02/21/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

         SB 232-NAT'L GUARD: COMMAND/ACTIVE SERVICE/PAY                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:06:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of SB 232.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MCHUGH PIERRE,  Legislative Liaison,  Department of  Military and                                                               
Veterans Affairs (DMVA), said SB 232  came about in 2004 when the                                                               
Alaska  National  Guard  was   fighting  Alaska's  extreme  fires                                                               
alongside staff  from the Department  of Natural  Resources (DNR)                                                               
and the Bureau of Land  Management (BLM). There are two different                                                               
pay  rates: one  for emergency  firefighters and  one for  active                                                               
duty guard members.  The guard was making one fourth  to one half                                                               
of what  the others  were making. The  commissioner of  DMVA told                                                               
the DNR  commissioner, and he  said, "We've got the  money, let's                                                               
just  pay them."  But statute  requires the  state to  pay active                                                               
duty rates, and  Section 2 of SB 232 will  change that. Section 1                                                               
"will  allow a  little  more  freedom for  when  there are  other                                                               
events when the governor is not  as available to be reached." Her                                                               
authority can  be delegated to  the commissioner of DMVA,  who is                                                               
also  an  adjutant general  of  the  Alaska National  Guard.  The                                                               
commissioner  would  be  delegated  to  activate  National  Guard                                                               
forces  for whatever  the  governor provides  for,  prior to  the                                                               
situation.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE asked  if changing the statute to  reflect this one                                                               
circumstance will cause a wholesale rate change.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE  said the bill  only addresses wildfire  fighting. The                                                               
rates are set by DNR and BLM  and only when the National Guard is                                                               
called to action. It happens  every summer, and guard people know                                                               
that [this pay] is not the  norm. It is an exception for wildfire                                                               
fighting because of its danger.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:09:29 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GREEN  asked  if  the   National  Guard  gets  the  same                                                               
professional training as other firefighters.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE  said they  are only called  for specific  duties that                                                               
they are capable of doing, like crew chief and helicopter pilot.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS  said he served as  an army officer. A  person in                                                               
the military doesn't have a  choice when called. Firefighters can                                                               
choose not to work.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE said that  is true, but the guard is  the last line of                                                               
defense.  Private  contractors  are called  first.  When  called,                                                               
guard leadership determines what specific job a member will do.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:11:22 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  said everyone can  agree to equal pay  for equal                                                               
worked,  but he  asked if  the  military gets  benefits that  the                                                               
other firefighters don't, like the use of the "PX."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  PIERRE  said  there  are  the  benefits  to  National  Guard                                                               
members, "however,  through this  legislation they'll  be treated                                                               
just  like  any  other  wildfire  fighter  on  the  scene."  This                                                               
includes worker's  compensation and  medical benefits.  When they                                                               
get off of the fire, they will  be treated just like they were in                                                               
the National Guard again.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GREEN  asked if the  department gets compensated  for the                                                               
use of the equipment.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
LYNN  WILCOCK, Chief,  Fire and  Aviation,  DNR, Fairbanks,  said                                                               
"They   do  get   compensated  basically   for  their   costs  of                                                               
[indecipherable]  aircraft,  and  that is  primarily  what  we're                                                               
talking about  here is the  National Guard Blackhawks  and making                                                               
sure  that the  pilots  and the  support  personnel that  support                                                               
those   helicopters  receive   equal  pay."   Commissioner  Irwin                                                               
recognized it  in 2004.  The guard is  extremely valuable  and is                                                               
used  after all  civilian assets  are  used. They  are also  used                                                               
while waiting for workers to arrive from the Lower 48.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:13:27 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GREEN said  she was  noting the  DNR budget  "and it  is                                                               
always amazing to read and see  the figures of the set-aside cost                                                               
and then  tack on  the per  hour cost." She  wanted to  make sure                                                               
DMVA was getting "a few bucks for their rental."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. WILCOCK said  aviation assets are getting  expensive, and the                                                               
guard is paid for their costs.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE asked if the proposed  $35 per hour is what a state                                                               
helicopter pilot would be paid.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. WILCOCK  said the  emergency firefighter  rates are  based on                                                               
the  federal  government  rate for  similar  jobs,  adjusted  for                                                               
inflation each  year. "That is a  comparable rate for a  pilot if                                                               
we were to hire that person as a pilot for the state of Alaska."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE asked if a private pilot makes more.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. WILCOCK said he is not  sure because that rate is established                                                               
by the company. But he expects it is more.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE  said fixed-wing pilots  were paid $60 per  hour 15                                                               
years ago, but he is not suggesting a raise for state employees.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:15:28 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS asked  what happens if the  guard is firefighting                                                               
and their services are needed elsewhere.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE said a priority would remove them from the fire.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:16:00 AM                                                                                                                    
CHRIS  MAISCH, Director,  Division of  Forestry, DNR,  Fairbanks,                                                               
said the commissioner  of DNR supports equal pay  for equal work,                                                               
and he is enthusiastic about the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE  said some Alaskans "off  the end of the  road" say                                                               
they  get no  services,  but with  the cost  of  fires in  remote                                                               
areas, "they get a substantial state service."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEVENS  moved SB  232  from  committee with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There  being  no                                                               
objection, SB 232 passed out of committee.