04/26/2005 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

             SB 182-STATE VETERANS' CEMETARY & FUND                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   GENE  THERRIAULT   announced  SB   182  to   be  up   for                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:51:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEBORAH  GRUNDMAN, Staff  to Senator  Huggins, explained  that SB
  would put  in  place  the mechanism  for  the Department  of                                                               
Military and  Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to  establish and maintain                                                               
veterans' cemeteries in the state.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:53:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS, Sponsor, described  SB 182 as a forward-                                                               
looking approach.  It would create  a framework whereby  DMVA and                                                               
local communities  could work together  and find land  that would                                                               
become  state  land and  a  future  potential  site for  a  state                                                               
veterans'  cemetery. Based  on  demographics,  he suggested  that                                                               
Fairbanks would be a likely starting point.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KIM  ELTON questioned  whether  there  was a  difference                                                               
between SB 182 and the House bill.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS replied he  thought Representative Guttenberg had                                                               
a bill, but he wasn't sure  whether it was the same or different.                                                               
He advised that he has worked on this issue for several years.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS noted she had a copy of the House bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:58:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOYCE ROKEBERG,  Fairbanks, reported  that her late  husband also                                                               
had a  dream for a veterans'  cemetery in the Interior.  She made                                                               
the point  that it is difficult  for family and friends  to visit                                                               
cemeteries that are located a long distance from home.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:00:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JERRY  BEAL,   Director,  Department  of  Military   and  Veteran                                                               
Affairs,  testified   that  SB   182  is  more   substantial  and                                                               
comprehensive than the House bill.  He stated that the department                                                               
certainly  supports  the idea  of  having  an Interior  veterans'                                                               
cemetery.  During  the  recent   American  Legion  Convention  in                                                               
Kodiak, a  resolution was passed supporting  an Interior cemetery                                                               
for state veterans.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:02:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JUNE  CHANCE,  Administrative  Services  Manager,  Department  of                                                               
Military & Veterans Affairs, stated support for the bill.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There was no further testimony.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT noted  the indeterminate  fiscal  note and  the                                                               
Finance  Committee  referral.  He  asked  for  the  will  of  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS WAGONER  motioned to report SB  182 from committee                                                               
with individual  recommendations and attached fiscal  note. There                                                               
being no objection, it was so ordered.