03/07/2019 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

          HB  34-NAMING SCOTT JOHNSON MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:51:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS   announced  that  the  next   order  of                                                               
business would  be HOUSE BILL  NO. 34,  "An Act naming  the Scott                                                               
Johnson Memorial Bridge."                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:51:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS  opened   public  testimony  during  the                                                               
hearing on HB 34.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:52:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BUD  JOHNSON,  as  the  father  of  Scott  Johnson,  thanked  the                                                               
community for its  support for HB 34.  He  mentioned that the Tok                                                               
River  has always  been special  to  his family;  he floated  the                                                               
river and hunted with Scott as a youngster.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:53:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUE  STANCLIFF testified  that  she supports  the  naming of  the                                                               
bridge after  Scott.  She  stated that  she had the  privilege of                                                               
working  with Scott  in  the Department  of  Public Safety  (DPS)                                                               
under [former]  Commissioner [Joe]  Masters; Scott was  a special                                                               
human being and an exceptional trooper.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:54:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE STANCLIFF  testified that the  bridge over the Tok  River is                                                               
an appropriate site  to honor and remember Scott  Johnson.  Scott                                                               
crossed the river many times in  his life, and floated and boated                                                               
the river as  well.  Mr. Stancliff maintained that  the Tok River                                                               
is synonymous with Scott's community;  he spent many of his young                                                               
years there.  He said that  a bridge spans an otherwise difficult                                                               
feature  to cross  or pass  through and  Scotts life  was one  of                                                               
crossing many  challenges, cultures, and settings.   He continued                                                               
by saying that Scott was rural  but learned to thrive in an urban                                                               
environment; he  was Caucasian but  learned to  love, appreciate,                                                               
and respect the ways of  his Athabascan neighbors and friends; he                                                               
worked well with all people of  all ages; and he also learned how                                                               
to  work,  train,  and  admire   his  canine  companions  in  law                                                               
enforcement.   Scott knew  the dangers of  his career  choice but                                                               
spanned  that danger  with emotion  and courage.   He  maintained                                                               
that Scott has  been an inspiration to all young  people who grow                                                               
up in  a tiny  rural Alaska  community and  wonder if  the larger                                                               
world has a place  for them.  The bridge bearing  his name in his                                                               
beloved Tok is both fitting and  truly a positive public act.  He                                                               
said  that  Scott  believed  in   bridges  and  his  life  was  a                                                               
continuing example  of how he  built them.   Many years  from now                                                               
someone pausing  on the bridge  over the Tok River  will probably                                                               
ask who Scott  Johnson was; perhaps they will ask  someone in the                                                               
community or search  the internet for the name  and remark "Wow!"                                                               
Mr. Stancliff maintained that because  of Scott's dedication, his                                                               
incredible contributions to life will  live on, and the community                                                               
that so  loved him will  smile and nod  each time they  cross the                                                               
bridge.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:57:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS closed public testimony.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:57:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW moved  to report HB 34 out  of committee with                                                               
individual recommendations and zero fiscal  note.  There being no                                                               
objection,  HB  34 was  reported  from  the House  State  Affairs                                                               
Standing Committee.