Committee clears National Guard bill clarifying adjutant general appointment, armory rules and student‑loan aid

Representative (sponsor) presented the first substitute to House Bill 376 on Feb. 14, describing the measure as a cleanup and narrowing of a previously broader package. The committee adopted the first substitute and voted to recommend the bill favorably.

Key provisions retained in the first substitute include: making the adjutant general's appointment and removal procedure consistent with the Director of Public Safety (a four‑year appointment in off‑election years, reporting to the governor); defining an armory board and clarifying how armories are acquired and become state real property (noting that armories are commonly financed roughly 75 percent by federal funds and 25 percent by state funds); allowing the adjutant general limited authority to use a portion of tuition assistance funds for student‑loan repayment (the sponsor said $7,000–$10,000 can be enough to recruit certain medical personnel); clarifying appointment and role of judge advocates (attorneys in military justice matters); and requiring use‑of‑force briefings tailored to the type of order Guardsmen are on.

Sponsor remarks emphasized the operational nature of the bill, and staff said contracting flexibility in emergency procurement had already been addressed in administrative rule so statutory language was removed. The committee adopted the first substitute by voice vote and then passed the bill favorably; no public opposition surfaced at the hearing.