HB 71-STATE PERSONNEL ACT: VETERANS' EXPERIENCE  4:14:20 PM CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 71, "An Act relating to hiring for positions in state service based on substitution of military work experience or training for required civilian work experience or training." 4:14:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY, prime sponsor of HB 71, relayed that the proposed legislation would allow work experience gained in the military to be used when applying for jobs with the State of Alaska. She paraphrased from the sponsor statement, included in the committee packet, which read: Members of the military bravely serve our nation and protect our nation's values around the world. The rigors of the battlefield can be immense, yet the transition back to civilian life often proves to be another battle. In a 2012 survey, two-thirds of veterans named finding a job as the greatest challenge in transition from military to civilian life. House Bill 71 attempts to ease this transition by allowing veterans, former prisoners of war or members of the national guard to substitute documented military experience for published minimum qualifications for state classified positions. Numerous states, including Alaska, provide veterans hiring benefits and employment preferences; House Bill 71 would provide additional support to our veterans by allowing their previous military work experience to carry over into the civilian world. Allowing the use of military experience for state job qualifications is currently allowed in Alaska's personnel policy. House Bill 71 would enshrine this current practice into law, ensuring those who have sacrificed for our nation will have better access to employment irrespective of changes in administrations. REPRESENTATIVE STORY added that in the 15 years that she served on the [Juneau] School District Board of Education, there were five leadership changes. Even though the board had policies and practices, leadership changes often disrupted following them; the proposed legislation would put the practices into statute. She continued by saying that an additional benefit would be raising awareness among veterans that their military experience can be used when applying for state jobs. State hiring personnel would know to count military work experience when evaluating veterans and other members of the military for state positions. REPRESENTATIVE STORY mentioned that the proposed legislation was introduced during the Thirtieth Alaska State Legislature, 2017- 2018, by former Representative Justin Parish and passed the House unanimously. She expressed her belief that HB 71 is worthwhile legislation, has value, and should be enacted into law. 4:17:51 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked for an example of how HB 71 would benefit the workforce beyond the practices currently in place. 4:18:10 PM GREG SMITH, Staff, Representative Andi Story, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Story, prime sponsor of HB 71, stated that the first step for applicants for state employment is demonstrating that they meet minimum qualifications, such as holding a [General Education Development (GED) - High School Equivalency Certificate], a college diploma, a commercial driver's license (CDL), or a nursing degree. The proposed legislation would allow experience gained in the military to be used to meet those minimum qualifications. He gave an example: for a procurement specialist the minimum qualifications include a year of procurement experience, writing or approving solicitations, explaining contracting requirements, and developing or proving product specifications. He reiterated that the proposed legislation would enshrine in statute that such experience in the military would count toward the minimum qualifications for a state position. REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked for the reason the practice needs to be enshrined in statute when it is in the standard operating procedure (SOP). MR. SMITH stated that statute is more fixed than policy; changes in administration cause policies to change. He reiterated that there is an awareness component; veterans and those involved in the hiring process would know for certain that the military experience counts when applying for state positions. REPRESENTATIVE SHAW gave examples in which veterans could use their work experience to transition into a position: "Troops to Teachers" is a program allowing an individual with 20 years of military service, who is at the conclusion of a degree program, to enter a classroom, initiate student teaching, finish his/her degree, and become a teacher. In the military there are individuals in the Supply Corps or under the Judge Advocate program who are lawyers or legal assistants. He maintained that there are many positions in the military with vast amounts of experience that could transition easily into a state position. He asserted that the value that veterans bring to the state workforce is huge; this practice being enshrined in statute rather than policy, would make a difference and would allow it to exist in perpetuity. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS offered that as a practical reality, the Department of Defense (DoD) has substantially invested in personnel to assist with transitioning military service members; with the practice put into statute, DoD staff who work with those finishing their service in Alaska would be able to reference statute as a clear indicator of the great opportunity to enter state service. He stated that there are also private sector transition programs; some unions promote the Helmet to Hardhats program. He said that the advantage of the statutory language under the proposed legislation is that it would make it easier for the state to benefit from a veteran's service and previous experience by welcoming him/her to its workforce. 4:23:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL mentioned that regulations are enshrined and followed; they are not tenuous. REPRESENTATIVE STORY responded that there have been reported incidences in which policy was not followed and using military experience for employment became difficult. She offered that the bill was introduced to put the practice into statute to ensure the policy would be followed. CO-CHAIR FIELDS stated that HB 71 would be held over.