04/24/2024 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 85                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act   relating  to   record  checks   for  certain                                                                    
     employees  of the  Department of  Revenue; relating  to                                                                    
     permanent   fund  dividends;   and  providing   for  an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:03:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson relayed that the  committee heard the bill on                                                                    
February 26, 2024 and had taken public testimony.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:04:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEN  ALPER,  STAFF TO  SENATOR  OLSON,  discussed the  bill,                                                                    
which was the  governor's bill that came  to the legislature                                                                    
through the  Department of Revenue. The  bill addressed some                                                                    
issues related to Permanent  Fund Dividend (PFD) eligibility                                                                    
specifically for  university students and  Merchant Marines.                                                                    
The  bill  also  allowed  the division  to  fingerprint  and                                                                    
background check employees as a security measure.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Alper  continued that  there  were  a couple  of  minor                                                                    
changes  in the  committee  substitute  pertaining to  fraud                                                                    
issues and confidential personal  information as well as the                                                                    
effective date.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  asked how many  people would be  affected by                                                                    
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Alper  did not have  a figure  to offer but  thought the                                                                    
Merchant Marine number  was close to ten.  He estimated that                                                                    
the  number  of university  students  would  be small.    He                                                                    
deferred to the administration and the University.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:06:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson considered the fiscal note.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Alper explained that the  fiscal note reflected a change                                                                    
in administrative  function and  the work would  be absorbed                                                                    
with existing resources.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl MOVED to report  CSSB 85(FIN) out of Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  85(FIN) was  REPORTED out  of committee  with two  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations  and  with five   no  recommendation                                                                     
recommendations, and  with one forthcoming zero  fiscal note                                                                    
from the Department of Revenue.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:07:40 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:09:55 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED