Legislature(2025 - 2026)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/14/2026 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB17 | |
| HB48 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 48 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
April 14, 2026
9:00 a.m.
9:00:57 AM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Hoffman called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Donny Olson, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Mike Cronk
Senator James Kaufman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Kelly Merrick
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Senator George Rauscher, Sponsor; Mark Whisenhunt, Veteran,
United States Army; Hunter Meachum, Staff, Representative
Sara Hannan; Maggie Humm, Executive Director, Alaska Legal
Services Corporation.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Christopher Novell, Chief Financial Officer, Division of
Retirement and Benefits, Department of Administration,
Juneau; Jason Ortiz, Self, Palmer; Austin Flavin, Self,
Palmer; James Ross, Self, Yakutat; Lori Proctor, Retired
Patient Care Advocate, Alaska Legal Services, Willow; Marge
Stoneking, Advocacy Director, AARP Alaska, Anchorage.
SUMMARY
HB 17 DISABLED VETERANS: RETIREMENT BENEFITS
HB 17 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 48 CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUND
HB 48 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HOUSE BILL NO. 17
"An Act relating to retirement benefits and military
service."
9:02:09 AM
SENATOR GEORGE RAUSCHER, SPONSOR, introduced the bill. He
read from the Sponsor Statement (copy on file):
House Bill 17 allows Veterans who are totally and
permanently disabled to access their accrued PERS
retirement benefits without penalty. HB 17 also allows
military service, which has been purchased in
accordance with the PERS standards to count towards
the credited service requirements for normal
retirement.
Veterans who are totally and permanently disabled
struggle to work and keep gainful employment due to
their service-connected disabilities. As such, this
class of veterans often struggles with income
stability. If HB 17 becomes law, it will provide
disabled veterans with access to their PERS retirement
benefits at a time when they need it most.
Co-Chair Hoffman remarked that it was unusual to hear a
House bill introduced by a senator. He stated that the bill
was originally introduced when Senator Rauscher was a
representative.
9:04:50 AM
MARK WHISENHUNT, VETERAN, UNITED STATES ARMY, spoke in
support of the legislation.
Co-Chair Hoffman listed individuals who were available for
questions.
Co-Chair Stedman looked at the fiscal note, but remarked
that in the definition it said that "this will create an
additional unfunded liability to the plan because employer
costs are capped at 22 percent, and any access costs would
be paid by the State of Alaska." He wondered whether it had
been calculated, because that definition did not indicate a
zero fiscal impact.
9:09:48 AM
CHRISTOPHER NOVELL, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DIVISION OF
RETIREMENT AND BENEFITS, DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION,
JUNEAU (via teleconference), agreed that it would have some
form of unfunded liability to the plan. He stated that, in
providing a fiscal note, there were too many unknowns.
Co-Chair Stedman surmised that there were too many unknowns
to determine a precise fiscal note. He stated that there
was a concern about the non-state employers that fell back
to the state. He remarked that not knowing the fiscal
impact to any change to the retirement system was not
helpful in making a position on the bill.
Senator Rauscher replied that there was an estimated impact
of 48 possible VA that could take advantage of the program.
Senator Kiehl thanked the sponsor for recognizing disabled
veterans. He surmised that any PERS member in the defined
benefit system who wanted credit for their military time
must pay for that time.
Senator Rauscher deferred to Mr. Whisenhunt.
Mr. Whisenhunt explained that there was a purchase
opportunity.
9:15:08 AM
Senator Kiehl wondered whether the bill allowed for a
disabled service veteran to have the elimination of cost.
Mr. Whisenhunt replied that it would not change the
purchase process.
Senator Kiehl wondered if there would be an unintended
consequence of one of the repealers in the bill.
Mr. Whisenhunt responded that the language was crafted with
the understanding that it was no longer a barrier to count
toward the thirty years.
Senator Kiehl requested a response from the division on
their interpretation of the repealer.
Co-Chair Hoffman stated that the response would be given in
writing.
Senator Kiehl wondered whether the bill allowed for a count
toward the vesting process.
Mr. Whisenhunt stated that it would not change the vesting
process.
Senator Kiehl wondered whether that would change for peace
officers and firefighters with a different repealer
section.
Co-Chair Stedman agreed with the concerns related to the
repealers.
9:19:58 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman OPENED public testimony.
9:20:16 AM
JASON ORTIZ, SELF, PALMER (via teleconference), spoke in
support of the bill.
9:21:36 AM
AUSTIN FLAVIN, SELF, PALMER (via teleconference), testified
in support of the legislation.
Senator Rauscher thanked the committee.
Senator Kiehl explained the fiscal note.
Senator Cronk thanked the sponsor.
HB 17 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HOUSE BILL NO. 48
"An Act relating to appropriations to the civil legal
services fund."
9:27:31 AM
HUNTER MEACHUM, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE SARA HANNAN,
introduced the bill.
9:29:43 AM
MAGGIE HUMM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA LEGAL SERVICES
CORPORATION, spoke in support of the bill.
9:36:14 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman stated that there were individuals
available for questions.
Co-Chair Hoffman OPENED public testimony.
9:36:38 AM
JAMES ROSS, SELF, YAKUTAT (via teleconference), spoke in
support of the legislation.
9:37:46 AM
LORI PROCTOR, RETIRED PATIENT CARE ADVOCATE, ALASKA LEGAL
SERVICES, WILLOW (via teleconference), testified in support
of the legislation.
9:39:19 AM
MARGE STONEKING, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR, AARP ALASKA, ANCHORAGE
(via teleconference), testified in support of the
legislation.
Co-Chair Hoffman CLOSED public testimony.
Senator Kiehl addressed the fiscal notes.
HB 48 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
9:43:31 AM
The meeting was adjourned at 9:43 a.m.