HB 2005: "An Act establishing the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 2005 01 "An Act establishing the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council; and providing for an 02 effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 44.35 is amended by adding new sections to read: 05 Article 2. Alaska Veterans Advisory Council. 06 Sec. 44.35.105. Alaska Veterans Advisory Council. There is created in the 07 Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council. 08 Sec. 44.35.110. Purpose. The council shall advise the Department of Military 09 and Veterans' Affairs and, through the governor, other departments and agencies of the 10 state on matters concerning state veterans, their dependents, and their survivors. 11 Sec. 44.35.120. Duties. (a) The council shall annually make 12 recommendations to the governor and the Department of Military and Veterans' 13 Affairs concerning the needs of and benefits for the state's veterans, for developing 14 public and private partnerships to meet those needs, for providing information
01 regarding veterans' benefits and services, for improving recognition of state veterans, 02 and on other matters concerning state veterans, their dependents, and their survivors. 03 (b) The council shall hold meetings and establish committees and internal 04 procedures as necessary and appropriate to carry out its duties. Meetings shall be held 05 quarterly or less frequently as the council determines is appropriate. To the extent 06 possible, the council shall use teleconferencing or other electronic means to minimize 07 the costs of meeting and to maximize public participation. 08 Sec. 44.35.130. Composition. (a) The council consists of 20 members who 09 are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor. The council shall include 10 one or more persons from a veterans organization, one or more persons from a state 11 agency that manages programs affecting veterans, and one or more persons from the 12 general public who are familiar with veterans' issues. 13 (b) Members of the council who are not state officers or employees are 14 appointed for staggered three-year terms and serve until a successor is appointed. A 15 member appointed to fill a vacancy on the council serves for the remainder of the 16 unexpired term of the member whose vacancy is being filled. 17 (c) The council shall elect a chair from among its members who are not state 18 officers or employees. 19 Sec. 44.35.140. Compensation, per diem, and expenses. Members of the 20 council receive no salary as council members. Members of the council who are not 21 state officers or employees are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized by 22 law for other boards and commissions. 23 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 24 read: 25 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS. (a) Contracts, rights, liabilities, and obligations 26 created by the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council established under Administrative Order No. 27 164 and in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act remain in effect and are 28 transferred to the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council established under this Act. Records, 29 equipment, and other property of the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council established under 30 Administrative Order No. 164 are transferred to the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council 31 established under this Act.
01 (b) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Act, the members of the Alaska Veterans 02 Advisory Council established under Administrative Order No. 164 whose terms of office have 03 not expired on or before the effective date of this Act may remain in their offices until the 04 expiration of their terms, except that they serve at the pleasure of the governor. 05 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 06 read: 07 REVISOR INSTRUCTIONS. In AS 44.35, the revisor of statutes is instructed to 08 (1) designate a new article, entitled "Article 1. Department Functions," 09 containing AS 44.35.010 - 44.35.040; and 10 (2) renumber existing AS 44.35.100 as AS 44.35.900 and designate a new 11 article, entitled "Article 3. General Provisions," containing AS 44.35.900. 12 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).