HB 180-MILITARY YOUTH ACADEMY                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:24:26 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEVENS announced the consideration of HB 180.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TAMMIE WILSON, sponsor,  described the two changes                                                               
in  HB 180.  She said  the name  changes to  the Alaska  Military                                                               
Youth Academy and removes the  word "Challenge". It also provides                                                               
that students no longer receive  base student allocation, but now                                                               
receive  funding  suggested  by   the  budget  sub-committee  for                                                               
Military and Veterans Affairs.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEVENS noted  that the committee has  previously heard the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MCHUGH PIERRE,  Deputy Commissioner,  Department of  Military and                                                               
Veterans Affairs,  addressed changes  to the  fiscal note  for HB                                                               
180.  He  related that  he  worked  with Legislative  Finance  to                                                               
correct an  error, which did  not include the  Governor's request                                                               
in the budget that has been passed  in both bodies. He said it is                                                               
a zero  fiscal note. The fiscal  note now shows the  general fund                                                               
match.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:26:40 AM                                                                                                                    
ADJUTANT  GENERAL  THOMAS  KATKUS,  Commissioner,  Department  of                                                               
Military and  Veterans Affairs,  provided information  related to                                                               
HB 180.  He related that  two days  ago the department  started a                                                               
new academy of  200 students with an intended  graduation rate of                                                               
over 75 percent.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS noted  that  several  legislators have  children                                                               
that graduated from the Academy.  He asked if the current funding                                                               
is right for the Academy.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE  replied that the  current funding is  "the maturation                                                               
of the process" and is "getting  it right." It is a match program                                                               
with the  National Guard Bureau and  is budgeted for the  goal of                                                               
the program.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:28:45 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GARDNER asked if the funding is comparable to the way it                                                                
is done in other places.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR. PIERRE said yes.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON said she was proud to be carrying the                                                                     
bill. She thanked the committee for its time.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:30:06 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEVENS held HB 180 in committee.