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Enrolled HCR 1: Relating to declaring March 2005 as Sobriety Awareness Month.

00Enrolled HCR 1 01 Relating to declaring March 2005 as Sobriety Awareness Month. 02 _______________ 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS it is the policy of the State of Alaska, under AS 47.37.010, "to recognize, 05 appreciate, and reinforce the example set by its citizens who lead, believe in, and support a 06 life of sobriety"; and 07 WHEREAS sobriety has been defined to mean "a positive, healthy, and productive 08 way of life, free from the devastating effects of alcohol and drugs" by more than 50 profit and 09 nonprofit organizations, community groups, and student governments throughout the state; 10 and 11 WHEREAS these organizations, community groups, and student governments 12 constitute what is commonly referred to as a growing "sobriety movement"; and 13 WHEREAS the "sobriety movement" is interpreted as "[t]he collective effort on the 14 part of individuals, families and communities, and public and private agencies, affected by, 15 concerned with, and working toward the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, who by 16 example encourage and support others in leading a life of sobriety"; and

01 WHEREAS the practice and benefits of leading a life of sobriety to Alaska's citizens 02 are threefold: 03 (1) improvement in the quality of life and health of individuals, families, and 04 communities; 05 (2) reduction in the incidence of alcohol- and drug-related crimes; 06 (3) reduction in the burden on government by not having to exhaust its 07 resources to pay for the pervasive problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse; and 08 WHEREAS March has been designated "Sobriety Awareness Month" by the Alaska 09 State Legislature and the governor every year since 1995 to recognize, appreciate, and 10 reinforce the example set by citizens who lead, believe in, and support a life of sobriety; 11 BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the month of March 2005 is 12 proclaimed as Sobriety Awareness Month; and be it 13 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests 14 Governor Frank Murkowski to proclaim the same and have copies of the proclamation sent to 15 all the respective departments and departmental agencies within the administration that fund 16 or have contact with youth, schools, family services, or provide rehabilitation or correctional 17 services; and be it 18 FURTHER RESOLVED that all Alaska citizens who lead, believe in, or support a 19 life of sobriety indicate so by wearing a white ribbon of their choosing so that they may be 20 readily recognized and appreciated during Sobriety Awareness Month, March 2005.