Legislature(1993 - 1994)

03/17/1993 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 AND VETERANS AFFAIRS                                
                         March 17, 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                                                               
                                                                               
  Rep. Mike Navarre                                                            
                                                                               
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  *HB 175:  "An Act making an appropriation for a grant for                    
            construction of the Women In Military Service                      
            Memorial; and providing for an effective date."                    
                                                                               
            MOVED FROM COMMITTEE                                               
                                                                               
  *HB 196:  "An Act relating to the state employment                           
            preference for veterans and prisoners of war."                     
                                                                               
            MOVED FROM COMMITTEE                                               
                                                                               
  (* First public hearing.)                                                    
                                                                               
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  JAY NELSON, Aide                                                             
  Rep. Cliff Davidson                                                          
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  State Capitol                                                                
  Juneau, AK 99801-1182                                                        
  465-2840                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Described HB 175                                        
                                                                               
  JOELLE HALL, Aide                                                            
  Rep. Fran Ulmer                                                              
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  State Capitol                                                                
  Juneau, AK 99801-1182                                                        
  465-4947                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Spoke on HB 175                                         
                                                                               
  REP. PETE KOTT                                                               
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  State Capitol                                                                
  Juneau, AK 99801-1182                                                        
  465-3777                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Prime Sponsor of HB 196                                 
                                                                               
  KEVIN RITCHIE, Director                                                      
  Division of Personnel/EEO                                                    
  Department of Administration                                                 
  Juneau, AK 99801                                                             
  465-4429                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Spoke on HB 196                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
  PREVIOUS ACTION                                                              
                                                                               
  BILL:  HB 175                                                                
  SHORT TITLE: APPROP:WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE MEMORIAL                       
  BILL VERSION:                                                                
  SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)                                                
  DAVIDSON,Ulmer,Menard,Grussendorf                                            
                                                                               
  TITLE: "An Act making an appropriation for a grant for                       
  construction of the Women In Military Service Memorial; and                  
  providing for an effective date."                                            
                                                                               
  JRN-DATE    JRN-PG                     ACTION                                
  02/24/93       434    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  02/24/93       434    (H)   MLV, STATE AFFAIRS, FINANCE                      
  03/17/93              (H)   MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  BILL:  HB 196                                                                
  SHORT TITLE: STATE EMPLOYMENT VETERANS PREFERENCE                            
  BILL VERSION: SSHB 196                                                       
  SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) KOTT,Martin,Mulder                             
                                                                               
  TITLE: "An Act relating to the state employment preference                   
  for veterans and prisoners of war."                                          
                                                                               
  JRN-DATE    JRN-PG                     ACTION                                
  03/03/93       520    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  03/03/93       520    (H)   MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS,                     
                              STATE AFF                                        
  03/12/93       618    (H)   SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE                               
                              INTRODUCED-REFERRALS                             
  03/12/93       618    (H)   MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS,                     
                              STATE AFF                                        
  03/17/93              (H)   MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  ACTION NARRATIVE                                                             
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-5, SIDE A                                                            
  Number 000                                                                   
                                                                               
  CO-CHAIRMAN RICHARD FOSTER called the House Military and                     
  Veterans Affairs Committee to order at 5:10 p.m. on March                    
  17, 1993.  Members present were Rep. Kott, Rep. Willis and                   
  Rep. Mulder.  Rep. Mike Navarre was absent.                                  
  HB 175 - APPROP: WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE MEMORIAL                          
                                                                               
