04/11/2022 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

          SB 233-PFD ALLOWABLE ABSENCE/MERCHANT MARINE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:33:41 PM                                                                                                                    
ACTING CHAIR  STEVENS announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL                                                               
NO.  233 "An  Act relating  to allowable  absences for  permanent                                                               
fund  dividend  qualification;  and providing  for  an  effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ACTING CHAIR STEVENS stated that  this was the second hearing and                                                               
there was an amendment for the committee to consider.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:34:09 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REVAK moved  to adopt Amendment 1 to SB  233, [work order                                                               
32-LS1594\A.3].                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                               32-LS1594\A.3                                                                    
                                                      Nauman                                                                    
                                                      4/9/22                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE         BY SENATOR COSTELLO                                                                          
     TO:  SB 233                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, lines 6 - 7:                                                                                                       
          Delete "program that prepares students for                                                                        
     careers in the United States merchant marine"                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
          Insert "vocational program that                                                                                   
               (A)  trains students for a career in the                                                                     
       United States merchant marine, including as a sea                                                                    
     engineer, in the deck department, or as a steward;                                                                     
               (B)  provides seagoing service that meets                                                                    
     the requirements of the United States Coast Guard for                                                                  
     United States merchant marine credentialing; and                                                                       
               (C)  is approved by the United States Coast                                                                  
     Guard"                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTING CHAIR STEVENS asked Ms. McCall to explain Amendment 1.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:34:20 PM                                                                                                                    
KATIE  MCCALL,   Staff,  Senator   Mia  Costello,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  explained that  Amendment 1  is in                                                               
response to  the concern the  Department of Revenue  (DOR) raised                                                               
that  the  term  "prepares"  could  be  interpreted  too  broadly                                                               
because  a  variety  of  programs  could  be  seen  as  preparing                                                               
students  for  careers  in the  United  States  Merchant  Marine.                                                               
Amendment   1  narrows   the  language   and  provides   specific                                                               
information about  what constitutes a vocational  program leading                                                               
to a  career in the United  States merchant marine. She  read the                                                               
language in Amendment 1.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:36:00 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:36:15 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS reconvened  the meeting.  He found  no objection                                                               
and  Amendment  1 was  adopted.  He  solicited  the will  of  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:36:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REVAK moved to report  SB 233, work order 32-LS1594\A, as                                                               
amended,  from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
ACTING CHAIR  STEVENS found  no objection  and CSSB  233(L&C) was                                                               
reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.