04/02/2002 01:07 PM House TRA

HB 507-NAMING WEIGH STATION AND BIKE TRAIL                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KOHRING  announced  that   the  first  matter  before  the                                                               
committee  would  be HOUSE  BILL  NO.  507,  "An Act  naming  the                                                               
Trooper  Roelle Memorial  Weigh  Station and  the Officer  Wollam                                                               
Memorial Bike Trail; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 0185                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JUDY  OHMER,  Staff to  Representative  Pete  Kott, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, presented  HB 507 on behalf  of Representative Kott,                                                               
chair of the House Rules  Standing Committee, which had sponsored                                                               
the legislation.   She said HB  507 is a commemorative  bill that                                                               
honors some  of Alaska's  fallen heroes who  gave their  lives in                                                               
the  service of  others.   The  bill names  the northbound  weigh                                                               
station at mile 10.6 of the Glenn Highway after Trooper Hans-                                                                   
Peter  Lothar Roelle,  and  names the  Glenn  Highway Bike  Trail                                                               
after Officer [Justin Todd] Wollam.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS. OHMER  said Trooper Roelle  is remembered for  his dedication                                                               
to his work  and devotion to his  family.  Two of  the letters in                                                               
the  bill packet  are from  his children,  conveying memories  of                                                               
him.  She also told of the  love and support expressed by his co-                                                               
workers  and  neighbors.    Ms.  Ohmer quoted  from  one  of  the                                                               
letters, "Hans' commitment  led him to pay the  ultimate price of                                                               
giving  his life  for  the sake  of  others.   This  is truly  an                                                               
example of unquestionable love of mankind and heroism."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. OHMER told  of the large number of not  just patrol cars, but                                                               
also 18-wheel  trucks at  Trooper Roelle's  funeral.   She called                                                               
him a model  of bravery and a  hero in both life and  death.  She                                                               
said his  children want  all the  people who  drive by  the Glenn                                                               
Highway Weigh Station to remember their father.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0390                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. OHMER informed  members that Officer [Justin]  Todd Wollam is                                                               
remembered for his  outstanding service to the  community and his                                                               
love  of family.    He'd  quickly earned  the  admiration of  his                                                               
fellow officers with  his enthusiasm for law  enforcement and his                                                               
special way with  people.  She said Officer Wollam  was killed in                                                               
the line of duty, making the ultimate sacrifice.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. OHMER told of a sign  at a recent memorial service that read:                                                               
"Not all heroes  live in New York."   She said HB  507 provides a                                                               
fitting  tribute to  these great  Alaskans  and acknowledges  the                                                               
continuing appreciation  of the state, and  a visual remembrance.                                                               
Acknowledging  these   officers  reaffirms  the  values   of  the                                                               
community and country, and is  responding to what another trooper                                                               
called "the better angels of our nature."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 0465                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOHRING noted that [their deaths  were] a great loss to the                                                               
communities  of  Anchorage  and  the Mat-Su  area,  and  that  he                                                               
considered both officers heroes.  He  said HB 507 would provide a                                                               
fitting tribute.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0490                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DENNIS POSHARD, Legislative Liaison,  Office of the Commissioner,                                                               
Department  of  Transportation  &  Public  Facilities,  testified                                                               
before the committee.   He told the committee  the department had                                                               
no objection  to the bill  and said it  had worked with  the area                                                               
police and  trooper associations  to erect  signage in  the area.                                                               
He said the bike path to be renamed  would be rebuilt in 2003.  A                                                               
plaque would be placed at an appropriate pull-off.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0610                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. OHMER asked if the committee  would want to add the full name                                                               
of Officer Wollam  to the bill.  It would  be changed to "Officer                                                               
[Justin] Todd Wollam".                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOHRING  said he thought  it would  be prudent to  put both                                                               
full names in the bill for the sake of consistency.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0638                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOHRING  offered the foregoing  as a  conceptual amendment.                                                               
There being no objection, [conceptual Amendment 1] was adopted.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0657                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   MASEK  offered   [Amendment  2,   22-LS1601\A.1,                                                               
Chenoweth, 4/2/02], which read:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 1, following "Station":                                                                                     
          Delete "and"                                                                                                        
          Insert ","                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "Trail":                                                                                       
          Insert ", and the Joseph L. Perkins Bridge"                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, following line 9:                                                                                                  
          Insert new material to read:                                                                                          
          "Sec. 35.40.160.  Joseph L. Perkins Bridge.  The                                                                    
      bridge at mile 56.5 of the Seward Highway, popularly                                                                      
     known as the Canyon Creek Bridge, is named the Joseph                                                                      
     L. Perkins Bridge."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MASEK explained  that it  is a  fitting amendment                                                               
because    Commissioner   Perkins    [of   the    Department   of                                                               
Transportation  and  Public  Facilities]  has done  a  great  job                                                               
statewide  for  the transportation  system.    She said  Alaskans                                                               
could take  pride in seeing  the bridge named  after Commissioner                                                               
Perkins.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0831                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KOHRING asked  whether  there was  any  objection.   There                                                               
being no objection, [Amendment 2] was adopted.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0841                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MASEK moved  to report HB 507, as  amended, out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.  There being  no objection, CSHB 507(TRA) was moved                                                               
out of the House Transportation Standing Committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOHRING returned the committee's  attention to testimony on                                                               
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 0882                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
FRANK   DILLON,  Alaska   Trucking  Association,   testified  via                                                               
teleconference.  He said the  trucking industry is pleased to see                                                               
recognition of Trooper Roelle and Commissioner Perkins.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0918                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BRAD BROWN, Do Right Trucking,  testified via teleconference.  He                                                               
said the  industry and  the law-enforcement  community appreciate                                                               
the recognition for  Officers Wollam and Roelle.   [CSHB 507(TRA)                                                               
was moved out of committee.]