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--- version:SB 77+++ version:(document, no version)@@ -1,411 +1,44 @@- The Alaska State Legislature+February 3, 2025+Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Chair+Senate Labor and Commerce Committee- menu+Re: Senate Bill 77, Perm Fund; Employment; Eligibility (version 34-LS0394\N)- Home+Dear Chair Bjorkman, and members of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee,- Senate+The Alaska Chamber (the Chamber) writes in support of Senate Bill 77, an Act relating to national criminal+history record checks for certain employees of the Department of Revenue; relating to allowable absences+for eligibility for a permanent fund dividend; relating to the confidentiality of certain information provided on+a permanent fund dividend application; relating to the duties of the Department of Revenue; and providing+for an effective date- Current Members+The Alaska Chamber was founded in 1953 and is Alaska’s largest statewide business advocacy organization.+Our mission is to promote a healthy business environment in Alaska. The Chamber has more than 700+members and represents businesses of all sizes and industries from across the state, representing 58,000+Alaskan workers and $4.6 billion in wages.- Past Members+The Chamber has a formal policy position to support clarifying vocational training absences for purposes of+receiving PFD benefits. We support the enactment of clarifying changes to the PFD statute in order to assure+Alaskans who are members of the uniformed services or those attending merchant marine training programs+remain eligible to obtain their PFD, provided they have met all other eligibility criteria.- By Session+Since 1997, over 700 Alaskans have been recruited, trained, and placed in deep-sea maritime employment by+attending the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education. Many of these candidates were youth,+Alaskan Natives, displaced workers, and veterans who attended an apprentice program paid for through a+labor-management training trust fund. In so doing, management can be assured the individuals they hire to+crew their vessels are thoroughly trained to USCG standards and uniformly meet their security, safety, and+competency standards. Furthermore, by recruiting Alaskans for this apprenticeship opportunity companies in+the Alaska maritime trade, like Alaska Tanker Company, Crowley Maritime, Matson Navigation, and TOTE+Maritime Alaska, continue to meet their commitment to hire local. Denying PFD benefits to Alaskans,+particularly younger Alaskans, while engaged in this required training, discourages them from considering+this pathway as a career opportunity. The purpose for the local hire effort is for these individuals to be+trained outside and to return to Alaska to spend their earned wages and enjoy their benefits on their time+off.- Alphabetical+In closing, the Chamber supports SB77 and encourages swift passage of this straightforward and good for+business bill. Thank you for considering the Alaska Chamber’s comments.- House+Sincerely,- Current Members-- Past Members-- By Session-- Alphabetical-- Bills & Laws-- Bills-- All Introduced-- Actions by Date-- Awaiting Actions-- Bills sent to Conf Committee-- Bills in Committee-- Governor's Vetoes-- Passed Legislation-- Prefile Bill Summary-- Requestor Summary-- Statistics-- Sponsor Summary-- Subject Summary-- Laws-- Constitution-- Constitutional Convention Files-- Statutes-- Executive Orders - Current-- Executive Orders - Historical-- Administrative Code-- Journals-- Session Laws & Resolves-- Session Laws & Resolves 2025-- Session Laws & Resolves 2026-- 1981 - Previous Year Session Law-- 1983 - Previous Year Legislative Resolves-- Tools-- Statute Information Retrieval System-- Bill Tracking Management Facility-- Past Legislatures (Archives)-- Committees-- Hearing Schedule-- Standing Committees-- Finance Committees-- Special Committees-- Joint Committees-- Conference Committees-- Other Committees-- Minutes-- Publications-- Get Started-- Information Offices-- Legislative Affairs-- Legislative Agencies-- Links-- Legislative Branch-- Executive Branch-- Judicial Branch-- Alaska Delegation--Home--Bill & Laws--Bills--SB 77 Detail--FullText-- txt--SB 77: "An Act relating to national criminal history record checks for certain employees of the Department of Revenue; relating to allowable absences for eligibility for a permanent fund dividend; relating to the confidentiality of certain information provided on a permanent fund dividend application; relating to the duties of the Department of Revenue; and providing for an effective date."--00 SENATE BILL NO. 77-01 "An Act relating to national criminal history record checks for certain employees of the-02 Department of Revenue; relating to allowable absences for eligibility for a permanent-03 fund dividend; relating to the confidentiality of certain information provided on a-04 permanent fund dividend application; relating to the duties of the Department of-05 Revenue; and providing for an effective date."-06 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:-07 * Section 1. AS 12.62.400(c) is amended to read:-08 (c) To obtain a national criminal history record check for determining a-09 current or prospective employee's qualifications under AS 39.90.210, a current or-10 prospective employee's qualifications and suitability to administer the permanent-11 fund dividend program under AS 43.23, or a contractor's qualifications under-12 AS 36.30.960, the agency or the procurement officer shall submit the current or-13 prospective employee's or contractor's fingerprints to the department with the fee--01 established by AS 12.62.160. The department shall submit the fingerprints to the-02 Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain a national criminal history record check of-03 the current or prospective employee or contractor for the purpose of evaluating a-04 person's qualifications under AS 36.30.960, [AND] AS 39.90.210, or AS 43.23, as-05 applicable. In this subsection, unless the context otherwise requires,-06 (1) "agency" has the meaning given in AS 39.90.290;-07 (2) "contractor" has the meaning given in AS 36.30.960;-08 (3) "employee" has the meaning given in AS 39.90.290.