ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS  February 14, 2017 1:40 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Chris Tuck, Chair Representative Justin Parish Representative George Rauscher Representative Lora Reinbold Representative Dan Saddler MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Vice Chair Representative Ivy Spohnholz COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 4 "An Act relating to military facility zones." - MOVED CSHB 4(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 4 SHORT TITLE: MILITARY FACILITY ZONES SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) THOMPSON 01/18/17 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/17 01/18/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/18/17 (H) MLV, CRA 02/09/17 (H) MLV AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/09/17 (H) Heard & Held 02/09/17 (H) MINUTE(MLV) 02/14/17 (H) MLV AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE STEVE THOMPSON Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, answered questions during the hearing on HB 4. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:40:53 PM CHAIR CHRIS TUCK called the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:40 p.m. Representatives Parish, Rauscher, Reinbold, and Tuck were present at the call to order. Representative Saddler arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 4-MILITARY FACILITY ZONES  1:41:47 PM CHAIR TUCK announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 4, "An Act relating to military facility zones." 1:42:25 PM CHAIR TUCK moved to adopt Amendment 1 labeled 30-LS0094\A.2, Shutts, 2/9/17, which read as follows: Page 1, line 1, following "zones": Insert "; and providing for an effective date" Page 2, following line 25: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c)." CHAIR TUCK stated it changes the effective date clause to take effect immediately. 1:43:00 PM There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:43:10 PM CHAIR TUCK introduced Amendment 2, labeled 30-LS0094\A.3, Shutts, 2/9/17, which read as follows: Page 2, following line 25: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 2. AS 26.30.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (d) In considering the factors under (c) of this section, the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs may rely on the information provided by a municipality and may not be held liable for civil damages resulting from a military facility zone designation that is based on inaccurate or incomplete information provided by a municipality." CHAIR TUCK stated that the amendment removes liability with the process of designating a military facility zone. 1:43:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected for the purpose of discussion. CHAIR TUCK stated that Amendment 2 ensures that the Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) may rely on information provided by a municipality and will not be held liable for any civil damages for a military zone being established. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER requested to hear feedback from the prime sponsor regarding Amendment 2. 1:44:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE STEVE THOMPSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 4, stated that the concept for Amendment 2 was brought to him by military [Army Judge Advocate General's Corps] (JAG) officers who wanted to make sure DMVA wouldn't have future liability from misinformation from a municipality. He noted that Amendment 2 complies with the Senate version of the bill. He mentioned that there are other places in statute that clear [DMVA] from liability. He affirmed that he is in favor of Amendment 2 and he brought to Chair Tuck himself. 1:45:04 PM REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD asked if the municipalities are okay with Amendment 2. 1:45:18 PM REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON answered yes. He stated that the change was brought by the Fairbanks North Star Borough to eliminate any time lag for potential military facility zone projects. He reiterated that this is a good idea and has the backing of municipalities and boroughs. 1:45:54 PM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER removed his objection. There being no further objection, Amendment 2 was adopted. 1:46:11 PM REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON thanked the committee for hearing the bill. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated that he was pleased to support the bill, and its passage would be good for the state's economy and military mission. 1:46:50 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER stated his appreciation for Representative Thompson's work on the bill. 1:47:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE PARISH moved to report HB 4 out of committee, as amended, with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 4(MLV) was moved from House Military and Veterans' Affairs Special Committee. 1:48:11 PM   ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was adjourned at 1:48 p.m.