1998-03-04                     House Journal                      Page 2500
HB 465                                                                       
HOUSE BILL NO. 465 by the House Rules Committee by request of                  
the Governor, entitled:                                                        
                                                                               
"An Act relating to the temporary establishment of the Alaska                 
Disaster Assistance Program; and providing for an effective date."             
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                 
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated March 3, 1998, appears below:          
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
The 1997 fish returns to the Bristol Bay and Kuskokwim River regions           
were extremely low, causing a serious loss of income to those area             
residents involved in the fishing industry.  Last July, I declared an          
economic disaster in these regions.  The federal government later made         
a similar declaration.                                                         
                                                                               
To assist those suffering from income loss due to this disaster, I             
transmit this bill establishing the Alaska Disaster Assistance Program         
(ADAP).  Under this temporary program, the Department of Labor                 
may provide to eligible individuals one-time benefits of up to $1,400          
over a two-month period.  This benefit amount mirrors the payments             
that would be provided under the federal disaster unemployment                 
assistance program, had that been made available for this disaster.            
Funds for this state assistance program are included in the                    
supplemental appropriation bill.                                               
                                                                               
In order to qualify for the disaster funds, applicants must demonstrate        
they participated in, or planned to participate in the Bristol Bay salmon      
drift or set gillnet fisheries, or in the Kuskokwim River salmon gillnet       
fisheries during the 1997 season, and had some employment                      
connection to the fisheries in the previous two years.  Applicants must        
also have a family income that does not exceed 185 percent of the              
federal poverty guidelines.  Those receiving public assistance or              
unemployment insurance benefits will not be eligible for this program.         
                                                                               
The program is designed to make funds available as soon as possible            
and be repealed January 31, 1999, after the 1998 tax statements have           
been issued to recipients.