HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS February 29, 2000 4:45 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Lisa Murkowski, Chairman Representative Jeannette James Representative Gail Phillips Representative Sharon Cissna Representative Eric Croft MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Brian Porter Representative Pete Kott Representative Richard Foster COMMITTEE CALENDAR HOUSE BILL NO. 331 "An Act relating to payment, allowances, and benefits of members of the Alaska National Guard and Alaska Naval Militia in active service; relating to computation of certain benefits for members of the Alaska State Militia; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED CSHB 331(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 317 "An Act relating to recruitment, selection, appointment, and promotion of state employees and the duties of the Department of Administration concerning those and other related functions; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED CSHB 317(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: HB 331 SHORT TITLE: ALASKA NATL GUARD/NAVAL & STATE MILITIA Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action 2/02/00 2067 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 2/02/00 2067 (H) MLV, STA, FIN 2/02/00 2067 (H) ZERO FISCAL NOTE (DMVA) 2/02/00 2067 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER 2/24/00 (H) MLV AT 4:30 PM CAPITOL 120 2/24/00 (H) Heard & Held 2/24/00 (H) MINUTE(MLV) 2/29/00 (H) MLV AT 4:30 PM CAPITOL 120 BILL: HB 317 SHORT TITLE: STATE EMPLOYEE HIRE AND PROMOTION Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action 1/24/00 1991 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 1/24/00 1991 (H) MLV, STA, FIN 1/24/00 1991 (H) ZERO FISCAL NOTE (ADM/ALL DEPTS) 1/24/00 1991 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER 2/29/00 (H) MLV AT 4:30 PM CAPITOL 120 WITNESS REGISTER CASEY SULLIVAN, Staff to Representative Lisa Murkowski Alaska State Legislature Capitol Building, Room 406 Juneau, Alaska 99801 POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the changes to HB 331. CAROL CARROLL, Director Central Office Administrative Services Division Department of Military & Veterans Affairs 400 Willoughby Avenue, Suite 500 Juneau, Alaska 99811 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 331 and HB 317. DAVID L. STEWART, Personnel Manager Central Office Division of Personnel Department of Administration PO Box 110201 Juneau, Alaska 99811-0201 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 317. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 00-06, SIDE A Number 0001 CHAIRMAN LISA MURKOWSKI called the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 4:45 p.m. Members present at the call to order were Representatives Murkowski, Phillips, Cissna and Croft. Representative James arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 331 - ALASKA NATL GUARD/NAVAL & STATE MILITIA [This section also contains discussion on HB 332.] CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI announced the first order of business as House Bill No. 331, "An Act relating to payment, allowances, and benefits of members of the Alaska National Guard and Alaska Naval Militia in active service; relating to computation of certain benefits for members of the Alaska State Militia; and providing for an effective date." There is a proposed committee substitute which merges HB 331 and HB 332. Number 0065 CASEY SULLIVAN, Staff to Representative Lisa Murkowski, Alaska State Legislature, came before the committee to present the changes to the proposed committee substitute (CS). He noted that when HB 331 and HB 332 were presented last week to the committee, there was duplication. The proposed CS, therefore, commingles the two for clarity and concision. In addition, as a housekeeping measure, the name "Alaska State Militia" is being changed to "Alaska State Defense Force." Number 0149 REPRESENTATIVE GAIL PHILLIPS commented that changing the name to Alaska State Defense Force modernizes the language. The term "militia" is old-fashioned for the military. CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI noted that General Thomas S. Westall [49th Civil Support Brigade, Alaska State Defense Force/Alaska State Militia] has indicated that the term "militia" connotes certain visions that they want to "steer clear of." Number 0219 CAROL CARROLL, Director, Central Office, Administrative Services Division, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, came before the committee to testify. She indicated that the department supports the proposed CS. The merging of the two bills is fine; it simplifies matters. In addition, changing the name to Alaska State Defense Force is exactly what General Westall would like. CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI asked Ms. Carroll whether General Westall is all right with not having his own bill. MS. CARROLL replied in the affirmative. Number 0255 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS made a motion to move CSHB 331, version 1-GH2010\D, Cramer, 2/29/00, out of committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 331(MLV) so moved from the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs. HB 317 - STATE EMPLOYEE HIRE AND PROMOTION CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI announced the next order of business as House Bill No. 317, "An Act relating to recruitment, selection, appointment, and promotion of state employees and the duties of the Department of Administration concerning those and other related functions; and providing for an effective date." Number 0334 REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES made a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 317, version 1- GH2050\D, Cramer, 2/29/00, as a work draft. There being no objection, Version D was before the committee. Number 0370 DAVID L. STEWART, Personnel Manager, Central Office, Division of Personnel, Department of Administration, came before the committee to testify. Recruitment and selection is a basic function of personnel, and to do so quickly and effectively is ideal. In the past, recruiting and selecting labor was an intensive process that produced lists of applicants. Moreover, windows of eligibility and lengthy waits between the application and eligibility periods seriously hampered a hiring manager's ability to respond to workforce demands. Workplace Alaska has changed that, and both hiring managers and applicants have responded positively to this system. MR. STEWART further stated that this legislation before the committee is intended to refresh the language of the law to reflect the use of Workplace Alaska. He noted that references to examination are being replaced with assessment in order to better reflect actual practices. Moreover, in response to concerns expressed by representatives of veterans, references to a flat number of assessment points are being changed to a percentage for veterans' hiring preferences. This legislation also contains housekeeping measures. One is the replacement of references to handicapped individuals with individuals of disabilities in order to modernize the language. This legislation also repeals four sections of the law - AS 39.25.153(b), 39.25.153(c), 39.25.153(d) and 39.25.155 [Section 14, of Version D]. However, the Department of Law has expressed that they do not want to repeal AS 39.25.155, which deals with rural application processes and appointments. REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS made a motion to adopt a conceptual amendment to delete AS 39.25.155 from page 9, line 20, of Version D. There being no objection, it was so ordered. CHAIRMAN MURKOWSKI asked Ms. Carroll to comment on the section of the proposed CS that deals with veterans, as a representative of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. Number 0830 CAROL CARROLL, Director, Central Office, Administrative Services Division, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, came before the committee to testify. The department does not have a problem with the proposed CS as long as veterans' points are accounted for, which they are at this time. Number 0863 REPRESENTATIVE JAMES made a motion to move CSHB 317, version 1- GH2050\D, Cramer, 2/29/00, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 317(MLV) so moved from the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the committee, Chairman Murkowski adjourned the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting at 4:56 p.m.