01/26/1994 09:06 AM Senate STA

 CHAIRMAN LEMAN brings up SB 253 REAPPLICATION PERIOD FOR 1993 PF              
 DIVIDEND and calls on Senator Miller, the prime sponsor, to                   
 testify.                                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 262                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER says SB 253 will allow persons whose dividend                  
 application was lost in the mail last year to reapply.  The                   
 applicants would have to make a sworn statement that they posted              
 the application, they would have to have a sworn statement from a             
 person who either witnessed the original application or saw the               
 applicant mail the form, and there would have to be documentation             
 from the postal service that mail had been lost during that period            
 of time.  This problem occurred in the North Pole area last year.             
 There are approximately forty to fifty people who were affected by            
 lost mail.  This legislation would apply to anyone whose                      
 application was lost during the 1993 application period, not just             
 persons in the North Pole area.                                               
                                                                               
 Number 235                                                                    
                                                                               
 THOMAS C. WILLIAMS, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division,               
 Department of Revenue, states that the department is neutral on SB
 and that Senator Miller has covered the basic elements of the             
 bill.  The department does not foresee a significant impact from SB
.                                                                          
                                                                               
 Number 227                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks Mr. Williams what the source of funds will be             
 for these additional applicants.                                              
                                                                               
 Number 224                                                                    
                                                                               
 MR. WILLIAMS says there are probably enough funds to make immediate           
 payment, but if that is not the case, payment would simply be                 
 delayed until after July 1st when the dividend fund is filled with            
 the next years funds.                                                         
                                                                               
 Number 211                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks Mr. Williams if the bill would also apply to              
 mail that might have been lost when a mail plane went down between            
 Homer and Kenai and if he knows of any applications that were lost            
 from that flight.                                                             
                                                                               
 Number 209                                                                    
                                                                               
 MR. WILLIAMS replies that there were applications lost from that              
 flight.  There is a provision that allows for reapplication, but              
 the applicant must reapply before September 1st, when the dividend            
 is calculated.  Mr. Williams clarifies that there are no                      
 outstanding claimants from the flight that went down between Homer            
 and Kenai of which he is aware.                                               
                                                                               
 Number 180                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if there are any further questions.                       
                                                                               
 Number 177                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER makes a motion to discharge SB 253 out of committee            
 with individual recommendations.                                              
                                                                               
 Number 175                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no objections, orders SB 253 be released              
 from Senate State Affairs Committee with individual                           
 recommendations.