01/30/2007 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

HB  37-ESTABLISHING SUSAN BUTCHER DAY                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:17:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN announced  that the final order of  business was HOUSE                                                               
BILL NO.  37, "An  Act establishing the  first Saturday  of every                                                               
March as Susan Butcher Day."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN stated that he regrets he never met Susan Butcher.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:17:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAVID   GUTTENBERG,  Alaska   State  Legislature,                                                               
presented HB 37  as co-sponsor.  He indicated  that Ms. Butcher's                                                               
accomplishments speak to the bill.   He stated, "More people have                                                               
walked on  the moon than have  won the Iditarod four  times."  He                                                               
noted  that  the  level  of   Ms.  Butcher's  accomplishment  was                                                               
illustrated by those who spoke  at her memorial, including George                                                               
Lucas, and Bill  and Melinda Gates.  He  shared anecdotes related                                                               
to her life and noted that  in the committee packet is an outline                                                               
of her greatest accomplishments.   The proposed legislation would                                                               
honor Ms.  Butcher by naming  the first  Saturday of March  - the                                                               
traditional starting day of the Iditarod - "Susan Butcher Day".                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG  said he  hopes that schools  and civic                                                               
organizations honor  her.  He  highlighted her  accomplishment of                                                               
having taken a  team of dogs to  the summit of Mt.  McKinley.  He                                                               
revealed that he has been a dog  musher in the past and is amazed                                                               
at  what Ms.  Butcher did  with her  dogs.   He relayed  that the                                                               
Iditarod [committee] is planning  events this year to commemorate                                                               
Ms.  Butcher's life,  and he  asked the  legislature to  consider                                                               
adopting   HB  37   as   a  way   of   recognizing  the   woman's                                                               
accomplishments  and her  ability  and persistence  in doing  the                                                               
things she did.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:21:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN  said the  dignity  with  which Ms.  Butcher                                                               
fought  her  final fight  [with  cancer]  was another  remarkable                                                               
accomplishment.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:21:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL expressed appreciation of the bill.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:22:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL  moved to  report HB  37 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations   and  [the  accompanying  zero                                                               
fiscal note].                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked that the  motion be amended to ask                                                               
that the committee move the bill with unanimous "do pass."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  asked if  there was  any objection  [to moving  HB 37                                                               
unanimously,  with a  recommended  "do pass,"  out  of the  House                                                               
State Affairs Standing Committee].   There being no objection, HB
 was reported out of committee.