HB 284-PFD ALLOWABLE ABSENCE: FELLOWSHIPS  CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of HB 284. [Before the committee was CSHB 284(FIN).] She noted that Senator French's amendment and an objection to that amendment were pending. 9:10:35 AM SENATOR FRENCH said he had a packet of information supporting Amendment 1, [adding AmeriCorps duty as an allowable absence for permanent fund dividend (PFD) eligibility. AmeriCorps is a domestic version of the Peace Corps, made up three main programs: State and National, VISTA [Volunteers in Service to America], and National Civilian Community Corps. Volunteers work with community agencies, faith-based organizations, and non- profits, like Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, and the United Way. AmeriCorps volunteers are lawful U.S. citizens, at least 17 years old, and they serve for ten to twelve months. Volunteers are eligible for an educational award of up to $4,725, and about half of the volunteers get a modest living stipend. There are 74,000 volunteers nation-wide. He believes there are 59 Alaskans serving in the Lower 48 who will be affected by Amendment 1. They are Alaskans doing good work. He noted the inequity of a Peace Corps exemption and no AmeriCorps exemption. "It seems as least as noble to be re-building houses in the wake of Hurricane Katrina as it is to be building houses in Africa." An AmeriCorps volunteer in El Paso can see a Peace Corp Volunteer waive a PFD check from across the river in Mexico. "How can the Rio Grande keep an Alaskan in El Paso from not getting a dividend check when an Alaskan in Juarez does?" 9:13:42 AM BILLIE JOE CALDWELL, Alaska Program Director, AmeriCorps, Seattle WA, said AmeriCorps is a national program and there are three components to it. The VISTA program fights the war on poverty. The State and National program provides opportunities for citizens and tries to build capacity within their communities. VISTA began in 1964, and the first people were placed in Alaska in 1965. It is the prototype for other AmeriCorps programs. 9:15:08 AM CHAIR MCGUIRE said when she looks at exemptions for PFD absences she looks at the term of service. It looks like this is a 10 to 12 month program. Can it be longer than that? MR. CALDWELL said both VISTA and AmeriCorps members have a limitation of three years. There are "allowabilities" for another one or two years with a definite five-year cap. After two education awards have been earned, a person cannot earn another one; it would have to be a stipend of $1,200. 9:16:42 AM CHAIR MCGUIRE said it takes years to get these exemptions through. She wants to see the actual application to determine that it is a federally-recognized program. She asked for a better understanding of the term "service." She would like it in writing in greater detail. She asked if there is a requirement to return to the volunteer's place of residency. The Peace Corps requires a plane ticket back to a person's home state. AmeriCorps seems like a great service, but she wouldn't want a person to come up to Alaska to qualify for a dividend and then leave for a program that lasts many years. 9:18:30 AM MR. CALDWELL said that would be impossible because of the time limits. Like the Peace Corps, volunteers must declare their home of record and they get a ticket back at the end of their service. He will provide that in writing. SENATOR BUNDE said that volunteers serve their communities, but the program sends people to other states. He asked Mr. Caldwell to clarify that. MR. CALDWELL said he was referring to the state and national program that is set up to serve in the person's state. The VISTA program encourages locally-recruited volunteers, "but the real effort is to bring people who have completed college into a community and provide some leadership and mentoring to build the capacity of the community to deal with their own problems." The state-run program has members who are living in their community working on their problems. SENATOR BUNDE said this bill would only refer to VISTA volunteers. MR. CALDWELL said it would be all of them. If there is a project in Alaska, for example, and it is a tribal NCCC [National Civilian Conservation Corps] program. The volunteers could go on work assignments outside Alaska, but predominantly they would work in Alaska on a stream restoration project or any community driven and oriented project. 9:21:28 AM SENATOR BUNDE asked if an AmeriCorps/VISTA person assigned in Alaska will be assigned temporarily outside of Alaska. MR. CALDWELL said absolutely. SENATOR BUNDE noted that Senator French said there were 59 Alaskans working outside. He asked for more information on them. 9:22:23 AM MR. CALDWELL said he can get that. The VISTA volunteers are predominantly college graduates. BILL DILLON, State Program Specialist, Corporation for National and Community Service, Seattle WA, said the corporation has been studying what happens to the volunteers after completing their service. They generally return to their communities and make significant commitments to serving their community in many different positions, like government, non-profits, and education. As a result of their service, they tend to come back and work to build healthy communities. CHAIR MCGUIRE said Peace Corps volunteers have a higher than average involvement in volunteerism, teaching, and nonprofit work. When putting an exemption in statute, it needs to be clear who it is for, how long, and how many Alaskan volunteers come back. She would like that information. 