03/30/2009 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 45                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  state employment  preferences for                                                                    
     veterans, former  prisoners of war, and  members of the                                                                    
     Alaska  National Guard;  authorizing the  Department of                                                                    
     Military  and   Veterans'  Affairs  to   establish  and                                                                    
     maintain Alaska veterans'  cemeteries; establishing the                                                                    
     Alaska  veterans' cemetery  fund in  the general  fund;                                                                    
     and authorizing  the legislature to  appropriate income                                                                    
     from fees collected  for commemorative veterans' plates                                                                    
     to the Alaska veterans' cemetery fund."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:02:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  reviewed SB  45.  He  explained that  the                                                                    
hearing  was the  second for  SB 45,  with public  testimony                                                                    
taken at  the initial Senate Finance  Committee meeting. The                                                                    
current intent is brief discussion of the legislation.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GENE   THERRIAULT  reviewed  the   legislation.  He                                                                    
explained  that the  bill contains  two sections.  The first                                                                    
allows  a specialty  request plate  for Alaska  veterans. He                                                                    
explained that funds generated are  routed into a new Alaska                                                                    
veteran's cemetery  fund. The funds are  appropriated by the                                                                    
legislature  for  the  creation   of  a  veteran's  cemetery                                                                    
including  the  ongoing  maintenance of  the  cemetery.  The                                                                    
legislation   alters   the  veteran's   hiring   preferences                                                                    
currently  in   statute.  Finally,  the  end   of  the  bill                                                                    
references the  Alaska veteran's cemeteries and  the federal                                                                    
codes  enabling the  statute  to conform  to  the codes.  He                                                                    
mentioned  that the  Fairbanks North  Star Borough  passed a                                                                    
resolution in  support of the  creation of this  cemetery in                                                                    
Interior  Alaska  and  recently   passed  a  new  resolution                                                                    
updating  support  to  ensure  awareness  that  the  current                                                                    
assembly supports the effort.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  noted that Alaska's oldest  cemetery is in                                                                    
Sitka.  The  cemetery  is   currently  near  capacity,  with                                                                    
expansion  issues.   Alaska  has  the  highest   percent  of                                                                    
veterans per capita in the  country. The proposal is to move                                                                    
forward with a  state sponsored cemetery in  a location that                                                                    
is accessible to most state residents.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:06:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  suggested  that  cemeteries  operated  by                                                                    
municipalities  and  dedicated  to veterans  are  funded  by                                                                    
collected fees. He requested the  opportunity to address his                                                                    
concern.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  discussed the  fiscal note  dated February                                                                    
6,   2009  illustrating   a  $250   thousand  general   fund                                                                    
appropriation, the next fiscal  note dated February 23, 2009                                                                    
shows a  $750 thousand general fund  appropriation. He noted                                                                    
that the governor originally set  aside $250 thousand in the                                                                    
FY10 capital  budget, which was since  removed. He suggested                                                                    
that  the  committee adopt  the  initial  fiscal note  dated                                                                    
February 6, 2009.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:08:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  MOVED to report  CSSB 45 out  of Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
note dated  February 6, 2009.  There being NO  OBJECTION, it                                                                    
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  45  was  REPORTED  OUT of  Committee  with  individual                                                                    
recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal  note  dated                                                                    
February 6, 2009.