Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/13/2023 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB71 | |
| SB119 | |
| SB32 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 71 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 32 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 119 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 71-PAY FOR AK DEFENSE FORCE
3:32:00 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 71
"An Act relating to pay for the Alaska State Defense Force; and
providing for an effective date."
3:32:17 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked for a motion to adopt the proposed
committee substitute (CS).
3:32:29 PM
SENATOR MERRICK moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for
SB 71, work order 33-GS1579\B, as the working document.
CHAIR KAWASAKI objected for discussion purposes.
3:32:48 PM
JOE HAYES, Staff, Senator Scott Kawasaki, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, reviewed the following changes from
version A to B of SB 71.
Page 1, lines 9 - 12
Deleted
Page 1, line 9 - 10
Amended to add "Except as provided in (n) of this
section"
Page 1, line 12 through page 2, line 3
Adds a new subsection AS 23.05.260 (n) to read:
Members of the Alaska State Defense Force may receive
pay or allowances for training or community service
activity and the source of funding for the pay or
allowances in the authorization.
Page 2, line 15
Renumber the two sections accordingly.
3:33:54 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI removed his objection; finding no further
objection, version B was adopted.
3:34:09 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 71.
3:34:36 PM
LIEUTENANT BRENDA CARR, member, Alaska State Defense Force
(ASDF), North Pole, Alaska, testified in support of SB 71. She
explained that all ASDF members are volunteers who only get paid
when they are activated for emergency services. She said the
members are all very dedicated, but some can't afford to go on a
mission if it takes them away from their regular job for very
long. She talked about helping to put together the new
detachments in Gambell and Savoonga and the time it takes to get
the new members trained either in their community or with
another detachment. She said it's difficult for many ASDF
members to devote a week or more to help with this training when
they aren't getting paid and they're away from their regular
jobs.
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked if other ASDF members live in the
Fairbanks/North Pole area.
LIUETENANT CARR answered yes, a few ASDF members live in the
Fairbanks and Delta Junction areas. Many detachments are in
rural areas and the hope is that some will have prior military
experience so they can help with training. When that isn't the
case, it's necessary to send members to the community to provide
the training or have the new members travel to ASDF headquarters
in Wasilla for training.
CHAIR KAWASAKI read from a document that Senator Merrick
provided that shows the number of ASDF members and their
locations. The Fairbanks area has 7 ASDF members, 55 reside in
Wasilla, 50 in Kodiak, and others are spread throughout the
state.
He noted who was available to answer questions.
3:39:33 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI discerned that nobody else wished to testify and
he closed public testimony on SB 71.
3:39:44 PM
SENATOR MERRICK moved to report the CS for SB 71, work order 33-
GS33-GS1579\B, from committee with individual recommendations
and attached fiscal note(s).
3:39:56 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI found no objection and CSSB 71(STA) was reported
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.