 1 and 2 of this Act.                                                                            
24    * Sec. 4.  Section 3 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).                                     
25    * Sec. 5.  Sections 1 and 2 of this Act take effect July 1, 1997.