05/12/2003 05:19 PM House MLV

SB 148-PFD: ALLOWABLE ABSENCE FOR MILITARY SVC                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  announced that the  final order of business  would be                                                               
SENATE BILL NO.  148, "An Act relating to  allowable absences for                                                               
certain  members  of  the  armed forces  and  their  spouses  and                                                               
dependents  for  purposes  of   eligibility  for  permanent  fund                                                               
dividends; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0811                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ANNETTE SKIBINSKI,  Staff to Senator  John Cowdery,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  SB 148  on  behalf  of Senator  Cowdery,                                                               
sponsor.   She said this  corrects what Senator  Cowdery believes                                                               
to  be  an  oversight.    A  constituent  who  was  activated  on                                                               
September  11 [2001]  in the  Navy reserves  was deployed  for 10                                                               
months; he has  been an Alaskan resident for 20  years.  When the                                                               
constituent returned  from duty,  he went  to California  for two                                                               
months  and  was  denied his  dividend.    However,  [nonmilitary                                                               
residents] can be  gone from Alaska for up to  180 days and still                                                               
receive a  dividend.  Thus the  bill corrects the amount  of time                                                               
such a person  is allowed to be gone [in  addition to time absent                                                               
during military duty].                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  LYNN  asked  whether  there   were  questions;  none  were                                                               
offered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0902                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MASEK moved  to report  SB 148  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
note;  she   requested  unanimous   consent.    There   being  no                                                               
objection, SB 148  was reported from the  House Special Committee                                                               
on Military and Veterans' Affairs.