-09 * Sec. 2. AS 43.23.008(a) is amended to read:-10 (a) Subject to (b) and (d) of this section, an otherwise eligible individual who-11 is absent from the state during the qualifying year remains eligible for a current year-12 permanent fund dividend if the individual was absent-13 (1) receiving secondary or postsecondary education on a full-time-14 basis; on a break or holiday from a secondary or postsecondary educational-15 institution during an academic year, not including summer break, if the-16 individual is enrolled in and attends the educational institution on a full-time-17 basis before and after the break or holiday; or in an orientation program-18 required as a condition of the secondary or postsecondary education and the-19 individual immediately begins the education on a full-time basis after the-20 completion of the orientation;-21 (2) receiving vocational, professional, or other specific education on a-22 full-time basis for which, as determined by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary-23 Education, a comparable program is not reasonably available in the state; on a break-24 or holiday from the vocational, professional, or other specific training, not-25 including summer break, if the individual is enrolled in and attends the training-26 on a full-time basis before and after the break or holiday; or in an orientation-27 program required as a condition of the vocational, professional, or other specific-28 training and the individual immediately begins the training on a full-time basis-29 after the completion of the orientation;-30 (3) serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the-31 United States or accompanying, as that individual's spouse, minor dependent, or--01 disabled dependent, an individual who is-02 (A) serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of-03 the United States; and-04 (B) eligible for a current year dividend;-05 (4) serving under foreign or coastal articles of employment aboard an-06 oceangoing vessel of the United States merchant marine or attending a vocational-07 program that-08 (A) trains students for a career in the United States-09 merchant marine;-10 (B) provides seagoing service that meets the requirements-11 of the United States Coast Guard for United States merchant marine-12 credentialing; and-13 (C) is approved by the United States Coast Guard;-14 (5) receiving continuous medical treatment recommended by a-15 licensed physician or convalescing as recommended by the physician who treated the-16 illness if the treatment or convalescence is not based on a need for climatic change;-17 (6) providing care for a parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild with-18 a critical life-threatening illness whose treatment plan, as recommended by the-19 attending physician, requires travel outside the state for treatment at a medical-20 specialty complex;-21 (7) providing care for the individual's terminally ill family member;-22 (8) settling the estate of the individual's deceased parent, spouse,-23 sibling, child, or stepchild, provided the absence does not exceed 220 cumulative days;-24 (9) serving as a member of the United States Congress;-25 (10) serving on the staff of a member from this state of the United-26 States Congress;-27 (11) serving as an employee of the state in a field office or other-28 location;-29 (12) accompanying a minor who is absent under (5) of this subsection;-30 (13) accompanying another eligible resident who is absent for a reason-31 permitted under (1), (2), (5) - (12), (16), or (17) of this subsection as the spouse, minor--01 dependent, or disabled dependent of the eligible resident;-02 (14) serving as a volunteer in the federal peace corps program;-03 (15) because of training or competing as a member of the United States-04 Olympic Team or a United States national team for an Olympic sport;-05 (16) participating for educational purposes in a student fellowship-06 sponsored by the United States Department of Education or by the United States-07 Department of State;-08 (17) for any reason consistent with the individual's intent to remain a-09 state resident, provided the absence or cumulative absences do not exceed-10 (A) 180 days in addition to any absence or cumulative absences-11 claimed-12 (i) under (3) of this subsection if the individual is not-13 claiming an absence under (1), (2), or (4) - (16) of this subsection; or-14 (ii) under (5) of this subsection if the individual is-15 not claiming an absence under (1) - (4) or (6) - (16) of this-16 subsection;-17 (B) 120 days in addition to any absence or cumulative absences-18 claimed under (1) - (3) of this subsection if the individual is not claiming an-19 absence under (4) - (16) of this subsection but is claiming an absence under (1)-20 or (2) of this subsection; or-21 (C) 45 days in addition to any absence or cumulative absences-22 claimed under (1) - (16) of this subsection if the individual is claiming an-23 absence under (4) - (16) of this subsection.