CSHB 249(MLV): "An Act creating the military and veteran family help desk in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 249(MLV) 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) provide a central point of contact for military members, veterans, 10 and their families seeking information, resources, and state services; 11 (2) provide information about state statutes, regulations, and court 12 decisions to military members, veterans, and their families; 13 (3) cooperate with the University of Alaska to research issues military 14 members, veterans, and their families may be facing;
01 (4) in coordination with local veteran service organizations, agencies, 02 and nonprofit organizations, identify and address the needs of military members, 03 veterans, and their families, facilitate coordination and communication to enhance the 04 range and quality of services, streamline the delivery of services, and share data and 05 information for improving services for military members, veterans, and their families; 06 (5) in coordination with military installations, federal departments that 07 operate branches of the military, municipalities, and other departments of the state, 08 provide recommendations to the department for improving assistance to military 09 members, veterans, and their families relating to issues including workforce 10 development, employment, physical and behavioral health, education, and access to 11 child care; 12 (6) in coordination with the Department of Labor and Workforce 13 Development, Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, 14 and other professional licensing entities, reduce barriers to employment for the 15 spouses of military members; 16 (7) upon request, assist a municipality with close economic or 17 community ties to a military installation in creating a military and veteran family 18 liaison; and 19 (8) provide an annual report to the adjutant general. 20 (c) In this section, 21 (1) "family member" means a person related to a military member or 22 veteran by blood, marriage, or adoption, and a person living in the military member's 23 or veteran's household on a permanent basis; 24 (2) "military" means the armed forces of the United States, the United 25 States Coast Guard, or the Alaska National Guard. 26 * Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).