Legislature(1997 - 1998)
04/14/1998 02:37 PM Senate RLS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
April 14, 1998
2:37 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Tim Kelly, Chair
Senator Loren Leman, Vice Chair
Senator John Torgerson
Senator Jim Duncan
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Robin Taylor
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 2(FIN)
"An Act allowing, for the purposes of permanent fund dividend
eligibility, an individual to accompany, as the spouse or minor or
disabled dependent, another eligible resident who is absent for any
of the following reasons: vocational, professional, or other
specific education for which a comparable program is not reasonably
available in the state; secondary or postsecondary education;
military service; medical treatment; service in the Congress or in
the peace corps; to care for the individual's terminally ill
parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild; for up to 220 days to
settle the estate of the individual's deceased parent, spouse,
sibling, child, or stepchild; to care for a parent, spouse,
sibling, child, or stepchild with a critical life-threatening
illness whose treatment plan, as recommended by the attending
physician, requires travel outside of the state for treatment at a
medical specialty complex; or other reasons that the commissioner
of revenue may establish by regulation; requiring, for the purposes
of permanent fund dividend eligibility, a state resident to have
the intent to remain indefinitely; relating to the eligibility for
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 permanent fund dividends of
certain spouses and dependents of eligible applicants; and
providing for an effective date."
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 23
Suspending Uniform Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e) of the Alaska
State Legislature concerning House Bill No. 2, relating to the
permanent fund dividend program.
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
HB 2 - State Affairs Committee minutes dated 2/20/97 and 2/25/97.
Finance report 2/10/98.
SCR 23 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Nicole Thibodeau, Staff to Representative Pete Kott
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered information on CSHB 2(FIN)
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 98-4 , SIDE A
CHAIRMAN KELLY called the Senate Rules Committee meeting to order
at 2:37 p.m., and noted the presence of Senators Leman, Torgerson,
Duncan and Kelly.
CHAIRMAN KELLY brought CSHB 2(FIN) - PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND
ELIGIBILITY before the committee and directed attention to a
proposed Rules SCS.
NICOLE THIBODEAU, staff to Representative Pete Kott, explained the
major change made in the proposed Rules SCS is that the 72-hour
rule is made proactive by changing the effective date January 1,
2000. In the Finance SCS the 72-hour rule was retroactive. The
72-hour rule states that people who are gone on allowable absence
must return to the state every two years for a period of 72 hours.
CHAIRMAN KELLY asked what the current rule was on allowable
absences. MS. THIBODEAU clarified that right now an individual
must return to the state every two years, but there is no specified
period of time on how long the individual must remain in the state.
The Senate Finance Committee expanded it so that there will be no
more "touch and go."
MS. THIBODEAU also pointed out that the Senate Finance Committee
removed some of the allowable absences including Peace Corps
volunteers and national athletic team participants, and those have
been added back into the Rules SCS. Also added are teacher
exchange participants and Foreign Service members.
SENATOR TORGERSON, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, noted
that the committee had extensive debate on removing Peace Corps
volunteers, and he had an amendment to add in Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) volunteers, however, that amendment
failed. He said he would have a problem with that particular
section unless FEMA volunteers are included. He added there are
just a few FEMA volunteers in the state that actually go out and
volunteer their time in emergencies.
SENATOR TORGERSON moved the following amendment to SCS CSHB 2(RLS):
Amendment No. 1
Page 5, line 24: After "Peace Corps" add "or volunteering services
for the Federal Emergency Management Agency"
Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN KELLY stated the amendment was
adopted to be incorporated into the Rules SCS.
There was brief discussion on the "piggybacking provision" in
Section 10 which now provides that spouses and dependents
accompanying individuals who are outside the state for allowable
absences will be eligible for a 1998 dividend. It was noted that
the provision was not made retroactive because it would have meant
too big a fiscal note.
CHAIRMAN KELLY commented it was his understanding that the sponsor
of the bill has agreed to accept the legislation with the Senate
changes so that it won't have to go to a conference committee and
MS. THIBODEAU agreed that was also her understanding.
SENATOR LEMAN said an area where he thinks there is a shortcoming
and which should be addressed is people who are engaged in
legitimate missionary activities outside the state, and he asked
Ms. Thibodeau if she could relate why that is not included in the
bill. MS. THIBODEAU responded that several people have requested
that missionaries be included. She related that this question was
put to Tam Cook, Director of Legal Services, and Ms. Cook has
responded with a memo that would be made available to committee
members. She noted that Ms. Cook has advised that just the phrase
"religious volunteers" couldn't be used, and it would necessitate
specifically listing every type of religious volunteer.
SENATOR LEMAN moved the adoption of SCS CSHB 2(RLS), version "C",
as amended. Hearing no objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR LEMAN moved and asked unanimous consent SCS CSHB 2(RLS) be
passed out of committee with individual recommendations and that it
be approved for calendaring at the discretion of the Chair.
Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.
SENATOR LEMAN moved SCR 23 - SUSPEND UNIFORM RULES FOR HB 2
be approved for calendaring at the discretion of the Chair.
Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.
There being no further business to come before the committee, the
meeting adjourned at 2:52 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|