01/31/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 13                                                                                                            
     "An Act providing for the waiver of certain fees and                                                                       
     charges in state parks for disabled veterans."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:18:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator French  introduced SB 13  and voiced that  Alaska was                                                                   
one of the most  veteran rich and veteran friendly  states in                                                                   
the  nation. He  related that  because of  Alaskans' love  of                                                                   
the outdoors, it  was natural to extend many  of the benefits                                                                   
granted  to  disabled   veterans  to  areas  that   had  been                                                                   
overlooked.  In  the past  the  state  had granted  free  and                                                                   
discounted  access  to  park facilities;  the  bill  extended                                                                   
those benefits  to boat  ramps, RV  facilities, day  parking,                                                                   
and provided  at least a 50  percent discount for  public use                                                                   
cabins.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman   asked  if  there  was  a   percentage  of                                                                   
disability  that   triggered  the  benefit   status.  Senator                                                                   
French  replied that  50 percent  was the  standard that  the                                                                   
veteran's  administration   had  established.  Once   it  was                                                                   
determined that  the disability was service related  and more                                                                   
than  50  percent,  the  veteran   would  be  given  disabled                                                                   
status. He furthered  that state agencies were  accustomed to                                                                   
working  with  this  definition   in  order  to  ensure  that                                                                   
benefits went to deserving individuals.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  discussed an  updated fiscal note  from the                                                                   
Department   of  Natural  Resources   requesting  a   $10,000                                                                   
general   fund  appropriation   for  program   administration                                                                   
costs.  He  stated   that  $206,000  was  currently   in  the                                                                   
governor's  FY 13  budget request  and that  approval of  the                                                                   
request  and this  fiscal note  would  cover the  anticipated                                                                   
loss in revenue resulting from SB 13.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:22:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  queried  if  federal  parks  had  waivers  or                                                                   
something  similar  for  disabled  veterans.  Senator  French                                                                   
responded  that he  believed that  the  national park  system                                                                   
admitted disabled veterans free of charge.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  inquired  how   the  bill  would  affect  the                                                                   
maintenance  budgets of  the parks  that  were covered  under                                                                   
the legislation.  Senator French replied that  the prior year                                                                   
about 1,600  park passes  were issued  to disabled  veterans;                                                                   
it was  a small  number and  had a negligible  effect  on the                                                                   
overall  budget.  He  acknowledged that  the  park's  budgets                                                                   
were under strain  and stated that letting  more demographics                                                                   
in for free would leave less money for maintenance.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:24:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SB  13   was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration.