2023-02-15                     Senate Journal                      Page 0259
SB 71                                                                                                                         
SENATE BILL NO. 71 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                                
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
             "An Act relating to pay for the Alaska State Defense                                                              
          Force; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Finance                                                           
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                

2023-02-15                     Senate Journal                      Page 0260
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, indeterminate, Department of Military and                                                                   
          Veterans’ Affairs                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 14:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill authorizing pay for training and                                                         
drill activities of members of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF).                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The ASDF is a component of the organized militia of the state. The                                                              
ASDF operates solely under the authority of the state government and                                                            
provides valuable support to the Alaska National Guard in disaster                                                              
response and rural Alaska operations. Currently, members of the                                                                 
ASDF do not receive compensation when ordered to active duty by the                                                             
governor for the purposes of training and drill activities. However, the                                                        
ASDF still regularly engages in drill and training for emergency                                                                
response in a manner similar to the Alaska National Guard. This bill                                                            
will authorize pay for training and drill activities of the ASDF when                                                           
called to active service for those purposes by the governor.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Paid training will motivate current ASDF members and increase                                                                   
enlistment, especially in rural Alaska. This local emergency and                                                                
disaster response will be particularly valuable because the ASDF can                                                            
be immediately activated in remote parts of the state while awaiting                                                            
mobilization of the Alaska National Guard.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor