HB 331 - ALASKA NATL GUARD/NAVAL & STATE MILITIA                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
[This section also contains discussion on HB 332.]                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI announced the  first order of business as House                                                              
Bill  No. 331,    "An Act  relating  to payment,  allowances,  and                                                              
benefits of members of the Alaska  National Guard and Alaska Naval                                                              
Militia  in active  service; relating  to  computation of  certain                                                              
benefits for  members of the  Alaska State Militia;  and providing                                                              
for an effective date."  There is  a proposed committee substitute                                                              
which merges HB 331 and HB 332.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0065                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CASEY  SULLIVAN, Staff  to Representative  Lisa Murkowski,  Alaska                                                              
State  Legislature,  came  before  the committee  to  present  the                                                              
changes to the proposed committee  substitute (CS).  He noted that                                                              
when HB 331 and HB 332 were presented  last week to the committee,                                                              
there was  duplication.   The proposed  CS, therefore,  commingles                                                              
the  two   for  clarity  and  concision.     In  addition,   as  a                                                              
housekeeping  measure, the  name "Alaska  State Militia"  is being                                                              
changed to "Alaska State Defense Force."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0149                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GAIL  PHILLIPS commented that changing  the name to                                                              
Alaska  State Defense  Force modernizes  the language.   The  term                                                              
"militia" is old-fashioned for the military.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  MURKOWSKI noted  that General  Thomas  S. Westall  [49th                                                              
Civil  Support Brigade,  Alaska State  Defense Force/Alaska  State                                                              
Militia] has  indicated that the  term "militia"  connotes certain                                                              
visions that they want to "steer clear of."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 0219                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CAROL CARROLL,  Director, Central Office, Administrative  Services                                                              
Division, Department  of Military & Veterans Affairs,  came before                                                              
the  committee to  testify.   She  indicated  that the  department                                                              
supports the proposed  CS.  The merging of the two  bills is fine;                                                              
it simplifies matters.   In addition, changing the  name to Alaska                                                              
State Defense Force is exactly what General Westall would like.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI  asked Ms. Carroll  whether General  Westall is                                                              
all right with not having his own bill.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. CARROLL replied in the affirmative.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0255                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS  made a motion  to move CSHB  331, version                                                              
1-GH2010\D,  Cramer, 2/29/00,  out  of committee  with  individual                                                              
recommendations  and attached zero  fiscal note.   There  being no                                                              
objection,  CSHB   331(MLV)  so  moved  from  the   House  Special                                                              
Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.