02/17/2004 08:05 AM House STA

SB 270-AVALANCHE AWARENESS MONTH                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WEYHRAUCH  announced  that  final order  of  business  was                                                               
SENATE BILL NO.  270, "An Act establishing  November as Avalanche                                                               
Awareness Month."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 1216                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JACQUELINE  TUPOU,  Staff to  Senator  Lyda  Green, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  paraphrased  from  the  following  written  sponsor                                                               
statement:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska is  avalanche country.   Each year  Alaska loses                                                                    
     more  people  to  avalanches   than  any  other  state,                                                                    
     regardless  of  population.     During  the  last  four                                                                    
     winters  alone, 28  Alaskans have  died in  avalanches.                                                                    
     Last winter, avalanche dust clouds  hit school buses on                                                                    
     Thane  road in  Juneau two  times.   It is  chilling to                                                                    
     think  of the  possible outcomes.   While  often little                                                                    
     can be done to prevent  the occurrence of an avalanche,                                                                    
     much  can be  done to  prevent  the loss  of life  from                                                                    
     avalanches.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Bill  270 would establish November  as Avalanche                                                                    
     Awareness  Month.    This designation  would  serve  to                                                                    
     raise public  awareness of the hazards  associated with                                                                    
     avalanches, and of the  opportunities to participate in                                                                    
     avalanche  safety  training  at the  beginning  of  the                                                                    
     winter recreational  season.   It is hoped  that public                                                                    
     participation  in  avalanche  safety programs  will  be                                                                    
     increased.   This  increased  participation will  equip                                                                    
     Alaskans   with  the   skills   necessary  to   survive                                                                    
     potentially  fatal   encounters  with   avalanches  and                                                                    
     result in saved lives.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUPOU relayed  that many people wanted to  testify in support                                                               
of  this  legislation.   She  noted  that when  this  legislation                                                               
passed  on the  Senate floor,  it  did so  with everyone  present                                                               
signing on as co-sponsors.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
[SB 270 was held over.]