Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
03/13/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB284 | |
| SB153 | |
| HB296 | |
| HB286 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 296 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 286 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 88 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | HB 284 | ||
HB 284-PFD ALLOWABLE ABSENCE: FELLOWSHIPS
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of HB 284. [Before the
committee was CSHB 284(FIN).] She noted that Senator French's
amendment and an objection to that amendment were pending.
9:10:35 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he had a packet of information supporting
Amendment 1, [adding AmeriCorps duty as an allowable absence for
permanent fund dividend (PFD) eligibility. AmeriCorps is a
domestic version of the Peace Corps, made up three main
programs: State and National, VISTA [Volunteers in Service to
America], and National Civilian Community Corps. Volunteers work
with community agencies, faith-based organizations, and non-
profits, like Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, and the
United Way. AmeriCorps volunteers are lawful U.S. citizens, at
least 17 years old, and they serve for ten to twelve months.
Volunteers are eligible for an educational award of up to
$4,725, and about half of the volunteers get a modest living
stipend. There are 74,000 volunteers nation-wide. He believes
there are 59 Alaskans serving in the Lower 48 who will be
affected by Amendment 1. They are Alaskans doing good work. He
noted the inequity of a Peace Corps exemption and no AmeriCorps
exemption. "It seems as least as noble to be re-building houses
in the wake of Hurricane Katrina as it is to be building houses
in Africa." An AmeriCorps volunteer in El Paso can see a Peace
Corp Volunteer waive a PFD check from across the river in
Mexico. "How can the Rio Grande keep an Alaskan in El Paso from
not getting a dividend check when an Alaskan in Juarez does?"
9:13:42 AM
BILLIE JOE CALDWELL, Alaska Program Director, AmeriCorps,
Seattle WA, said AmeriCorps is a national program and there are
three components to it. The VISTA program fights the war on
poverty. The State and National program provides opportunities
for citizens and tries to build capacity within their
communities. VISTA began in 1964, and the first people were
placed in Alaska in 1965. It is the prototype for other
AmeriCorps programs.
9:15:08 AM
CHAIR MCGUIRE said when she looks at exemptions for PFD absences
she looks at the term of service. It looks like this is a 10 to
12 month program. Can it be longer than that?
MR. CALDWELL said both VISTA and AmeriCorps members have a
limitation of three years. There are "allowabilities" for
another one or two years with a definite five-year cap. After
two education awards have been earned, a person cannot earn
another one; it would have to be a stipend of $1,200.
9:16:42 AM
CHAIR MCGUIRE said it takes years to get these exemptions
through. She wants to see the actual application to determine
that it is a federally-recognized program. She asked for a
better understanding of the term "service." She would like it in
writing in greater detail. She asked if there is a requirement
to return to the volunteer's place of residency. The Peace Corps
requires a plane ticket back to a person's home state.
AmeriCorps seems like a great service, but she wouldn't want a
person to come up to Alaska to qualify for a dividend and then
leave for a program that lasts many years.
9:18:30 AM
MR. CALDWELL said that would be impossible because of the time
limits. Like the Peace Corps, volunteers must declare their home
of record and they get a ticket back at the end of their
service. He will provide that in writing.
SENATOR BUNDE said that volunteers serve their communities, but
the program sends people to other states. He asked Mr. Caldwell
to clarify that.
MR. CALDWELL said he was referring to the state and national
program that is set up to serve in the person's state. The VISTA
program encourages locally-recruited volunteers, "but the real
effort is to bring people who have completed college into a
community and provide some leadership and mentoring to build the
capacity of the community to deal with their own problems." The
state-run program has members who are living in their community
working on their problems.
SENATOR BUNDE said this bill would only refer to VISTA
volunteers.
MR. CALDWELL said it would be all of them. If there is a project
in Alaska, for example, and it is a tribal NCCC [National
Civilian Conservation Corps] program. The volunteers could go on
work assignments outside Alaska, but predominantly they would
work in Alaska on a stream restoration project or any community
driven and oriented project.
9:21:28 AM
SENATOR BUNDE asked if an AmeriCorps/VISTA person assigned in
Alaska will be assigned temporarily outside of Alaska.
MR. CALDWELL said absolutely.
SENATOR BUNDE noted that Senator French said there were 59
Alaskans working outside. He asked for more information on them.
9:22:23 AM
MR. CALDWELL said he can get that. The VISTA volunteers are
predominantly college graduates.
BILL DILLON, State Program Specialist, Corporation for National
and Community Service, Seattle WA, said the corporation has been
studying what happens to the volunteers after completing their
service. They generally return to their communities and make
significant commitments to serving their community in many
different positions, like government, non-profits, and
education. As a result of their service, they tend to come back
and work to build healthy communities.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said Peace Corps volunteers have a higher than
average involvement in volunteerism, teaching, and nonprofit
work. When putting an exemption in statute, it needs to be clear
who it is for, how long, and how many Alaskan volunteers come
back. She would like that information.
9:25:00 AM
MR. CALDWELL said it will be difficult. All governments are
squeezed for cash, and tracking post-service volunteers is
challenging. There are current studies but he is not sure if
they are broken down into individual states. The information
probably will not be immediately available.
SENATOR FRENCH noted that AmeriCorps service can be one to five
years, and he asked what the most common length of service is.
MR. DILLON said it is typically one year, and a fifth may come
back for a second year. A third year is served "not very often,
and hardly ever for a fourth year."
SENATOR FRENCH said 80 percent of the volunteers serve for one
year, and 15 percent serve two, and maybe 5 percent serve three?
MR. DILLON said probably over 80 percent serve for a year. He
has been involved for 20 years.
9:26:51 AM
SENATOR FRENCH asked about his current assignment.
MR. DILLON said he is responsible for Washington and Alaska, and
Mr. Caldwell oversees Alaska programs, administering the
National Senior Service Corps program, foster grandparents,
senior companion, retired senior volunteers, and VISTA.
9:27:40 AM
SENATOR BUNDE asked how people are recruited.
MR. CALDWELL said word of mouth is the most effective, and there
is an electronic recruitment system. People make presentations
at high schools and colleges.
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAWKER, Alaska State Legislature, said this
is not a referendum on the merits of the AmeriCorps program, but
the issue is expanding the categories for allowable absences for
the PFD program. The allowance for absences for educational
purposes is well encapsulated in statute. Alaska students will
need to go to universities all over the world. Alaska can't
provide all opportunities in its university system. The
exemption for other vocational education actually uses the
criteria of "not reasonably available in the state". Some
AmeriCorps programs are available in Alaska. The purpose of HB
284, which was brought to him by a constituent, pertains to
regulatory language that is contrary to the intent of the law.
Amendment 1 adds an entirely new program, creating questions and
concerns. His concern is that there may be comparable programs
in the state. The Alaska youth restoration program is dedicated
to streambed restoration. The AmeriCorps website states: in
exchange … for a year of full-time service, AmeriCorps members
earn an educational award of $4,725 that can be used to pay for
college or graduate school or to pay back qualified student
loans. Someone may become a volunteer "truly from a volunteer
interest" or for the money. He said it is nothing against the
AmeriCorps process, but there is a separate bill on it, and he
asked the committee to reject Amendment 1.
9:32:45 AM
MR. CALDWELL asked how he saw the AmeriCorps program different
from the Peace Corps.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said it is irrelevant.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said the bill goes to the Health, Education and
Social Services Committee next. It took six years for her to get
an allowable exemption - it is not taken lightly. Members want
to see new exemptions done in a contained way that keeps it for
residents of Alaska. She suggested that Mr. Caldwell work with
Senator French and the sponsors of HB 401 and address the term
of service, the application, and place of return for the next
committee. She supports the AmeriCorps program and getting an
allowable absence for doing good work. She doesn't want to put
members in the position where they are pulling a bill out of the
House that they haven't heard much testimony on. Senator Green
maintains her objection.
9:35:52 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said there has been good testimony. The program
is chartered by the federal government. There is a total of 59
Alaskans in the program, 80 percent serve one year and return to
Alaska, and most are college students. They are doing good work
in the lower 48, and they get a modest stipend and a modest
educational award. "I'm not sure how much more information we
would need to get." This is a program of people who will do good
work volunteering and then do good work when they come back.
CHAIR MCGUIRE asked if he worked with the bill's sponsor.
SENATOR FRENCH said he respects Representative Hawker, but he
has not spoken to him on it.
CHAIR MCGUIRE said Representative Hawker doesn't like it. She
supports the idea but will not support the amendment at this
time. If the vote fails, Senator French should spend time with
the sponsor and the committee can take another look.
9:38:39 AM
A roll call vote was taken. Senator French voted in favor of
Amendment 1, and Senators Green, Stevens, Bunde, and McGuire
voted against it. Amendment 1 failed on a vote of 1 to 4.
SENATOR GREEN moved HB 284 from committee with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no
objection, CSHB 284(FIN) moved out of committee.
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