05/19/2003 09:05 AM House STA

SB 223-NAMING THE FERRY LITUYA                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0022                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WEYHRAUCH  announced that the  first order of  business was                                                               
SENATE  BILL  NO. 223,  "An  Act  naming  the state  ferry  first                                                               
operating  to   serve  between  Metlakatla  and   Ketchikan;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0065                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TOM  BRIGGS, Deputy  Commissioner,  Office  of the  Commissioner,                                                               
Department of  Transportation & Public Facilities  (DOT&PF), told                                                               
the  committee  that the  vessel  from  Metlakatla was  [modeled]                                                               
after the North Sea supply boats  and was named through a contest                                                               
with  the  children of  Metlakatla.    Lieutenant Governor  Loren                                                               
Leman  selected  the name,  Lituya,  from  the final  candidates'                                                               
entries.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BRIGGS  reminded  the  committee   that  Lituya  Bay  is  an                                                               
historical place and  the glacier located there was  the cause of                                                               
a  major  tidal wave  back  in  the  1950s that  had  cataclysmic                                                               
consequences on many  of the vessels that were in  the bay at the                                                               
time.   He noted  that a man  named La Perouse  was the  first to                                                               
record Lituya Bay.   He said that the department,  as well as the                                                               
people  of Metlakatla,  feel  that [Motor  Vessel  Lituya] is  an                                                               
appropriate name for a vessel in southern Southeast Alaska.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 0222                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. BRIGGS,  in response  to questions  by Chair  Weyhrauch, said                                                               
that  he  doesn't  know  the  meaning of  the  name  Lituya,  but                                                               
surmised  that  it is  probably  an  aboriginal name  of  Tlingit                                                               
origin.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0330                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WEYHRAUCH  asked if the bill  would limit the route  of the                                                               
vessel to service between Metlakatla and Ketchikan.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BRIGGS interpreted  that  the language  of  the bill  states                                                               
where the  ferry vessel would  run initially; however,  he stated                                                               
that he hopes  the Marine Highway System would  reserve the right                                                               
to reassign  the ferry vessel  to wherever  it might do  the most                                                               
good.   He  noted that  the vessel  was designed  specifically to                                                               
serve the people of Metlakatla.   He referred to the language [of                                                               
Section 1] in the bill, which read as follows:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
      *Section 1.  AS 19.65.020 is amended by adding a new                                                                    
     subsection to read:                                                                                                        
               (f)  The Motor Vessel Lituya is the                                                                              
          authorized name for the state ferry first                                                                             
          operating as part of the Alaska marine highway                                                                        
          system to serve between Metlakatla and Ketchikan                                                                      
          on or after the effective date of this section.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WEYHRAUCH stated that he  really has no interest in hearing                                                               
bills  in the  future to  decide upon  changes in  the scheduling                                                               
order of ferry destinations.  He  clarified that he does not want                                                               
to bind  the hands of the  Marine Highway System by  limiting the                                                               
service area of the ferry now.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. BRIGGS responded that that was not the intent of the bill.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WEYHRAUCH suggested  an amendment  to add  "first" between                                                               
the words "to" and "serve".                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLM asked if that is a title amendment.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WEYHRAUCH,  upon reflection, said  that he doesn't  want to                                                               
have  to  send [SB  223]  back  to  the Senate  for  concurrence;                                                               
therefore, he asked Mr. Briggs to  send a letter of intent to the                                                               
committee stating  that the language  will not bind the  hands of                                                               
the  Marine  Highway  System.   Chair  Weyhrauch  said  that  the                                                               
committee would then make that letter part of the record.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. BRIGGS agreed to do that today.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0563                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLM moved to report  SB 223 out of committee with                                                               
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WEYHRAUCH  asked  the  committee  if  he  could  have  the                                                               
discretion  to  sign  the  letter  when  he  receives  it.    [No                                                               
objection was stated.]                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 0598                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN suggested that the  letter allow the ferry to                                                               
travel to any place in Alaska.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WEYHRAUCH said,  "If it's so needed, yes."   He offered the                                                               
example  of the  [Exxon Valdez  Oil Spill  of 1989]  when it  was                                                               
necessary to move ferries all around the system.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WEYHRAUCH  [indicated  that  there  was  no  objection  to                                                               
reporting  SB  223  from  committee].    Therefore,  SB  223  was                                                               
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.