04/17/1998 09:25 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 334(STA)                                   
"An Act relating to waiver of tuition and fees for                             
certain family members of a peace officer or a fire                            
fighter killed in the line of duty; and providing for                          
an effective date."                                                            
                                                                               
                                                                               
Co-Chair Sharp noted the time was short, but he wanted to                      
have a hearing on this bill.  The committee took a short                       
recess to summon the sponsor's staff member to speak to the                    
bill.                                                                          
                                                                               
BRUCE CAMPBELL, staff to Representative Pete Kelly, was                        
invited to come to the table.  He testified to the bill as                     
follows:                                                                       
                                                                               
"I am pleased to bring HB 334 before you.  This is a bill                      
that you may recall that we had a tragedy this last winter                     
in which a police officer gave his life in Fairbanks.  And                     
when we began to research the issue, we discovered that                        
police officers were not included in the existing tuition                      
waver program that we offer for military.  So this bill                        
offers that benefit to peace officers and to fire                              
departments."                                                                  
                                                                               
"There is a technical amendment requested by the drafters.                     
And they have discovered a technical defect that, as we                        
adjusted the process, we did in fact need to put 'a member                     
of the armed services' in the title of the bill.  So I have                    
a short amendment for you that achieves that."                                 
                                                                               
Senator Phillips interrupted asking if that would require a                    
resolution.  Mr. Campbell replied that it did not, that the                    
drafters said it was a technical defect, which could be                        
corrected under Uniform Rule 41-B.                                             
                                                                               
Co-Chair Sharp clarified that existing law already allowed                     
for widows and children of members of the armed services who                   
died in the line of duty to receive the waiver.  Mr.                           
Campbell affirmed.                                                             
                                                                               
Co-Chair Sharp asked if there were any other amendment the                     
sponsor wished to offer.  Mr. Campbell said no, just the one                   
already mentioned.                                                             
                                                                               
Co-Chair Sharp noted that several committee members were                       
absent and there was not enough votes to take action on the                    
bill, so he set the bill aside until a later meeting.