2020-02-21                     Senate Journal                      Page 1814
SB 217                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 217 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act establishing state land vouchers; relating to                                                                 
          restricted land sales for veterans; relating to the                                                                   
          veterans' land purchase discount; relating to the                                                                     
          permanent fund dividend; relating to the duties of the                                                                
          Department of Revenue; authorizing the Department                                                                     
          of Natural Resources to accept state land vouchers;                                                                   
          relating to eligibility for public assistance; and                                                                    
          providing for an effective date."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Resources and Finance                                                               
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, indeterminate, Department of Natural                                                                        
  Resources                                                                                                                     
 Fiscal Note No. 2, Department of Revenue                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 20:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Giessel:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18 of the Alaska                                                                    
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill that would create an option for                                                          
Alaskans eligible for the Permanent Fund Dividend to choose to                                                                  

2020-02-21                     Senate Journal                      Page 1815
receive a land sales voucher for use to purchase state land instead of a                                                        
monetary payment. One of the top priorities of my administration is to                                                          
increase access to Alaska’s lands for Alaskans.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The voucher would be issued by the Department of Revenue and have                                                               
a value set at twice the amount of the monetary dividend as calculated                                                          
by the current statutory formula. A voucher could be used alone or in                                                           
combination with other vouchers to purchase parcels of land offered                                                             
for sale by the Department of Natural Resources.  Land vouchers may                                                             
also be used in combination with the veterans’ land purchase price                                                              
discount and separately towards the purchase of land offered at a                                                               
restricted land sale.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The land vouchers do not expire and are transferable to another person                                                          
like any other piece of intangible property. They would be available as                                                         
payment for land sales contracts entered into on or after the effective                                                         
date of this bill. If a person who opts to receive a voucher is subject to                                                      
a writ of garnishment, or other means of collecting repayment of a                                                              
debt, a creditor may attach a land voucher up to the amount available                                                           
based on that year’s cash dividend.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The Department of Revenue would annually report the number and                                                                  
amount of vouchers issued and the Department of Natural Resources                                                               
would report the number and value of vouchers accepted for purchase                                                             
of land.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
For decades, eligible Alaskans have received and invested all or a                                                              
portion of their share of Alaska’s resource wealth into our economy.                                                            
This bill will encourage and support Alaskans to invest in one of our                                                           
greatest assets – our land.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
In order to provide for more state land for private ownership and to                                                            
encourage the development of our greatest asset for Alaskans, I urge                                                            
your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor