03/17/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

           HB  75-PERM FUND; EMPLOYMENT; ELIGIBILITY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:53:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 75,  "An  Act relating  to national  criminal                                                               
history record checks for certain  employees of the Department of                                                               
Revenue;  relating to  allowable absences  for eligibility  for a                                                               
permanent  fund  dividend;  relating to  the  confidentiality  of                                                               
certain  information  provided  on   a  permanent  fund  dividend                                                               
application;  relating to  electronic notice  of debt  collection                                                               
executed  on a  permanent  fund dividend;  and  providing for  an                                                               
effective date."  [Before the committee was CSHB 75(STA).]                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:54:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened  public testimony on CSHB  75(STA).  After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one who  wished to  testify, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:54:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE asked for  clarification on the status of                                                               
National Oceanic and  Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees                                                               
under CSHB 75(STA).                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:55:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JEREMY BYNUM,  Alaska  State Legislature,  stated                                                               
that  his  office found  additional  information  to justify  the                                                               
inclusion  of NOAA  employees in  the proposed  legislation.   He                                                               
deferred to Mr. Shaw.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:55:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TREVOR  SHAW, Staff,  Representative Jeremy  Bynum, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, on behalf of Representative  Bynum, prime sponsor of                                                               
HB 75, stated  that he found many similarities  between NOAA, the                                                               
United  States  Public  Health Service  (USPHS)  and  traditional                                                               
armed  services.   He  explained  that both  NOAA  and USPHS  are                                                               
required to  accept orders, with exceptions  for extreme hardship                                                               
in  case of  life-threatening illness  or the  death of  a family                                                               
member.   Otherwise,  he  stated, officers  would  be subject  to                                                               
disciplinary   action   should   they   decline   their   orders.                                                               
Additionally, he  noted that officers  are allowed to  attend the                                                               
Naval War College and the Army  War College.  He stated that NOAA                                                               
and  USPHS are  entitled  to receive  Tri-Care benefits,  tuition                                                               
assistance  under the  GI Bill,  and Arlington  National Cemetery                                                               
burials.   He  pointed out  that the  primary difference  between                                                               
NOAA  and USPHS  and  members  of other  armed  services is  that                                                               
members of NOAA and USPHS do not carry a firearm.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:57:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS  stated that upon  discussion with  the Permanent                                                               
Fund   Dividend  Division,   it   was  discovered   to  be   more                                                               
administratively efficient  to keep  the proposed  legislation as                                                               
is with  regards to potentially  wealthy students  returning home                                                               
from college out-of-state.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS entertained a motion.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:58:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HALL moved to report  CSHB 75(STA) out of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, CSHB  75(STA) was reported out  of the                                                               
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.