04/22/1999 01:05 PM House TRA

SB 102-TROOPER HECK MEMORIAL CORRIDOR                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
VICE-CHAIR HALCRO announced the first order of business was Senate                                                              
Bill No. 102, "An Act designating the State Trooper Bruce A. Heck                                                               
Memorial Corridor."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
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SENATOR LINCOLN, sponsor, said that SB 102 is brought to the                                                                    
committee with great sadness, and also with gladness that something                                                             
is being done in recognition of troopers who put their lives on the                                                             
line everyday.  Trooper Bruce Heck was a 15-year veteran officer                                                                
who died January 10, 1997 in the line of duty.  He died from                                                                    
asphyxiation after a struggle with a man he was pursuing on the                                                                 
Glenn Highway.  He was 42 years old.  He had two sons, one daughter                                                             
and a wife, Laurie.  Senator Lincoln indicated SB 102 is a                                                                      
concurrent designation which will add approximately two signs on                                                                
the highway route between milepost 188 and 189.  The sign will be                                                               
added to the existing sign.  There is no fiscal impact associated                                                               
with this bill, and she noted that the bill passed unanimously in                                                               
the Senate with 14 Senators signed on as co-sponsors.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY asked to be added as a co-sponsor on SB 102.                                                             
                                                                                                                                
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LAURIE HECK thanked the committee for the opportunity to testify on                                                             
SB 102.  She expressed that this bill is near and dear to her                                                                   
heart, and she feels strongly about the memorial corridor because                                                               
her husband, Bruce Heck, patrolled hundreds of hours on the Glenn                                                               
Highway and gave his life on this highway.  The highway is a major                                                              
roadway into the Glennallen community where Bruce served for over                                                               
six years; a  community that was devastated by a senseless murder.                                                              
This bill is a way for the Glennallen community, as well as the                                                                 
entire state of Alaska, to pay tribute to Bruce and to show the                                                                 
thousands of people who travel the highway each year that Trooper                                                               
Bruce Heck is gone, but will never be forgotten.  Ms. Heck asked                                                                
the committee to pass SB 102 as soon as possible so she could take                                                              
a copy with her to Washington D.C. in mid-May for Law Enforcement                                                               
Memorial Day.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY made a motion to move SB 102 from the                                                                    
committee with a zero fiscal note.  He asked unanimous consent.                                                                 
There being no objection, it was so ordered.