03/21/2002 08:04 AM House STA

SCR 23-ALASKA TARTAN DAY                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 0260                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COGHILL announced  that  the first  order  of business  was                                                              
SENATE CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION NO. 23, Relating to  declaring April                                                              
6, 2002, as Alaska Tartan Day.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0273                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PHELAN  STRAUBE, Staff  to Senator  Randy  Phillips, Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature,  testified on behalf  of the sponsor  of SCR  23, who                                                              
was out of town.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL  said [the  subject] was  straightforward and  asked                                                              
Mr. Straube if he would explain the reason for the resolution.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0323                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STRAUBE told  the  committee  that this  proposed  resolution                                                              
seeks  to honor  Americans  with Scottish  decent  in Alaska,  [by                                                              
declaring] April 6,  2002 as "Tartan Day."  He noted  that April 6                                                              
is significant  to people of Scottish  decent; it is the  day that                                                              
the  Scottish  declaration  of   independence  was  signed.    Mr.                                                              
Straube said  many people believe  that the framers of  the United                                                              
States   Constitution    took   the   Scottish    declaration   of                                                              
independence "into consideration."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. STRAUBE  told the  committee that,  basically, the  resolution                                                              
requests  that the  governor  proclaim April  6,  2002 as  "Alaska                                                              
Tartan  Day."  He  indicated that  there is  an accompanying  zero                                                              
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0402                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COGHILL   noted  that  [the  sponsor]  had   listed  [those                                                              
legislators]  with Scottish  decent  [available  in the  committee                                                              
packet].                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0460                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JAMES noted  that her  name appeared  on the  list                                                              
because  of  her husband,  whose  parents  were both  of  Scottish                                                              
decent.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COGHILL said  there is a  celebration  in Anchorage  - "the                                                              
highland group puts  together a pretty good-sized  shindig."  This                                                              
resolution requests  the governor to  have a proclamation  read at                                                              
that gathering.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0518                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. STRAUBE  noted that  this summer, in  Eagle River,  the Alaska                                                              
Highland Games  will again take  place, an event which  is popular                                                              
with locals and tourists, alike.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0526                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JAMES moved  to  report SCR  23  out of  committee                                                              
with individual  recommendations and the accompanying  zero fiscal                                                              
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FATE  objected to point  out that his name  was not                                                              
included on the  aforementioned list, then removed  his objection.                                                              
He  announced,  "I want  you  to  know  that  I have  the  Macbeth                                                              
tartan."                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0586                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL  thanked Mr.  Straube for  bringing this  resolution                                                              
before the  committee.  He said  he thought he had "spoke  to this                                                              
on the  floor last time,"  and would welcome  the privilege  to do                                                              
so again.   [There being  no objection,  SCR 23 was  reported from                                                              
the House State Affairs Standing Committee.]