05/02/2024 05:15 PM Senate JUDICIARY

         SB 223-ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL APPOINTMENT                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:09:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 223                                                               
"An  Act relating  to the  appointment of  an assistant  adjutant                                                               
general; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:09:49 PM                                                                                                                    
ANGELA LAFLAMME, Legislative Liaison,  Department of Military and                                                               
Veterans  Affairs (DMVA),  Anchorage, Alaska,  explained that  SB
  would expand  the pool  of potentially  qualified candidates                                                               
for  the  positions  of  assistant  adjutant  general  (ATAG)  by                                                               
changing an  existing requirement to a  preference. She explained                                                               
that ATAG  serves as  a state director  while holding  a military                                                               
designation (ATAG is commander of  both the Army and Air National                                                               
Guard). She said that there  are limited positions within the Air                                                               
National Guard that meet the  federal designation requirements to                                                               
fill these positions, and finding  candidates has been difficult.                                                               
SB 223 would remove the  language requiring five years of service                                                               
in the  Alaska National  Guard at the  time of  appointment. This                                                               
would become  a preference. She  pointed out that this  change is                                                               
consistent  with  existing  statutory  language  related  to  the                                                               
qualifications  for  the  adjutant  general,  who  appoints  ATAG                                                               
positions.  These  changes would  expand  the  candidate pool  to                                                               
include  anyone  who  meets  the  federal  requirements  for  the                                                               
position. This includes  individuals leaving active-duty military                                                               
service.  She  stated   that  DMVA  would  like   to  retain  the                                                               
preference, which  reflects the  department's intent  to continue                                                               
seeking individuals within the agency to fill these positions.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:11:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   CLAMAN   commented   on  the   difference   between   the                                                               
requirements for  the adjutant general  position (which  does not                                                               
require service  in the National  Guard) and the  ATAG positions,                                                               
(which do require previous service in the National Guard).                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:11:40 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. LAFLAMME confirmed that this interpretation is correct.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:11:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN invited  Ms. LaFlamme to proceed  with the sectional                                                               
analysis.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:11:47 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. LAFLAMME paraphrased the following  sectional analysis for SB
:                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                       Sectional Analysis                                                                                     
                        Senate Bill 223                                                                                       
           Assistant Adjutant General Qualifications                                                                          
                         (33-GS2609\A)                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section   1   amends   AS  26.05.180(a)   relating   to                                                                    
     headquarters  staff   of  the  Alaska   National  Guard                                                                    
     regarding   appointment   and   qualification   of   an                                                                    
     assistant adjutant general  by removing the requirement                                                                    
     for at least  five years of service in  the Alaska Army                                                                    
     National  Guard  or  Alaska   Air  National  Guard  and                                                                    
     replacing  it  with  language  providing  the  Adjutant                                                                    
     General  flexibility   when  appointing   an  assistant                                                                    
     adjutant  general   to  provide   a  preference   to  a                                                                    
     candidate with at least five years of service.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2  establishes  the  effective  date  of  this                                                                    
     legislation.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:12:33 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KIEHL asked  what  other requirements  must  be met  for                                                               
individuals to qualify for these positions.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:12:48 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  LAFLAMME replied  that to  be  eligible for  promotion to  a                                                               
federally   recognized   general  general-grade   officer   (i.e.                                                               
brigadier  general  or  O-7), individuals  must  be  a  federally                                                               
recognized  officer at  O-6  level, or  a  colonel. In  addition,                                                               
specific  Federal trainings,  certifications, and  board approval                                                               
are required.  Individuals must  be in  good standing.  The final                                                               
determination  for  advancing  from  O-6  to O-7  is  made  by  a                                                               
congressional delegation and approved  by Congress. She commented                                                               
that there are many federal  requirements. She stated that by the                                                               
time  individuals have  reached O-6  level, they  have much  more                                                               
than  5 years  of military  experience. SB  223 would  expand the                                                               
candidate  pool  beyond  those  who have  completed  5  years  of                                                               
experience in the Alaska National Guard.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:13:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony  on SB 223; finding none, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:14:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:14:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL  moved to  report SB  223, work  order 33-GS2609\A,                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
6:14:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN found no objection and  SB 223 was reported from the                                                               
Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.