02/02/2009 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 77(STA)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the Joint Armed Services Committee;                                                                    
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BILL WIELECHOWSKI,  read the  sponsor statement  for                                                                   
CSSB 77.   He explained  that the CS  for SB 77  reauthorizes                                                                   
the Joint Armed  Services Committee (JASC) which  was created                                                                   
in 1999.  At  that time Alaska was being considered  the site                                                                   
for deployment  of the  National Missal  Defense System.   In                                                                   
addition,  the   Base  Realignment  and   Closure  Commission                                                                   
(BRACC) was considering closing  vital military installations                                                                   
in Alaska.   JASC was created  for a ten-year period  to give                                                                   
the legislature  a voice  in the  national debate over  these                                                                   
issues.  JASC,  which has sixteen members that  are appointed                                                                   
by the House and Senate, has been  successful in representing                                                                   
Alaska's interests.   The committee was active  in advocating                                                                   
for  the establishment  of the  Missal Defense  Site at  Fort                                                                   
Greeley  and in protecting  Alaska's  bases during the  BRACC                                                                   
deliberations in  2005.  The  committee continues to  play an                                                                   
important role  in monitoring developments that  might affect                                                                   
the  military  in Alaska.    It  also  seeks to  protect  the                                                                   
interests  of Alaskans serving  their country.   In  May, the                                                                   
committee will  host a ceremony honoring Alaskans  who, since                                                                   
statehood, have lost their lives in combat.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  reported that on January  1, 2009, JASC                                                                   
sunsets  after  ten  years.     This  bill  reauthorizes  the                                                                   
committee and makes it permanent.   The sponsors believe that                                                                   
a permanent committee  is warranted because of  the strategic                                                                   
role  that Alaska  will continue  to play  in monitoring  and                                                                   
maintaining  the  security  of  the  nation.    The  original                                                                   
version of the bill sought to  reauthorize both the committee                                                                   
and   its   homeland  security   and   emergency   management                                                                   
subcommittee.   After further discussion it was  decided that                                                                   
the  subcommittee  did  not  need to  be  reauthorized.    He                                                                   
requested that  the CS be moved  out of Committee  as quickly                                                                   
as possible.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:36:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NANCY  DAHLSTROM, CHAIR, JOINT  ARMED SERVICES                                                                   
COMMITTEE,  listed the  members of the  original Joint  Armed                                                                   
Services Committee.   She emphasized  the importance  of JASC                                                                   
because of  BRACC coming up in  two years and a  major change                                                                   
in Washington.  It is unknown  how the bases will be handled.                                                                   
She  maintained   that  their  continuance  is   critical  to                                                                   
Alaska's safety and economics.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze stated  intent to act in a  timely manner on                                                                   
the bill.  He  thought the fiscal note would not  prove to be                                                                   
a problem.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MCHUGH PIERRE,  LIAISON, DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY  AND VETERANS                                                                   
AFFAIRS,  emphasized   that  the  Department   supports  JASC                                                                   
because it is  a vehicle to move information  on the economic                                                                   
impact of  the military bases  in Alaska.  He  explained that                                                                   
DMVA works with  all commands when briefing  the legislature.                                                                   
He thanked the Committee for their support.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kelly recalled  that unused funds are held and                                                                   
not  sent back  to the  general fund.   He  wondered if  that                                                                   
would change in CSSB 77.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hawker  related how,  in  the past,  the  operating                                                                   
budget  did not  lapse.    Currently, the  Governor's  budget                                                                   
carries  over,  but  the  legislature's   budget  now  lapses                                                                   
appropriations.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze stated that there was no public testimony.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:40:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hawker MOVED  to REPORT  CSSB 77  out of  Committee                                                                   
with individual  recommendations and the  accompanying fiscal                                                                   
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 77(STA) was REPORTED out  of Committee with a "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation and with fiscal note #1  by the Legislature.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:42:21 PM