00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 162                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to absences from the state under the longevity bonus program."                                         
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 47.45.030(a) is amended to read:                                                                  
04            (a)  After qualification, a recipient shall notify the commissioner of                                       
05       administration when the recipient expects to be absent from the state if the absence is                           
06       for a continuous period that exceeds 60 [30] days.  After that notification, the recipient                    
07       may no longer receive bonuses from the Department of Administration after the last                                
08       regularly approved monthly application.  Upon returning to the state, the recipient may                           
09       again make application for a bonus.  Failure [WHENEVER THE ABSENCE IS FOR                                     
10       A CONTINUOUS PERIOD THAT EXCEEDS 90 DAYS THE RECIPIENT SHALL                                                      
11       BE DISQUALIFIED FROM RECEIVING BONUSES FOR THE NEXT 12                                                            
12       CALENDAR MONTHS AFTER RETURNING TO THE STATE.  HOWEVER,                                                           
13       WHEN THE COMMISSIONER DETERMINES A PERIOD OF ABSENCE IS                                                           
14       BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE RECIPIENT, THE RECIPIENT MAY NOT BE                                                     
15       DISQUALIFIED IF THE RECIPIENT STILL OTHERWISE QUALIFIES UPON                                                      

01       RETURNING TO THE STATE.  CONTINUAL ABSENCES FROM THE STATE,                                                       
02       EVEN THOUGH REPORTED, AND FAILURE] to notify the commissioner of an                                               
03       expected absence may be grounds for disqualification.                                                             
04    * Sec. 2.  AS 47.45.030 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                             
05            (c)  A recipient who has been absent from the state for a continuous period that                             
06       exceeds five years is permanently disqualified from receiving bonuses.                                            
07    * Sec. 3.  AS 47.45.070(a) is amended to read:                                                                     
08            (a)  An unqualified person is one who                                                                        
09                 (1)  does not meet the age or residence requirements as provided for                                    
10       under this chapter;                                                                                               
11                 (2)  meets the age and residence requirements of this chapter but either                                
12       is confined in a state or federal mental health institution or facility and is certified by                       
13       the state as unable to manage personal affairs, or resides in a nursing home as that                              
14       term is defined in AS 08.70.180; however, if that person, at the time of commitment or                            
15       commencement of residence, provided the principal support of a spouse, the                                        
16       commissioner of administration may determine to pay the confined person's bonus to                                
17       the person's spouse until the spouse is qualified for a bonus;                                                    
18                 (3)  is otherwise qualified but confined in a penal or correctional                                     
19       institution or facility; upon completion of sentence or upon the conferral of a pardon,                           
20       parole, or probation, the person may make application; confinement outside the state                              
21       shall be considered as residence in the state if a person was convicted and sentenced                             
22       from a court in Alaska; revocation of parole or probation shall be cause for immediate                            
23       disqualification until release from confinement is again effected;                                                
24                 (4)  [VOLUNTARILY LEAVES THE STATE AND REMAINS                                                          
25       ABSENT FROM THE STATE FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF MORE THAN                                                        
26       90 DAYS OR] is permanently disqualified under AS 47.45.030(c) [AS 47.45.030(b)];                              
27                 (5)  did not apply, under AS 47.45.010(a), before January 1, 1997, for                                  
28       qualification to receive a longevity bonus;                                                                       
29                 (6)  was found qualified to receive a longevity bonus and [,] was                                   
30       subsequently permanently disqualified under former AS 47.45.030(b) or former                              
31       AS 47.45.045 [FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OR MORE, AND DID NOT                                                  

01       REAPPLY BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1997].                                                                                  
02    * Sec. 4.  AS 47.45.030(b), 47.45.035, and 47.45.045 are repealed.