05/14/2003 09:40 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 26(STA)                                                                                             
     "An Act relating to state employees who are called to active                                                               
     duty as reserve or auxiliary members of the armed forces of                                                                
     the United States; and providing for an effective date."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the second  hearing for  this bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken  stated this bill,  sponsored by Senator  Taylor and                                                            
Senator  Elton "allow  the State  employees,  who are  members  of a                                                            
reserve military  unit, who  are called to  active duty, to  receive                                                            
their previous  salary and some or all of their State  benefits." He                                                            
noted  this bill  had been  held  in Committee  for  the purpose  of                                                            
learning why  the fiscal note is an  indeterminate amount.  He cited                                                            
State  personnel  information  that the  cost  of an  average  State                                                            
employee,  including  health  insurance,  retirement,  Supplemental                                                             
Benefits  System (SBS), and  wages, is $62,520  per year, or  $5,200                                                            
per month. He  noted the "total exposure" of the 75  State employees                                                            
in Alaska  serving in the  Air or Army National  Guard, but  relayed                                                            
that  the "vast  majority"  of  these employees  earn  higher  wages                                                            
serving in the  military than in their capacity as  State employees.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator Taylor  offered a motion to  report the bill from  Committee                                                            
with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Taylor  clarified  that the  State  would only  provide  an                                                            
amount  equal  to  the  difference  between   the State   employee's                                                            
military salary and regular State salary.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There was no objection  and CS SB 26 (STA) MOVED from Committee with                                                            
fiscal note  #1 affecting all agencies  in an indeterminate  amount.