SJR 18-SUPPORT SOLDIERS' BURIAL DESIGNATIONS  9:48:47 AM CHAIR MENARD announced the consideration of SJR 18. JOSH TEMPEL, Staff to the Veterans Caucus, said SJR 18 expresses Alaska's support for HR 1633, a congressional bill entitled "Honor the Wish Act." This bill will allow troops to designate people other than immediate family members to oversee their disposition if they are killed in the line of duty. Current law prohibits members of armed forces from authorizing nonrelatives to make their funeral arrangements. Members fill out a DD-93 form for this purpose. It only allows them to designate a spouse or relative. Some service members need someone else to bear responsibility, but they are prohibited to do that by federal law. HR 1633 will allow service men and women to designate whoever they want. Passing SJR 18 is a meaningful way to support the military. Some troops don't have good parents. 9:50:54 AM SENATOR KOOKESH asked if the form can be changed once someone fills it out. MR. TEMPEL said every time a person deploys, he or she fills out that form. It has a lot of money attached to it. A person gets $100,000 to deal with funeral expenses. That money should go to the person the member wants it to go to. SENATOR KOOKESH asked if Congress supports this. NICK HENDERSON, Army Veteran, said a Tennessee representative is the sponsor of HR 1633, and there are several cosponsors. SENATOR FRENCH said there are some families who are not ideal, and a soldier should be able to make this decision. 9:53:19 AM MR. HENDERSON said part of the sponsor statement is personal to him. He met Christopher Fox in airborne school, but neither made it through the school. They were assigned to the fourth infantry division in Colorado and served together Iraq. Specialist Fox redeployed after they got back. Last September he was killed in action in Iraq. This is the source of HR 1633. Fox's mother had died and he didn't really know his father. His step family was "less than desirable." Specialist Fox had specified a teacher who raised him like a mother, and she was not recognized as a legal recipient. The intent of SJR 18 is to rectify this. SENATOR MEYER noted that previous resolutions went to Congress, the president, and the governor. He asked if Mr. Tempel would like to use the same distribution list. MR. TEMPEL said the resolution can be amended. 9:56:05 AM SENATOR MEYER moved conceptual Amendment 1 to send SJR 18 to the same list of people in SJR 17. Hearing no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. SENATOR MEYER moved SJR 18, as amended, with attached fiscal notes from committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objections, CSSJR 18(STA) moved out of committee.