Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 124
02/17/2005 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB122 | |
| HJR8 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 122 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
February 17, 2005
1:09 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom
Representative Jim Elkins
Representative Bill Thomas
Representative Max Gruenberg
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Lesil McGuire
Representative Sharon Cissna
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 122
"An Act relating to payment of premiums for Service members'
Group Life Insurance on behalf of members of the Alaska National
Guard deployed to a combat zone; and providing for an effective
date."
-HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8
Expressing support of Alaska Army National Guard soldiers
deployed worldwide.
-MOVED HJR 8 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 122
SHORT TITLE: LIFE INSURANCE FOR NATIONAL GUARD
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) DAHLSTROM
02/02/05 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/02/05 (H) MLV, L&C, FIN
02/02/05 (H) L&C REFERRAL REMOVED
02/17/05 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
BILL: HJR 8
SHORT TITLE: SUPPORTING ALASKA ARMY NATL. GUARD
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) WEYHRAUCH
02/02/05 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/02/05 (H) MLV, STA
02/17/05 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
WITNESS REGISTER
TERRY HARVEY, Staff
for Representative Bruce Weyhrauch
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HJR 8 on behalf of the sponsor,
Representative Weyhrauch.
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Bridges
Alaska National Guard
Fort Richardson
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered testimony in support of HJR 8.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House Special Committee on Military
and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:09:41 PM.
Representatives Dalhstrom, Elkins, Thomas, and Lynn were present
at the call to order. Representative Gruenberg arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
HB 122-LIFE INSURANCE FOR NATIONAL GUARD
CHAIR LYNN announced that the order of business would be HOUSE
BILL NO. 122, "An Act relating to payment of premiums for
Service members' Group Life Insurance on behalf of members of
the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone; and
providing for an effective date." Chair Lynn announced that HB
122 will not be moved today and will be heard first.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM stated that HB 122 pertains to life
insurance for the National Guard, at a time when the federal
government is considering action to better serve its military
men in other countries; The Alaskan Guard deserves the same.
This bill will pay life insurance premiums for guardsmen that
are deployed to combat zones. She went on to say that these
guardsmen are our neighbors, co-workers, and some are even staff
here in this building. This bill provides extra security for
their dependents, gives them piece of mind, and a little
assistance while they are away. This legislation will allow
premiums to be paid up to $250,000. This bill has bipartisan
support. Representative Dahlstrom characterized HB 122 as a
work in progress.
CHAIR LYNN asked what the out of pocket expense was for this
insurance.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM answered that it is approximately
$16.25 a month.
CHAIR LYNN replied that the state should be able to afford this,
considering what these guardsmen are going through to defend the
national policy. He then queried the Representative Dahlstrom
as to whether any of the guardsmen had died as of yet.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM asserted that though they had not come
back with any dead among them, some guardsmen had returned with
some physical injuries and issues that they needed to address.
1:13:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS asked if the committee could extend this
to property extension payments.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM replied that this is one of the items
that is on a list that is being considered for inclusion in this
bill, or within newer ones being considered
REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS asked if he could co-sponsor the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM answered that she would love to have
him onboard the bill packet.
CHAIR LYNN agreed that anything the committee can do to help
those in the military is something it should look into. He
opened the floor to more questions and then asked if the
committee could go ahead and move it out of committee.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM agreed the issue of property tax is
enormous. She expressed the need to review how deployment
affects finances.
[HB 122 was held over.]
HJR 8-SUPPORTING ALASKA ARMY NATL. GUARD
1:15:43 PM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8 "Expressing support of Alaska Army
National Guard soldiers deployed worldwide". He related that
HJR 8 will show legislative support for the Army National
Guardsmen currently deployed around the world.
TERRY HARVEY, Staff for Representative Bruce Weyhrauch, Alaska
State Legislature, announced that this resolution is a way to
address concerns and give support to the guardsmen from Alaska
who are deployed all around the world. This resolution is a way
of putting on record that the committee supports the Army
National Guardsmen for serving the country. The bill sponsor
believes it's important to show support for the National Guard
who are letting their lives go while serving their country and
state. It is important to show support, but it's also important
to extend this gratitude to family and friends, as well as
employers who also support the troops.
CHAIR LYNN asked if the Air National Guard was also covered or
if there was a similar bill for them as well.
MR. HARVEY answered that there was not, and that since this bill
was already in the works the sponsor decided that he would go
forward with HJR 8. He indicated that he had been talking to
the Air National Guard and that legislation addressing that
branch of the military is in the planning stage.
CHAIR LYNN continued by stating that this could be done as a
committee bill. He indicated that he did not want to
discriminate against any of the Guard units.
1:19:26 PM
MR. HARVEY suggested that the committee ask the military
representatives for comment.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIKE BRIDGES, Alaskan Army/Air National Guard
Officers Association, Legislative Liaison, Fort Richardson,
stated that the Army National Guard is being deployed in very
unique ways right now, more than since the years of World War
II, and that he was all for the resolution. He also indicated
that although he was all for including the Air National Guard
into the resolution, he acknowledged that the resolution was
addressing the high deployment that the Alaskan National Guard
is currently experiencing. He added as a side note that the
officers association that he is representing did include both
Army and Air Force, and that he represented both.
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS asked if what he was saying was that he
wanted to be considered as a separate entity at the present
time.
LT. COLONEL BRIDGES answered that the Army National Guard is
being deployed at a very different rate than the Air National
Guard and that it is more than anything military had experienced
since World War II. He then pointed out that the Air National
Guard is being deployed as well, but under different [non-
combative] circumstances. He then added that the Air National
Guard goes only for 30-120 days for operational deployment,
whereas the Army National Guard goes for a 18 months and up to
two-year deployments.
REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM moved to report HJR 8 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR LYNN announced that he was looking forward to seeing this
on the floor and being voted into law.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:22:18 p.m.
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