SB 11-MILITARY SPOUSE COURTESY LICENSE                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:56:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR REINBOLD announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO.  11, "An Act  relating to  temporary courtesy                                                               
licenses for  certain nonresident professionals; and  relating to                                                               
the   Department    of   Commerce,   Community,    and   Economic                                                               
Development."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:56:48 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BIRCH clarified  that the committee would  be hearing the                                                               
original  version of  SB 11,  labeled 31-LS0262\A.  Senator Gray-                                                               
Jackson objected for purpose of discussion.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:57:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  SCOTT   KAWASAKI,  Alaska  State   Legislature,  Juneau,                                                               
speaking as sponsor of SB 11,  said he would provide a high-level                                                               
overview of SB  11. He said that a similar  bill [House Bill 262]                                                               
passed  the  House  last  year   with  a  40-0  vote  and  gained                                                               
bipartisan support  in the Senate  before it failed to  reach the                                                               
floor  for a  vote.  The concept  of  this bill  is  listed as  a                                                               
priority for the U.S. Department  of Defense by the state liaison                                                               
serving Alaska.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KAWASAKI said  that Alaska  supports  its armed  service                                                               
members, its  veterans, its  military and  its families.  He said                                                               
that volunteer  groups transition soldiers and  their families as                                                               
they  come  to  Alaska.  The   school  districts  help  integrate                                                               
children  into  their  local  schools  quickly  and  without  any                                                               
issues.   Even  small   businesses   participate.  He   described                                                               
Fairbanks  as  welcoming  to military  members,  that  its  small                                                               
businesses  offer discounts  to  military  families. He  reported                                                               
that  Fairbanks  has  9,000  servicemen  and  women,  with  4,000                                                               
spouses.  The community  anticipates  an  additional 1,000  armed                                                               
service members in  Fairbanks with the F-35s  anticipated to come                                                               
to  Alaska. Joint  Base Elmendorf-Richardson  (JBER), located  in                                                               
Anchorage has 10,000 servicemen and women, he said.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:59:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KAWASAKI  explained  that  SB 11  would  build  off  the                                                               
original bill  that Representative  Thomas introduced in  2011 to                                                               
expedite temporary and  courtesy licenses. He described  SB 11 as                                                               
one  way the  legislature  could show  support  for its  military                                                               
families  and allow  spouses and  dependents  to transition  into                                                               
their jobs quickly. He said he  hoped to advance the bill quickly                                                               
since  it is  pro-military pro-jobs,  and pro-economy  at a  time                                                               
when Alaska  needs it more  than ever. He thanked  the Department                                                               
of Defense and the Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                       
Economic Development for their assistance.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
[SB 11 was held in committee.]