CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 44(FIN) "An Act relating to information from veterans on the permanent fund dividend application form." 4:30:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GUTTENBURG, Sponsor, presented an overview of bill. This bill would instruct the Permanent Fund to put a question on the dividend application to find out if the applicant is a veteran. This list of veterans would go to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and to a service organization for outreach for the purpose of informing veterans about earned benefits. This information could not be used for anything political. Representative Guttenberg explained that about $2 billion a year in benefits is provided for veterans, but only 20 percent actually receive benefits. The bill would allow service groups to reach out and notify veterans of eligible benefits. 4:32:13 PM Senator Thomas inquired if there would be an explanation on the form. Representative Guttenberg said there would be information included on the form saying that disclosure is voluntary and an opportunity to sign up for benefits. 4:33:17 PM Senator Huggins asked what Military and Veterans Affairs would do with the information. Representative Guttenberg replied that congressionally chartered veterans organizations would send mailings out to veterans. Senator Huggins stated that DMVA presently gets 214's. He asked what they can do with those. Representative Guttenberg said that the reason the PFD is the vehicle is because it has the most current address. He did not know about the 214's. 4:34:26 PM Senator Elton, speaking as a vet, said he did not want junk mail or lots of unwanted mail. He wondered if there were restrictions to prevent the organizations from selling the list. Representative Guttenberg said that was a topic of discussion in the House. The department and the organizations have confidentiality rules in place. It would be a violation of the law to sell the lists. Senator Elton concluded that there are provisions that would prevent the organizations from selling the list. Representative Guttenberg said that was his understanding also. 4:36:05 PM MAURICE BAILEY, PRESIDENT, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, MATSU, testified in support of the bill. He spoke of organizing an Aviation Outreach Program to find veterans in Alaska in order to get health care and other benefit information to them. The program also supplies American flags to villages for burial services. Most of the veterans do not know how to get the forms they need because they are not tracked after active duty. He shared a personal story. 4:40:49 PM Senator Huggins commented on military organizations such as Veteran Service Officers who provide information to veterans. He said he was proud of these organizations for reaching out to veterans. Representative Guttenberg agreed with Senator Huggins. He pointed out that a lot of people get lost in the system. He shared a personal story about his father who was a veteran. 4:43:05 PM Senator Elton spoke of his experience with the G.I. Bill paying for his schooling. He liked the idea that it would be voluntary to use the Permanent Fund to find out about benefits. He said he would not like it if it was required. 4:44:08 PM CSHB 44(FIN) was heard and HELD in Committee for further consideration. AT EASE: 4:44:21 PM RECONVENED: 4:46:09 PM