9:25:00 AM MR. CALDWELL said it will be difficult. All governments are squeezed for cash, and tracking post-service volunteers is challenging. There are current studies but he is not sure if they are broken down into individual states. The information probably will not be immediately available. SENATOR FRENCH noted that AmeriCorps service can be one to five years, and he asked what the most common length of service is. MR. DILLON said it is typically one year, and a fifth may come back for a second year. A third year is served "not very often, and hardly ever for a fourth year." SENATOR FRENCH said 80 percent of the volunteers serve for one year, and 15 percent serve two, and maybe 5 percent serve three? MR. DILLON said probably over 80 percent serve for a year. He has been involved for 20 years. 9:26:51 AM SENATOR FRENCH asked about his current assignment. MR. DILLON said he is responsible for Washington and Alaska, and Mr. Caldwell oversees Alaska programs, administering the National Senior Service Corps program, foster grandparents, senior companion, retired senior volunteers, and VISTA. 9:27:40 AM SENATOR BUNDE asked how people are recruited. MR. CALDWELL said word of mouth is the most effective, and there is an electronic recruitment system. People make presentations at high schools and colleges. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE HAWKER, Alaska State Legislature, said this is not a referendum on the merits of the AmeriCorps program, but the issue is expanding the categories for allowable absences for the PFD program. The allowance for absences for educational purposes is well encapsulated in statute. Alaska students will need to go to universities all over the world. Alaska can't provide all opportunities in its university system. The exemption for other vocational education actually uses the criteria of "not reasonably available in the state". Some AmeriCorps programs are available in Alaska. The purpose of HB 284, which was brought to him by a constituent, pertains to regulatory language that is contrary to the intent of the law. Amendment 1 adds an entirely new program, creating questions and concerns. His concern is that there may be comparable programs in the state. The Alaska youth restoration program is dedicated to streambed restoration. The AmeriCorps website states: in exchange … for a year of full-time service, AmeriCorps members earn an educational award of $4,725 that can be used to pay for college or graduate school or to pay back qualified student loans. Someone may become a volunteer "truly from a volunteer interest" or for the money. He said it is nothing against the AmeriCorps process, but there is a separate bill on it, and he asked the committee to reject Amendment 1. 9:32:45 AM MR. CALDWELL asked how he saw the AmeriCorps program different from the Peace Corps. REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said it is irrelevant. CHAIR MCGUIRE said the bill goes to the Health, Education and Social Services Committee next. It took six years for her to get an allowable exemption - it is not taken lightly. Members want to see new exemptions done in a contained way that keeps it for residents of Alaska. She suggested that Mr. Caldwell work with Senator French and the sponsors of HB 401 and address the term of service, the application, and place of return for the next committee. She supports the AmeriCorps program and getting an allowable absence for doing good work. She doesn't want to put members in the position where they are pulling a bill out of the House that they haven't heard much testimony on. Senator Green maintains her objection. 9:35:52 AM SENATOR FRENCH said there has been good testimony. The program is chartered by the federal government. There is a total of 59 Alaskans in the program, 80 percent serve one year and return to Alaska, and most are college students. They are doing good work in the lower 48, and they get a modest stipend and a modest educational award. "I'm not sure how much more information we would need to get." This is a program of people who will do good work volunteering and then do good work when they come back. CHAIR MCGUIRE asked if he worked with the bill's sponsor. SENATOR FRENCH said he respects Representative Hawker, but he has not spoken to him on it. CHAIR MCGUIRE said Representative Hawker doesn't like it. She supports the idea but will not support the amendment at this time. If the vote fails, Senator French should spend time with the sponsor and the committee can take another look. 9:38:39 AM A roll call vote was taken. Senator French voted in favor of Amendment 1, and Senators Green, Stevens, Bunde, and McGuire voted against it. Amendment 1 failed on a vote of 1 to 4. SENATOR GREEN moved HB 284 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, CSHB 284(FIN) moved out of committee.