Legislature(1993 - 1994)

02/24/1993 05:00 PM House MLV

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
                                                                               
                     HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE                                   
                   MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS                                 
                        February 24, 1993                                      
                            5:00 p.m.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
  Rep. Eldon Mulder, Co-Chairman                                               
  Rep. Richard Foster, Co-Chairman                                             
  Rep. Pete Kott                                                               
  Rep. Mike Navarre                                                            
  Rep. Ed Willis                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
  None                                                                         
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  *HJR 18:  Relating to establishment of a fishing community                   
            at Adak.                                                           
                                                                               
            MOVED FROM COMMITTEE                                               
                                                                               
  *HB 59:   "An Act making a special appropriation to the                      
            Department of Natural Resources for refunds to                     
            certain veterans who purchased state land and for                  
            reimbursement to the University of Alaska for the                  
            veterans' land discount applied to land                            
            transferred to the University of Alaska; and                       
            providing for an effective date."                                  
                                                                               
            MOVED FROM COMMITTEE                                               
                                                                               
  (* First public hearing.)                                                    
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  REP. CARL MOSES                                                              
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  State Capitol                                                                
  Juneau, AK 99801-1182                                                        
  465-4451                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Prime Sponsor of HJR 18                                 
                                                                               
  HOWARD JOYCE, Aide                                                           
  Rep. Eldon Mulder                                                            
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  Juneau, AK 99801-1182                                                        
  465-2647                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Described HB 59                                         
                                                                               
  RON SWANSON, Director                                                        
  Division of Land                                                             
  Department of Natural Resources                                              
  P.0. Box 107005                                                              
  Anchorage, AK 99510                                                          
  762-2692                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Spoke on HB 59                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  PREVIOUS ACTION                                                              
                                                                               
  BILL:  HJR 18                                                                
  SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH FISHING COMMUNITY AT ADAK                             
  BILL VERSION:                                                                
  SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MOSES                                          
  TITLE: Relating to establishment of a fishing community at                   
  Adak.                                                                        
                                                                               
  JRN-DATE    JRN-PG                     ACTION                                
  01/22/93       126    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  01/22/93       126    (H)   MIL & VET AFF, FISHERIES, STATE                  
                              AFFAIRS                                          
  02/18/93              (H)   MLV AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 17                       
  02/24/93              (H)   MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  BILL:  HB  59                                                                
  SHORT TITLE: APPROP: VETS' LAND DISCOUNT REFUND                              
  BILL VERSION:                                                                
  SPONSOR(S): SPECIAL CMTE MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS                         
  TITLE: "An Act making a special appropriation to the                         
  Department of Natural Resources for refunds to certain                       
  veterans who purchased state land and for reimbursement to                   
  the University of Alaska for the veterans' land discount                     
  applied to land transferred to the University of Alaska; and                 
  providing for an effective date."                                            
                                                                               
  JRN-DATE    JRN-PG                     ACTION                                
  01/15/93        72    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  01/15/93        72    (H)   MIL & VET AFF, STATE AFFAIRS,                    
                              FINANCE                                          
  02/18/93              (H)   MLV AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 17                       
  02/24/93              (H)   MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  ACTION NARRATIVE                                                             
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-2, SIDE A                                                            
  Number 000                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN ELDON MULDER called the House Military and Veterans                 
  Affairs Committee to order at 5:06 p.m.                                      
                                                                               
  Members present were Rep. Willis and Rep. Foster.                            
  HJR 18:  ESTABLISH FISHING COMMUNITY AT ADAK                                 
                                                                               
  Number 007                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER introduced HJR 18 and invited Rep. Moses to                  
  address the committee.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 011                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. CARL MOSES, SPONSOR OF HJR 18, gave brief a history of                  
  Adak and the advantages of Adak as a fishing community.  He                  
  said the resolution asks the Department of Defense to                        
  release some of the naval reserve for commercial fishing.                    
                                                                               
  Number 026                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if there were any questions.                           
                                                                               
  Number 027                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. WILLIS asked, If the land is turned over, would there                   
  be any environmental problems?                                               
                                                                               
  REP. MOSES replied that there could be the possibility of                    
  environmental problems in the future.                                        
                                                                               
