Read the full stored bill text
Enrolled SB 282
LAWS OF ALASKA
2026
Source Chapter No.
HCS CSSB 282(STA) _______
AN ACT
Relating to the Joint Armed Services Committee; and providing for an effective date.
_______________
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1
-1- Enrolled SB 282
AN ACT
Relating to the Joint Armed Services Committee; and providing for an effective date. 1
_______________ 2
* Section 1. AS 08.01.063(f) is amended to read: 3
(f) The department shall [SUBMIT THE REPORT PREPARED UNDER (e) 4
OF THIS SECTION TO THE JOINT ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ON OR 5
BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF MARCH EACH YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE 6
DEPARTMENT SHALL] consolidate the two most recent reports prepared under (e) 7
of this section and submit a biennial report to the legislature on or before the first day 8
of March during the first regular session of each legislature. The department shall 9
deliver a copy of the biennial report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the 10
house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is available. 11
* Sec. 2. AS 24.20.650(b) is amended to read: 12
(b) The committee is composed of 13
Enrolled SB 282 -2-
(1) five members of the senate, at least two of whom are members 1
[ONE OF WHOM IS A MEMBER] of the minority, appointed by the president of the 2
senate; 3
(2) five members of the house of representatives, at least two of whom 4
are members [ONE OF WHOM IS A MEMBER] of the minority, appointed by the 5
speaker of the house of representatives; 6
(3) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 7
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 8
representatives after considering the recommendations of the Alaska chapters of each 9
of the following organizations: 10
(A) the Association of the United States Army; 11
(B) the Air and Space Forces Association; 12
(C) the Navy League of the United States; 13
(D) the Marine Corps Association; 14
(4) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 15
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 16
representatives after considering the recommendation of the Seventeenth Coast Guard 17
District Auxiliary; 18
(5) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 19
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 20
representatives after considering the recommendation of the mayor of the Municipality 21
of Anchorage; 22
(6) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 23
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 24
representatives after considering the recommendation of the mayor of the Fairbanks 25
North Star Borough; 26
(7) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 27
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 28
representatives after considering the recommendation of the adjutant general of the 29
Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; [AND] 30
(8) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, who is 31
-3- Enrolled SB 282
appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 1
representatives after considering the recommendation [JOINT 2
RECOMMENDATIONS] of the Alaska Federation of Natives; and 3
(9) a state resident, other than a member of the state legislature, 4
who is appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house 5
of representatives after considering the recommendation of the Alaska Municipal 6
League. 7
* Sec. 3. AS 24.20.665(a) is amended to read: 8
(a) Nine [EIGHT] members of the Joint Armed Services Committee constitute 9
a quorum. 10
* Sec. 4. AS 24.20.665 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 11
(d) The committee shall hold at least one meeting each calendar year at which 12
senior military representatives in the state are invited to brief the committee on military 13
matters in the state. 14
* Sec. 5. AS 24.20.670 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 15
(b) The Legislative Affairs Agency shall 16
(1) maintain a list of members and each member's contact information; 17
(2) notify the presiding officers of the house of representatives and 18
senate of vacancies and upcoming vacancies of civilian members; and 19
(3) maintain a list of previous recipients awarded the Alaska Decoration 20
of Honor by the legislature and a list of members of the armed services who are eligible 21
to receive the Alaska Decoration of Honor. 22
* Sec. 6. AS 24.20.675(a) is amended to read: 23
(a) The Joint Armed Services Committee shall 24
(1) monitor the military base realignment and closure activities of the 25
federal government for bases in the state; 26
(2) [WORK ON SPECIFIC REALIGNMENTS AND CLOSURES 27
PROPOSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR BASES IN THE STATE; 28
(3)] work with the state's congressional delegation, other state and 29
local government organizations, and community groups on military and defense 30
issues; 31
Enrolled SB 282 -4-
(3) [REGARDING FEDERAL MILITARY BASE REALIGNMENTS 1
AND CLOSINGS IN THE STATE; 2
(4) ATTEND MEETINGS AND HEARINGS RELATED TO 3
FEDERAL REALIGNMENTS AND CLOSURES OF MILITARY BASES IN THE 4
STATE AND PROVIDE TESTIMONY AS NECESSARY; 5
(5) REVIEW THE EFFECT ON THE STATE AND ITS 6
COMMUNITIES OF FEDERAL REALIGNMENTS AND CLOSURES OF 7
MILITARY BASES IN THE STATE; 8
(6)] monitor the development of the national ballistic missile defense 9
system and work with the congressional delegation of the state, other state and local 10
government organizations, and community groups to advocate and expedite the 11
deployment of the system in this state; 12
(4) [(7)] investigate opportunities to increase joint and combined 13
military training in the state; 14
(5) [(8)] advocate the stationing of reconfigured power projection forces 15
at bases located in the state; 16
(6) support the state's central role in military defense; 17
(7) review and recommend state policy responses to national defense 18
initiatives and Arctic security initiatives; in this paragraph, 19
(A) "Arctic security initiatives" means using the state as a 20
strategic base for defense operations, infrastructure development, 21
environmental protection, the management of emerging risks such as 22
increased shipping, climate change, and international competition, and 23
other actions and policies focused on protecting national interests in the 24
Arctic; 25
(B) "national defense initiatives" means base expansion, 26
enhancing surveillance and early warning systems, improving Arctic-27
capable forces, ensuring rapid response to threats in the Arctic and 28
northern approaches, and other planned actions and programs carried out 29
in the state to strengthen national military readiness and security; 30
(8) convene hearings and stakeholder consultations on emerging 31
-5- Enrolled SB 282
defense issues; and 1
(9) prepare and submit a report of its activities to the legislature by 2
December 31 of the year [ON THE FIRST DAY] of each second regular session. 3
* Sec. 7. AS 44.19.863 is amended to read: 4
Sec. 44.19.863. Duties of the commission. The commission shall 5
(1) provide advice, counsel, and actionable recommendations on 6
military issues, and economic and industrial development related to military issues, to 7
the governor, state agencies, the legislature, communities, and the state's congressional 8
delegation; 9
(2) provide recommendations to expand and grow the current presence 10
of the armed forces in the state, including new bases, expanded missions, and increased 11
training; 12
(3) plan for state infrastructure needs to support military objectives; 13
(4) recommend methods to improve private and public employment 14
opportunities for the families of current and former members of the military who reside 15
in the state; 16
(5) assist and advise communities and the state in the design and 17
execution of programs that enhance communities' relationships with installations of the 18
armed forces of the United States and defense-related businesses, including in the areas 19
of public school education, in-state higher education and training, cultural and 20
recreational community assets, and housing and energy affordability; 21
(6) advocate for the state in matters related to military expansion 22
decision making by emphasizing the state's strategic location on the globe and existing 23
infrastructure and work to build community support in the state for the armed forces of 24
the United States; 25
(7) prepare and maintain a strategic plan to 26
(A) protect the state's existing military missions; 27
(B) position the state to be competitive for new and expanded 28
military missions; 29
(C) promote the long-term viability and prosperity of the military 30
and industries related to national defense in the state; and 31
Enrolled SB 282 -6-
(D) consider all current and anticipated base realignment and 1
closure criteria affecting bases in the state; 2
(8) report to [THE JOINT ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND] 3
any special committee of the legislature relating to military and veterans' affairs, if one 4
exists at the time the report is due, issues on the commission's activities over the 5
previous calendar year; the commission shall provide the report in an electronic format 6
and deliver the report by January 31 each year; 7
(9) seek the opinions of each member of the Alaska delegation in 8
Congress on the assistance, advice, advocacy, counsel, plans, and recommendations 9
provided under this section. 10
* Sec. 8. AS 24.20.650, 24.20.655, 24.20.660, 24.20.665, 24.20.670, 24.20.675; and 11
AS 26.05.342(d) are repealed. 12
* Sec. 9. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 13
read: 14
JOINT ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE; TERMINATION AND 15
APPOINTMENT. (a) The terms of the current members of the Joint Armed Services Committee 16
are terminated on the effective date of sec. 2 of this Act. 17
(b) Current members of the Joint Armed Services Committee may be reappointed. 18
(c) The appointing authorities under AS 24.20.650(b) shall appoint members to the 19
Joint Armed Services Committee under AS 24.20.650(b), as amended by sec. 2 of this Act, 20
within 45 days after the effective date of sec. 2 of this Act. 21
* Sec. 10. Sections 1, 7, and 8 of this Act take effect June 30, 2036. 22