03/03/2020 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

           HB 193-SECOND VERSE OF ALASKA'S STATE SONG                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:05:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND announced  that  the first  order of  business                                                               
would be  HOUSE BILL NO.  193, "An Act  adding a second  verse to                                                               
the official state song."                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:06:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANDI STORY,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  presented HB  193.    She said  she  was  proud of  the                                                               
students  that testified  before  the committee  at the  previous                                                               
hearing on HB 193.  She  reviewed some of the points the students                                                               
had made  about why  they support the  proposed legislation:   It                                                               
highlights all  cultures in  Alaska; it  makes people  learn more                                                               
about history  and about Benny  Benson, the winner of  the Alaska                                                               
Flag design  contest; and it  honors Alaska's  indigenous people.                                                               
She indicated  she knew  there was support  for the  second verse                                                               
based  on having  followed similar  legislation about  it in  the                                                               
past.   She reminded the committee  that HB 193 would  not change                                                               
the  first  verse  but  would  simply  add  to  what  is  already                                                               
official.   She said  there is  a letter  from the  University of                                                               
Alaska Foundation  showing that  it owns the  rights to  the song                                                               
and  "they are  available  for use."    The proposed  legislation                                                               
would not require that the second  verse be sung, but would allow                                                               
those who  want to sing  the second verse  the ability to  do so.                                                               
She opined  that the second  verse "complements the  first verse,                                                               
tells a  more complete story  of Alaska, and honors  all cultures                                                               
here."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:08:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on HB 193.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:09:07 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUSAN BEHLKE  FOLEY, President, University of  Alaska Foundation;                                                               
Chief Development  Officer, University  of Alaska,  remarked that                                                               
the university  has no  official stance  on HB  193 but  wants to                                                               
maintain its copyright [to the Flag Song].                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:10:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND, after ascertaining that  there was no one else                                                               
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 193.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:10:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HANNAN  moved to report  [HB 193] out of  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  zero  fiscal                                                               
note.  There  being no objection, HB 193 was  reported out of the                                                               
House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.