-24 * Sec. 3. AS 43.23.055 is amended to read:-25 Sec. 43.23.055. Duties of the department. The department shall-26 (1) annually pay permanent fund dividends from the dividend fund;-27 (2) subject to AS 43.23.011 and (8) of this section, adopt regulations-28 under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) that establish procedures and time-29 limits for claiming a permanent fund dividend; the department shall determine the-30 number of eligible applicants by October 1 of the year for which the dividend is-31 declared and pay the dividends by December 31 of that year;--01 (3) adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act)-02 that establish procedures and time limits for an individual upon emancipation or upon-03 reaching majority to apply for permanent fund dividends not received during minority-04 because the parent, guardian, or other authorized representative did not apply on-05 behalf of the individual;-06 (4) assist residents of the state, particularly in rural areas, who, because-07 of language, disability, or inaccessibility to public transportation, need assistance to-08 establish eligibility and to apply for permanent fund dividends;-09 (5) use a list of individuals ineligible for a dividend under-10 AS 43.23.005(d) provided annually by the Department of Corrections and the-11 Department of Public Safety to determine the number and identity of those-12 individuals;-13 (6) adopt regulations that are necessary to implement AS 43.23.005(d)-14 and 43.23.048;-15 (7) adopt regulations that establish procedures for the parent, guardian,-16 or other authorized representative of a disabled individual to apply for prior year-17 permanent fund dividends not received by the disabled individual because no-18 application was submitted on behalf of the individual;-19 (8) adopt regulations that establish procedures for an individual to-20 apply to have a dividend disbursement under AS 37.25.050(a)(2) reissued if it is not-21 collected within two years after the date of its issuance; however, the department may-22 not establish a time limit within which an application to have a disbursement reissued-23 must be filed;-24 (9) provide any information, upon request, contained in permanent-25 fund dividend records to the child support services agency created in AS 25.27.010, or-26 the child support enforcement agency of another state, for child support purposes-27 authorized under law; if the information is contained in an electronic data base, the-28 department shall provide the requesting agency with either-29 (A) access to the data base; or-30 (B) a copy of the information in the data base and a statement-31 certifying its contents;--01 (10) establish a fraud investigation unit for the purpose of assisting the-02 (A) Department of Law in the prosecution of individuals who-03 apply for or obtain a permanent fund dividend in violation of a provision in-04 AS 11, by detecting and investigating those crimes; and-05 (B) commissioner to detect and investigate the claiming or-06 paying of permanent fund dividends that should not have been claimed by or-07 paid to an individual and to impose the penalties and enforcement provisions-08 under AS 43.23.270;-09 (11) adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act)-10 so that contributions under AS 43.23.130 are given a priority over donations under-11 AS 43.23.230 if the total amount of contributions and donations elected by an-12 applicant exceeds the amount of the permanent fund dividend that the applicant is-13 entitled to receive;-14 (12) submit fingerprints and fees to the Department of Public-15 Safety for a national criminal history record check under AS 12.62.400 for the-16 purpose of determining a person's qualifications and suitability for administering-17 the permanent fund dividend program under this chapter.-18 * Sec. 4. AS 43.23.110(a) is amended to read:-19 (a) Except as provided in (c) of this section, information on each permanent-20 fund dividend application [, EXCEPT THE APPLICANT'S NAME,] is confidential.-21 The department may only release information that is confidential under this section-22 (1) to a local, state, or federal government agency;-23 (2) in compliance with a court order;-24 (3) to the individual who or agency that files an application on behalf-25 of another;-26 (4) to a banking institution to verify the direct deposit of a permanent-27 fund dividend or correct an error in that deposit;-28 (5) as directed to do so by the applicant;-29 (6) to a contractor who has a contract with a person entitled to obtain-30 the information under (1) - (5) of this section to receive, store, or manage the-31 information on that person's behalf; a contractor receiving data under this paragraph--01 may only use the data as directed by and for the purposes of the person entitled to-02 obtain the information;-03 (7) to the division of elections as required by AS 43.23.101.-04 * Sec. 5. AS 43.23.140(d) is amended to read:-05 (d) An assignment of or levy, execution, garnishment, attachment, or other-06 remedy for the collection of debt applied to a dividend for a year may not be accepted-07 by the department before April 1 of that same year. AS 09.38.080(c) and 09.38.085 do-08 not apply to a levy on a permanent fund dividend. Upon receipt of a writ of execution-09 under (a) of this section or another court order, the commissioner shall deliver to the-10 court that portion of the dividend executed on [UPON] along with the case name and-11 number. At the time payment is made to the court, the department shall send notice to-12 the court that issued the writ or order and to the individual at the address provided-13 in the individual's dividend application or the electronic mail address at which the-14 individual has consented to receive notices or documents in a verifiable manner,-15 as provided in regulations adopted by the department. The [AND TO THE-16 COURT THAT ISSUED THE WRIT OR ORDER A] notice must contain [THAT-17 CONTAINS]-18 (1) notification that all or part of the individual's dividend has been-19 seized under a writ of execution or court order;-20 (2) the name and address of the court that issued the writ or order;-21 (3) the case number for which the writ or order was issued;-22 (4) the amount seized under the writ or order; and-23 (5) notification that the individual has 30 days from the date the notice-24 is mailed in which to file with the court an objection to the seizure if a mistake has-25 been made.-26 * Sec. 6. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.--Welcome to-The Alaska State Legislature--This web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators, and access committee information. Questions? Try our help wizard or call 907-465-4648.--SMS Bill Tracking-- Text a bill number (ex: HB1) to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts. 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