02/22/2025 01:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

            HB 75-PERM FUND; EMPLOYMENT; ELIGIBILITY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:02:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ASHLEY CARRICK  announced that the first  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."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:03:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM,  Alaska State Legislator, as  prime sponsor,                                                               
gave a quick overview of HB 75  and its intentions.  He said that                                                               
there   are  several   provisions  within   the  proposed   bill,                                                               
specifically around the  permanent fund dividend (PFD).   He said                                                               
these  include  fingerprint   background  checks  for  employees;                                                               
allowable absence  changes to allow  Merchant Mariners  access to                                                               
United   States  Coast   Guard   approved  vocational   programs;                                                               
clarification  for the  portions of  school breaks  and holidays;                                                               
clarifications  for  absences   allowed  as  voluntary  absences;                                                               
provisions to make PFD application  material confidential; and an                                                               
opt-in or opt-out  option for levy notices to be  electronic.  He                                                               
said the effective date would be January 2026.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:06:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARRICK  opened   public  testimony  on  HB   75.    After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one wo  wished to  testify, she                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:06:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BYNUM told committee  members that he would provide                                                               
written  responses  to  questions  from  the  previous  committee                                                               
hearing  [2/18/25] and  noted  that some  of  the information  is                                                               
difficult to obtain.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:07:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK  after ascertaining  that there were  no additional                                                               
questions, set  an amendment  deadline and  announced that  HB 75                                                               
was held over.