SB 141-NATIONAL GUARD ID & VEHICLE FEES  10:17:20 AM CHAIR DYSON announced that the committee will take up SB 141. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI, bill sponsor, said SB 141 is a very simple bill. He said SB 141 will provide for a vehicle registration fee waiver for National Guard members, approximately $100 per year. He remarked that National Guard members get paid a pittance, approximately $212 for the weekend an individual works per month. He added that the two weeks a National Guard member works is also a small amount. He revealed that the total annual amount a National Guard member earns is approximately $3000, more if deployed. He said providing a vehicle tax exemption is something other states have done for National Guard members. 10:18:27 AM MONICA SOUTHWORTH, Staff for Senator Wielechowski, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said she has a lot of background information about the National Guard and other benefits that the State of Alaska provides compared to other states. SENATOR GIESSEL asked how many other states waive vehicle registration fees for National Guard members. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered that three other states waive fees: Tennessee, New Mexico, and Hawaii. She added that Virginia gives National Guard members a 50 percent discount for their registration fee. She noted that Alaska offers special license plates to National Guard members for an additional $30, most states charge $5 to $25. CHAIR DYSON noted that he saw somewhere in the documentation that there are 4,000 National Guard members in Alaska. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered correct. CHAIR DYSON asked how many National Guard members are fulltime. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered that are 3,773 active National Guard members and 1,015 in the Reserves. CHAIR DYSON asked to clarify that the active members work fulltime with the National Guard. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered yes. CHAIR DYSON added that the 1,000 Reserve members are "weekend warriors." MS. SOUTHWORTH answered yes. 10:20:40 AM SENATOR GIESSEL asked to clarify that a National Guard member working fulltime makes a higher wage than the "weekend warrior." She asked what the wages were for National Guard members. MS. SOUTHWORTH replied that the starting entry level pay for the lowest rank starts at $1,531.50 per month. SENATOR GIESSEL asked if the 1,000 National Guard members work other jobs. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered yes. She explained that the National Guard members do make more money in their other jobs and financial security is not why members participate in the Reserves. She said Alaska offers a lot of benefits to active and reserved National Guard members: free fishing licenses, hunting licenses, educational benefits, job training, low cost insurance, travel benefits, and base privileges. The Alaska National Guard Enlistment Association has increased benefits over the years for members and to entice others to join. She shared that she had spoken with a National Guard recruiter who favors the bill and noted that each small benefit adds up and helps with recruitment. She shared that in the past 12 years since forces have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, over 2.6 million soldiers have returned on a national level. She explained that the National Guard does not have funding levels of the other military branches for advertising. She pointed out the National Guard members primarily joined based upon word of mouth, job fairs, visiting schools and speaking with community members. She reiterated that the small perks aid recruitment. 10:22:52 AM SENATOR GIESSEL addressed the fiscal note and noted that the $100 is a biannual vehicle registration fee. She asked if the $100 includes the local tax that is paid to the local government. MS. SOUTHWORTH replied that local tax is not included. SENATOR GIESSEL addressed the fiscal note and asked if the annual deficit from waiving the license fee is $200,000. MS. SOUTHWORTH answered yes. 10:24:10 AM AMY ERICKSON, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Alaska Department of Administration, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that DMV has no problem with implementing SB 141's directive if enacted. She stated that DMV does anticipate that there will be approximately 80 hours of programing time and approximately $11,400 in programming cost to add a new field for the National Guard exemption. She noted that Senator Giessel's fiscal note calculation was correct. 10:25:13 AM STEPHEN BURRIS, President, Alaska National Guard Enlisted Association (ANGEA), Anchorage, Alaska, explained that ANGEA is not a part of the National Guard. He said ANGEA represents the National Guard soldiers and airmen in Alaska. He explained that he brought the bill forward based upon Hawaii members who noted that their state enacted a waiver for National Guard vehicle registration. He revealed that Florida and Vermont also offer free special license plates. He added that there are 12 to 15 other states who offer a reduced rate for special license plates. He said the big thing that ANGEA is trying to show is when ANGEA members are called up to state active duty and work at a military base pay rate, members do not receive Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) or Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). He explained that when a National Guard members do not receive BAS or BAH when in active duty for the State to take care of flooding and snow removal. He asserted that the bill's intent is to help compensate members. He concurred that added benefits are great for recruiting and retention. He noted a correction for Ms. Southworth's testimony. He pointed out that there approximately 1,200 to 1,400 fulltime National Guardsmen and the rest are part-time "weekend warriors." He explained that the fiscal note was calculated based upon approximately 4,000 members receiving an annual $100 waiver that is derived from the biannual $200 registration. CHAIR DYSON noted that he suspected that the numbers Ms. Southworth provided had been flipped. 10:27:43 AM SENATOR COGHILL asked to verify that the bill benefits active duty members and not retired members. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI answered yes. SENATOR COGHILL noted that his son-in-law was a fulltime Guardsman and he might have a conflict. CHAIR DYSON asked if wanted to recuse himself. SENATOR COGHILL replied no. He added that his daughter may very well benefit from the bill. CHAIR DYSON stated that the bill will make at least a small difference and a significant symbolic one. CHAIR DYSON announced that the Chair will entertain a motion. 10:28:34 AM SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report SB 141, version 28-LS1139\U, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 10:28:50 AM CHAIR DYSON stated that seeing no objection, SB 141 is reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.