  (Rep. Kott arrived at 5:07 p.m.)                                             
                                                                               
  Number 044                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER asked Rep. Moses what prompted the bill.                     
                                                                               
  REP. MOSES responded it was because the Navy is going to cut                 
  back in the region.                                                          
                                                                               
  Number 053                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. FOSTER made a motion to move the resolution out of                      
  committee.  No objections were heard, it was so ordered.                     
  HB 59:  APPROP: VETS' LAND DISCOUNT REFUND                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER introduced HB 59, which was sponsored by                     
  committee.  He stated this bill was introduced last year but                 
  failed to pass.                                                              
                                                                               
  Number 070                                                                   
                                                                               
  HOWARD JOYCE, AIDE TO REP. MULDER, described the history of                  
  HB 59.  He stated that in 1978, Alaska passed a land                         
  discount program whereby a resident of Alaska could purchase                 
  state land for residential use and receive 5 percent                         
  discount for every year that an individual was a resident of                 
  the state.  He said this discount was extended to veterans.                  
  He stated that in 1979, they increased the discount for                      
  veterans to 75 percent or $37,500, or whichever was the                      
  lowest.  Mr. Joyce noted that the previous figures were 50                   
  percent or $25,000.                                                          
                                                                               
  MR. JOYCE stated that the program ran fine until 1983, when                  
  Gilman vs. Martin came before the Alaska Supreme Court, and                  
  was ruled unconstitutional.  The Department of Law                           
  recommended to the Department of Natural Resources that they                 
  stop the program.  The program was stopped in April 1, 1983.                 
  The  13th Legislature granted the veterans a flat 25 percent                 
  discount on land purchased.  The program went into effect                    
  July 6, 1984.  The problem was between April 1, 1983, to                     
  July 6, 1984, when veterans did not receive a discount.                      
                                                                               
  MR. JOYCE stated legislation was introduced in the 17th                      
  Legislature to make the 25 percent discount retroactive from                 
  April 1, 1983.  He stated that similar legislation failed                    
  last year after passing in the House, but failed during the                  
  last hours of session in the Senate Rules Committee.                         
                                                                               
  Number 130                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. FOSTER asked about the fiscal note and the $75,000 cost                 
  of the program.                                                              
                                                                               
  Number 132                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that there was no impact to the                       
  Department of Natural Resources and they can implement it                    
  from their general fund without additional cost.  He stated                  
  that it will cost the state close to $75,000 to refund the                   
  participants and the University of Alaska.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 136                                                                   
  REP. FOSTER asked if that payment was part of HJR 18.                        
                                                                               
  Number 137                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that the payment was a part of the                    
  bill.  He said there should be a fiscal note with the bill                   
  for $74,600.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Number 138                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. JOYCE stated that veterans who bought land during that                   
  time would receive their discount when HB 59 is enacted.                     
                                                                               
  Number 146                                                                   
                                                                               
  RON SWANSON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF LAND, DEPARTMENT OF                       
  NATURAL RESOURCES, said that during a one year period his                    
  department received 42 applicants, and out of those 36 were                  
  granted.  He stated that nine of those 36 were University of                 
  Alaska contracts.  He stated that the department has                         
  implemented the program that the legislature passed, but                     
  they do not have the appropriation needed to pay the                         
  applicants.                                                                  
                                                                               
  MR. JOYCE commented that he wanted to make some technical                    
  changes to the bill:  on line 9, change the word "qualify"                   
  to "qualified"; and on line 10, eliminate the word "may" and                 
  change the word "apply" to applied.                                          
                                                                               
  Number 171                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. FOSTER made a motion to adopt the technical amendments                  
  stated by Mr. Swanson.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 173                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER asked for any objections.  There were no                     
  objections.  The amendments were so ordered and adopted.                     
                                                                               
  Number 174                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. WILLIS made a motion to move HJR 18 out of committee                    
  with individual recommendation.                                              
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER so ordered the bill out of committee without                 
  any objections.                                                              
                                                                               
  (Chairman Mulder stated for the record that Rep. Navarre                     
  arrived at 5:17 p.m.)                                                        
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER adjourned the meeting at 5:19 p.m.                           

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