2000-02-02                     Senate Journal                      Page 2159
SB 237                                                                       
SENATE BILL NO. 237 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                              
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act relating to payment, allowances, and                                   
benefits of members of the Alaska National Guard                               
and Alaska Naval Militia in active service; relating                           
to computation of certain benefits for members of                              
the Alaska State Militia; and providing for an                                 
effective date.                                                                
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Finance          
Committees.                                                                    

2000-02-02                     Senate Journal                      Page 2160
SB 237                                                                       
Zero fiscal note published today from Department of Military and               
Veterans Affairs.                                                              
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated February 1:                                 
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
When members of the Alaska National Guard and Alaska Naval                     
Militia are called to active service for the state, it's important they        
be adequately compensated for their valuable work in a timely                  
manner. To that end, this bill simplifies the pay scale and system for         
the Alaska National Guard (ANG) and Alaska Naval Militia (NM).                 
                                                                               
Currently, when called to state active duty, members of the ANG                
and NM receive pay and allowances equal to those provided by                   
federal law for members of equivalent grades of the United States              
armed forces. Daily minimum pay is determined by grade and years               
of service with a statutory minimum. Allowances include food,                  
housing, cost-of-living increase, and quarters and are determined              
based on the circumstances of each individual.                                 
                                                                               
Calculating pay and allowances under the current law requires                  
obtaining information from the federal government regarding current            
pay scales and allowance amounts. This can cause significant delays            
in payment of ANG and NM members. It is also a labor-intensive                 
system involving numerous manual calculations with an unreasonable             
chance for errors.                                                             
                                                                               
This bill simplifies the pay system for state active duty by retaining         
statutory minimum pay, disregarding years of service, and eliminating          
allowances. Members will simply receive 200 percent of the                     
minimum basic pay for a member of an equivalent grade in the                   
active military -- or the statutory minimum, if greater. Simplifying           
the calculation will save administrative time and will result in               
members of the ANG and NM receiving their checks in a more                     
timely fashion.                                                                
                                                                               
                                                                               

2000-02-02                     Senate Journal                      Page 2161
SB 237                                                                       
The bill also provides that this proposed new pay scale will be used           
to calculate workers' compensation and death benefits for the                  
organized militia, which includes the Alaska State Militia as well as          
the ANG and NM.                                                                
                                                                               
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                       
                                                                               
					Sincerely,                                                                
					/s/                                                                       
					Tony Knowles                                                              
					Governor