Senate committee hears bill to modernize Joint Armed Services Committee

The Senate State Affairs Committee held a first hearing April 14 on SB 282, a measure that would update the statute governing the Joint Armed Services Committee (JASC) to reflect changes since the committee was created in 1999.

Janet Calhoun, staff to Senator Kawasaki, read the sponsor statement and told the committee "Senate bill 282 was introduced to modernize the statute setting the structure, function, and focus of the Joint Armed Services Committee, also known as JASC." She said the draft would split a shared seat so the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Alaska Municipal League each have a full seat, assign basic roster stewardship to the Legislative Affairs Agency, and include a sunset review in 2036.

Kyle Johansson, staff to Representative Andrew Gray and the invited testifier, said Representative Gray asked for the review after finding the committee's original duties were closely tied to the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, which "is not an active federal program" and no longer captures the committee's practical workload. Johansson told the committee the bill is intended to broaden JASC's scope and ensure continuity of membership and staffing: "We put it together into a bill, and that's what you see before us." He said the changes were developed with input from military and civilian members and interest groups.

Members questioned how the committee has been funded and staffed. Johansson said funding has fluctuated and provided historical figures showing the committee's budget had fallen from larger amounts in the past to roughly $10,000 in recent years; he said Representative Gray plans to seek more consistent support in the legislative budget process.

The measure would also raise the committee membership quorum requirement and remove overlapping reporting requirements with the Alaska Military Commission. No vote was taken; Chair Kawasaki set SB 282 aside for a further hearing.

What happens next: SB 282 will return for another hearing where members can probe specific sections and staffing implications. The committee invited additional input from affected entities before advancing the bill.