04/23/2007 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 45                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     An  Act  authorizing  the  Department  of  Military  and                                                                   
     Veterans'  Affairs  to  establish  and  maintain  Alaska                                                                   
     veterans'  cemeteries;   and  establishing   the  Alaska                                                                   
     veterans' cemetery fund in the general fund.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAVID  GUTTENBERG,  SPONSOR,  commented  that                                                                   
Alaska veterans  deserve access  to a military  cemetery that                                                                   
honors their service  and recognizes their sacrifices.   On a                                                                   
per  capita  basis,  Alaska  has  more  residents  in  active                                                                   
military  service  than  any  other  state.    The  Veteran's                                                                   
Administration  (VA)   long  term  goal  is   to  provide  an                                                                   
operational cemetery within 75  miles of 90% of the veterans'                                                                   
in a state.   The nearest veterans' cemetery  to Fairbanks is                                                                   
Fort Richardson National Cemetery,  located 350 miles away in                                                                   
Anchorage.   HB 45  authorizes the  Department of Military  &                                                                   
Veterans'  Affairs  to  establish and  maintain  a  veterans'                                                                   
cemetery  with funds  from the  U.S.  Department of  Veterans                                                                   
Affairs State Cemetery Grants  Program.  Through the program,                                                                   
the Department of Military & Veterans  Affairs may be awarded                                                                   
up to 100%  of allowable costs for design,  construction, and                                                                   
operating equipment for an approved project.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:52:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker asked  about the  intent to  establish                                                                   
another special account in the  General Fund.  Representative                                                                   
Guttenberg  observed the  language was  recommended by  David                                                                   
Teal,     Director,     Legislative     Finance     Division.                                                                   
Representative  Hawker addressed  the receipt  of money  into                                                                   
the  Fund,  noting   that  the  Legislature   would  have  to                                                                   
authorize receipt authority for  every deposit.  He expressed                                                                   
concern  with dedicated  funds.   Co-Chair  Meyer noted  that                                                                   
there  are 85  [dedicated  funds] in  the  State of  Alaska's                                                                   
budget.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:56:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DANA  KRAWCHUK,   STAFF,  REPRESENTATIVE  DAVID   GUTTENBERG,                                                                   
responded  to questions  by Vice  Chair Stoltze.   She  noted                                                                   
that  their office  had been  in contact  with the  Veterans'                                                                   
Council  and  the  legislation  did  receive  their  support.                                                                   
Representative  Guttenberg  added  that  the bill  would  not                                                                   
reduce any current programs.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:59:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara  asked if  statutory  authority  already                                                                   
existed,  creating a  fund to accept  gifts.   Representative                                                                   
Guttenberg  had  been  advised  that  a  fund  could  provide                                                                   
accounting for funds other than the General Fund.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:00:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DANA NACHTRIEB, (TESTIFIED VIA  TELECONFERENCE), VETERANS' OF                                                                   
FOREIGN  WARS (VFW), FAIRBANKS  testified  in support  of the                                                                   
legislation,  commenting that  it will  add good feelings  in                                                                   
the community.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:01:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HARRY  FIELDS,   VICE  PRESIDENT,  ALASKA   NATIVE  VETERAN'S                                                                   
ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS,  testified in support  of HB 45.   He                                                                   
asserted  that there  are a  lot  of veterans  living in  the                                                                   
Fairbanks area, and emphasized  the need for the legislation.                                                                   
He  maintained  that  veterans  cannot  afford  the  cost  of                                                                   
internment in private cemeteries; it can cost up to $9,000.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:05:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker  reiterated his  concern  establishing                                                                   
separate funds.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Thomas spoke  in support  of the  legislation                                                                   
and  observed that  Alaska  has one  of  the highest  veteran                                                                   
concentrations in the United States.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair  Stoltze MOVED  to REPORT  CS HB  45 (MLV)  out of                                                                   
Committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal notes.  There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara OBJECTED for  purpose of discussion  and                                                                   
questioned  if  the  Department   of  Military  and  Veterans                                                                   
Affairs' fiscal note should be  zero.  Co-Chair Meyer advised                                                                   
that there would be some costs involved to the Department.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara  WITHDREW his OBJECTION.   There being NO                                                                   
further  OBJECTION,  CS  HB  45 (MLV)  was  reported  out  of                                                                   
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CS  HB 45  (MLV) was  reported out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation and with  zero note #1 by the Department                                                                   
of  Administration,  new  zero  note  by  the  Department  of                                                                   
Transportation  & Public Facilities  and a new  indeterminate                                                                   
note by the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs.