SB 45 Summary

• Establishes the Alaska veterans' cemetery fund as a special account in the general fund to support construction, operation, and maintenance of state veterans' cemeteries.

• Authorizes the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to establish and maintain Alaska veterans' cemeteries subject to federal requirements under 38 U.S.C. 2408, with the first cemetery planned for the Fairbanks area.

• Increases special request commemorative veterans' license plate fees to $100 on initial issuance and replacement, plus $35 biennially, with excess revenues available for appropriation to the cemetery fund and programs benefiting Alaska veterans.

• Expands employment preference in state hiring to include members of the Alaska National Guard with at least eight years of service, in addition to existing preferences for veterans and former prisoners of war.

• Clarifies that employment preference recipients can only use one preference category and that preferences do not apply to positions limited to current state employees.