04/27/2006 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

     CSHB 122(FIN)-NATIONAL GUARD INSURANCE & OTHER RELIEF                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR  CON   BUNDE  announced   CSHB  122(FIN)   to  be   up  for                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HEIDI REIFENSTEIN, staff to  Representative Dahlstrom, sponsor of                                                               
HB  122,  said it  supports  Alaska  National Guard  deployed  to                                                               
combat  zones  through  reimbursement  of  their  life  insurance                                                               
premium  while  deployed,  tuition  relief  and  academic  status                                                               
protection while deployed and upon  return from deployment a one-                                                               
year complimentary license for hunting or fishing or both.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  SEEKINS moved  to adopt  SCS CSHB  122(L&C), version  O.                                                               
There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. REIFENSTEIN  explained changes  said the  committee requested                                                               
that  added  the section  on  tuition  relief for  attending  the                                                               
University of Alaska and the  Alaska Vocational Technical Center.                                                               
A  one-year convalescence  period was  also added  that could  be                                                               
extended for  an additional year  with the approval  the Adjutant                                                               
General. "Convalescence" is defined  as a hospital, outpatient or                                                               
rehabilitation treatment  for an  injury suffered  while deployed                                                               
to  a  combat  zone  and  this  applies  to  the  life  insurance                                                               
provision.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Again,  at  the  request  of the  committee,  language  was  also                                                               
inserted to  clarify that the  complimentary hunting  and fishing                                                               
licenses  are good  for  one  year and  that  the life  insurance                                                               
premium would  be reimbursed  for the time  deployed to  a combat                                                               
zone.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
She added that  a memo was sent to the  all the committee members                                                               
answering the  question asked during  the last  hearing regarding                                                               
the cost  of the life  insurance premium.  The answer to  that is                                                               
$324  for soldiers  deployed on  a  12-month period  and $81  for                                                               
soldiers on a three-month deployment.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS expressed  gratitude  to Representative  Dahlstrom                                                               
for taking up the definition of a period of convalescence.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:45:35 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SEEKINS moved to report  SCS CSHB 122(L&C) from committee                                                               
with  individual recommendations.  Senators  Ben Stevens,  Davis,                                                               
Ellis, Seekins  and Chair Bunde  voted yea; so SCS  CSHB 122(L&C)                                                               
moved from committee.