02/28/2006 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

    CSHB 167(STA)AM-DECEASED VETERAN DEATH CERTIFICATE/HONOR                                                                
                                                                                                                              
3:37:42 PM                                                                                                                  
CHAIR  THERRIAULT announced  HB  167  to be  the  first order  of                                                               
business.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, Chair of  the House Special Committee on                                                               
Military and Special  Affairs, stated that HB 167  sends a signal                                                               
that Alaska supports its troops.  It provides that when a veteran                                                               
passes away eligible family members  receive, free of charge, one                                                               
copy  of the  certified death  certificate  and one  copy of  the                                                               
Governor's Memorial Certificate. The latter  is a program that is                                                               
modeled after  the Presidential Memorial Certificate  Program and                                                               
acknowledges the State's appreciation  for the deceased veteran's                                                               
service.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:39:04 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  CHARLIE  HUGGINS  expressed  support for  the  bill  and                                                               
mentioned the fiscal note.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said it's less that $1,000 per year.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT noted that the fiscal note is zero.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN responded it's actually indeterminate.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT  referenced page 3,  lines 4,5, and 6  and noted                                                               
that Alaska  Territorial Guard isn't  listed, but  the definition                                                               
of veteran under AS 26.10.080 includes that group.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN responded he would  be amenable to a friendly                                                               
amendment to include that group.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS moved to insert  Alaska Territorial Guard on page                                                               
3, line 4 after the word "force."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT found no objection  and announced that his staff                                                               
would  work  with the  drafter  to  determine  how it  should  be                                                               
inserted.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Referring  to   the  Health  and  Social   Services  fiscal  note                                                               
analysis,  he asked  if the  idea  is to  establish a  reasonable                                                               
limit to the number of  complementary copies that are provided to                                                               
the families.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN  replied, establishing a reasonable  limit is                                                               
acceptable.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  questioned  how  many  certificates  would  be                                                               
reasonable.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS recommended it not exceed five.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN agreed.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  recapped  the  discussion  for  Representative                                                               
Gruenberg.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MAX  GRUENBERG directed attention to  page 2, line                                                               
23  and said  that each  eligible  member of  a veteran's  family                                                               
would receive a certificate and  it's for the purpose of applying                                                               
for death benefits.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS  said his experience  is that  families typically                                                               
need  five copies  and  he would  suggest that  it  say, "not  to                                                               
exceed five."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG agreed.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:48:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PHILIP MITCHELL, State Registrar with  the Department of Health &                                                               
Social Services, advised  that he helped prepare  the fiscal note                                                               
and that five was used in the calculations.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:50:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN CRAMER, Director of the  Administrative Services Division of                                                               
the Department  of Military & Veterans  Affairs, stated agreement                                                               
with a  previous statement  that the  definition of  "veteran" is                                                               
given  in AS  26.10.080 and  it includes  the Alaska  Territorial                                                               
Guard.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  observed that  it's  confusing  that the  bill                                                               
doesn't  include the  Alaska  Territorial Guard  in  the list  of                                                               
veteran groups  being addressed yet the  Alaska Territorial Guard                                                               
is included  in the statutory  definition of "veteran,"  which is                                                               
referenced in another section of the bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. CRAMER suggested the reference  to Alaska Scouts is confusing                                                               
because  the   Alaska  Territorial   Guard  members   were  scout                                                               
battalions and  therefore the  Alaska Territorial  Guard includes                                                               
the Alaska Scouts.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  asked if  an Alaskan resident  who died                                                               
and wasn't yet retired would be covered.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS  informed members  that you're  a veteran  on the                                                               
first day of service whether you're on active duty or not.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT announced  he would hold HB 167  in committee to                                                               
work with the drafters to:  delete reference to Alaska Scouts and                                                               
insert Alaska  Territorial Guard; limit  the number of  copies to                                                               
not exceed five;  and correlate the fiscal note to  the math that                                                               
was used.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG  remarked the  drafters might  prefer to                                                               
use the term veteran with no specific references.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT  said he'd  take that up  with the  drafters and                                                               
hopefully have a CS for the committee to consider soon.