  JAY NELSON, AIDE TO REP. CLIFF DAVIDSON, stated that HB 175                  
  was a bill that would provide $15,000 in state funding                       
  towards the construction of the Women In Military Service                    
  Memorial in Washington, D.C.  He stated that this memorial                   
  was conceived after the Gulf War due to the large amount of                  
  women who participated in that war and in the military as a                  
  whole.                                                                       
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON said that U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski was a big                  
  supporter of the construction of the Women In Military                       
  Service Memorial.  He  that U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski                     
  introduced legislation for this memorial in Washington,                      
  D.C., and has raised funds for this memorial.                                
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON noted that the total cost of the memorial would                   
  be about $14 million and that states were giving money to                    
  show support for female personnel.  He stated that the                       
  memorial has received money from industry and countries in                   
  the Gulf area.  He said five states have donated to the                      
  memorial.                                                                    
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT asked what happens to the appropriated sum of                      
  money that comes from the general fund for half of this                      
  memorial if it is not utilized towards the construction of                   
  this memorial.                                                               
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON responded that the states' contributions would                    
  only be a small part of the total construction cost.  He                     
  stated that this project started back in 1988 and they have                  
  actually spent somewhere around $7 million to $8 million on                  
  the design phase, developing the public computer system, and                 
  the public exhibition area.  He noted that their authority                   
  was to expire once it was extended by two years.                             
  Theoretically their authority will expire this fall if they                  
  do not raise the money, but since they have raised 50                        
  percent of the money, the only thing left is the                             
  construction part.  He stated that their authority to                        
  receive funds would be extended if that was a problem.                       
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON explained that U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski will                  
  introduce legislation that will allow for the authorization                  
  of coins to be issued by the Mint for the purpose of raising                 
  money for this memorial.  Any extra money for this project                   
  will be used to maintain the data base that they have been                   
  developing for all women veterans.                                           
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT asked if all veterans would be recognized or just                  
  the ones that participated in the Middle East Crisis.                        
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON stated that all women veterans would be                           
  recognized.                                                                  
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT asked how the allocation was determined and was it                 
  equitable as compared to what other states have given                        
  towards the memorial.                                                        
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON stated that this would be up to the legislature                   
  to decide.                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. FOSTER remarked that there was about 77,000 veterans in                 
  Alaska.                                                                      
                                                                               
  MR. NELSON said there were about 5,000 women veterans in                     
  Alaska.                                                                      
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that the way he saw the issue was                     
  that this committee would decide whether this was a good or                  
  bad idea and for the Finance Committee to decide whether it                  
  was the appropriate amount.                                                  
                                                                               
  JOELLE HALL, INTERN FOR REP. FRAN ULMER, she stated that she                 
  was a veteran of the U.S. Army, U.S. Army reserve, and the                   
  Alaska National Guard.  She said this bill is a good idea to                 
  honor the women who have come before and in the future and                   
  it is an investment.  She stated that the memorial that had                  
  been attempted before had faced various stumbling blocks and                 
  this was a good way of going about that - by recognizing all                 
  women who have ever served.  She stated that she thought it                  
  was important that Alaska participate.                                       
                                                                               
  REP. FOSTER asked to move HB 175 out of committee with                       
  individual recommendations.                                                  
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER asked for any objections.                                    
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT responded yes, for the purpose of discussion.                      
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT asked if she would be willing to pay three dollars                 
  to have her name engraved.                                                   
                                                                               
  MS. HALL responded that she would; it would be a great                       
  honor.                                                                       
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT asked how much should Alaska appropriate for this                  
  memorial.                                                                    
                                                                               
  MS. HALL stated that each state would have to look at it in                  
  terms of its fiscal ability to pay, but the state should                     
  also look at how many veterans are in the state.                             
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT said that he agreed and withdrew his objection.                    
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER ordered the bill out of committee with                       
  individual recommendations.                                                  
  HB 196 - STATE EMPLOYMENT VETERANS PREFERENCE                                
                                                                               
  REP. PETE KOTT, PRIME SPONSOR, spoke on HB 196.  Rep. Kott                   
  made note for the record that the fiscal note was zero.                      
  (A copy of Rep. Kott's speech may be found in House Special                  
  Committee On Military And Veterans Affairs committee room,                   
  Capitol Room 17, until the final adjournment of the second                   
  session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature; thereafter it                  
  may be found in the Legislative Reference Library.)                          
                                                                               
  REP. WILLIS asked if this parallels what the federal                         
  government has in place.                                                     
                                                                               
  REP. KOTT stated that it parallels closely to what the                       
  federal government has in place.                                             
                                                                               
  KEVIN RITCHIE, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PERSONNEL/EEO,                          
  DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, stated that the overview of                    
  the bill was accurate and that the Department of                             
  Administration supported the bill.                                           
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if Mr. Ritchie could answer Rep.                       
  Willis' question as to whether it parallels the federal                      
  government.                                                                  
                                                                               
  MR. RITCHIE stated he did not know.                                          
                                                                               
  REP. WILLIS asked that HB 196 be moved out of committee with                 
  individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.                     
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER so ordered the bill out of committee without                 
  any objections.                                                              
                                                                               
  ADJOURNMENT                                                                  
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MULDER adjourned the meeting at 5:38 p.m.                           

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