HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS March 3, 1993 5:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Rep. Eldon Mulder, Co-Chairman Rep. Richard Foster, Co-Chairman Rep. Pete Kott Rep. Mike Navarre Rep. Ed Willis MEMBERS ABSENT None COMMITTEE CALENDAR *HB 98: "An Act naming the Black Veterans Recognition Bridge on the Alaska Highway over the Gerstle River." MOVED FROM COMMITTEE *HB 75: "An Act relating to qualifications for permanent fund dividends; and providing for an effective date." MOVED FROM COMMITTEE (* First public hearing.) WITNESS REGISTER REP. BETTYE DAVIS Alaska State Legislature State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 465-3875 Position Statement: Prime Sponsor of HB 98 LIZ ROBERTS, Aide Rep. Bettye Davis Alaska State Legislature State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 465-3875 Position Statement: Described HB 75 REP. ELDON MULDER Alaska State Legislature State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 465-2647 Position Statement: Prime Sponsor of HB 75 PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: HB 98 SHORT TITLE: BLACK VETS' RECOGNITION BRIDGE,ALASKA HWY BILL VERSION: SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) B.DAVIS,Mackie TITLE: "An Act naming the Black Veterans Recognition Bridge on the Alaska Highway over the Gerstle River." JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 01/29/93 178 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S) 01/29/93 178 (H) MIL & VET AFF, TRANSPORTATION, FINANCE 02/01/93 202 (H) COSPONSOR(S): MACKIE 02/25/93 (H) MLV AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 17 03/03/93 (H) MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17 BILL: HB 75 SHORT TITLE: QUALIFICATIONS FOR PFD'S BY MILITARY BILL VERSION: SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MULDER,Martin TITLE: "An Act relating to qualifications for permanent fund dividends; and providing for an effective date." JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 01/20/93 114 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S) 01/20/93 114 (H) MIL & VET AFFAIRS, JUDICIARY, FINANCE 02/25/93 (H) MLV AT 10:00 AM CAPITOL 17 03/03/93 (H) MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-3, SIDE A Number 000 CHAIRMAN ELDON MULDER called the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to order at 5:10 p.m. on March 3, 1993. Members present were Rep. Willis, Rep. Foster and Rep. Kott. Rep. Navarre was not present at the call to order. HB 98: BLACK VETS' RECOGNITION BRIDGE, ALASKA HWY Number 010 CHAIRMAN MULDER introduced HB 98 and invited Rep. B. Davis to address the committee. Number 011 REP. BETTYE DAVIS, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 98, thanked the committee and asked her aide (Liz Roberts) to describe the bill. Number 016 LIZ ROBERTS, AIDE TO REP. B. DAVIS, described the brief history of the Alaska Highway and the accomplishments of 3,695 Black Corps of Engineers that helped build the Alaska Highway. Number 035 REP. FOSTER asked to have his name added on as a co-sponsor of HB 98 and asked that the bill be moved out with individual recommendations. Number 037 REP. WILLIS asked to have his name added on as a co-sponsor of HB 98. Number 038 CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if he could have his name added on as a co-sponsor of HB 98. Number 039 REP. B. DAVIS stated that she did not ask for any co-sponsors but stated that she would be glad to have co-sponsors added to HB 98. Number 042 CHAIRMAN MULDER stated that HB 98 was passed out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. HB 75: QUALIFICATIONS FOR PFD'S BY MILITARY Number 052 CHAIRMAN MULDER, PRIME SPONSOR, described HB 75. He stated that it would extend for full military personnel the time exemption that they are allowed to be gone from the state for the permanent fund dividends (PFD). Chairman Mulder asked that the time limit for military personnel to return back to the state to qualify for PFD's be lifted from two years to four years. Chairman Mulder stated that the reason to expand the time limit is to take into consideration the changing nature of the military and the longer periods of overseas duty. REP. WILLIS asked about the constitutionality of HB 98. Number 064 REP. MULDER stated that their was a constitutional question and that question was whether you should allow only military personnel to receive the time expansion. Chairman Mulder stated that he was not sure that this hurtle could be overcome, but he wanted to show support for military personnel. Number 078 REP. WILLIS stated that he had a daughter that was a college student that lost out on the PFD'S because she could not return within the two year limit. Number 094 REP. FOSTER asked that HB 75 be moved out with individual recommendations. CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if there was any discussion. Number 095 REP. KOTT asked if this bill created a dull class within the military itself, and therefore, the constitutionality of this bill would be challenged. Rep. Kott asked the committee if they were moving something out of the committee that was unconstitutional. CHAIRMAN MULDER stated he was not sure the constitutionality of this bill could be overcome. Chairman Mulder said it was not the intent of the chair to push this bill if the constitutional question could not be answered. Chairman Mulder stated that if the constitutional question could be answered he would push the bill. Chairman Mulder explained that the intent was to show support for military personnel. Number 112 CHAIRMAN MULDER asked if there was further discussion. Seeing no further discussion, Chairman Mulder ordered HB 75 to be moved out by individual recommendation. There was general discussion about future bills in the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. (Rep. Navarre arrived at 5:12 p.m.) ADJOURNMENT CHAIRMAN MULDER adjourned the meeting at 5:28 p.m.