01/25/2024 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB229 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 229 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
January 25, 2024
12:38 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Stanley Wright, Chair
Representative Laddie Shaw
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative George Rauscher
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Cliff Groh
Representative Andrew Gray
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 229
"An Act establishing Alaska Veterans' Poppy Day; and providing
for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 229
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA VETERANS' POPPY DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STAPP
01/16/24 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/24
01/16/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/24 (H) MLV
01/25/24 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
PAUL MENKE, Staff
Representative Will Stapp
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Read the sponsor statement and sectional
analysis on behalf of Representative Stapp, prime sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE WILL STAPP
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 229 as prime sponsor.
JEANNE OSTNES, President
American Legion Jack Henry, Post 1
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 229.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:01:16 PM
CHAIR STANLEY WRIGHT called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 12:38 p.m.
Representatives Shaw, Carpenter, Groh, Gray, Rauscher, and
Wright were present at the call to order. Representative
Saddler arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 229-ALASKA VETERANS' POPPY DAY
1:01:59 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 229 "An Act establishing Alaska Veterans' Poppy
Day; and providing for an effective date."
1:02:37 PM
PAUL MENKE, Staff, Representative Will Stapp, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Stapp, prime sponsor,
read the sponsor statement for HB 229 [included in committee
packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Serving our great nation is one of the most honorable
and commendable acts that a person can undertake.
Countless individuals have given their lives and paid
the highest price for our liberty, and there can never
be enough gratitude or recognition given to those who
have lost life and limb in the line of duty.
The State of Alaska has one of the largest veteran
populations per capita in the nation. Tens of
thousands of Alaskans have served our nation's
military to fight for values that make America, and
Alaska, a beacon of freedom and prosperity that shines
across the globe. This is why it is imperative for
Alaska to expand our recognition and remembrance of
the brave men and women who made undaunted the final
sacrifice for our country.
Named after a hardy flower that grew on the scorched
French battlefields in World War I, HB 229 establishes
the Friday after Memorial Day of each year as Alaska
Veterans' Poppy Day. The objective of this bill is to
honor and promote the remembrance of Alaska's many
veterans, current and former armed services members,
and servicemembers who have fallen in the line of
duty.
1:04:12 PM
MR. MENKE read the sectional analysis for HB 229 [included in
committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Section 1:
Establishes the Friday before Memorial Day each year
as Alaska Veterans' Poppy Day.
Section 2:
Provides for an immediate effective date.
1:04:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WILL STAPP, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 229, added that it is important to remind Alaskans
of those who served.
1:06:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked how the date was decided.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP responded that the day would be on the
Friday following Memorial Day weekend.
1:06:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said he likes the spirit of HB 229. He
asked if this will be in conflict or compliment with Canadian
remembrance events.
REPRESENTATIVE STAPP answered that it would complement the
events.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned whether other states are
looking at such a remembrance day.
1:08:13 PM
MR. MENKE offered his understanding that all states observe
national poppy day, and Virginia does have a poppy day as the
Friday before Memorial Day. He said Alaska would be the first
to pass a bill for a poppy day.
1:09:13 PM
JEANNE OSTNES, President, American Legion Jack Henry, Post 1,
shared history about American Legion Post 1. She explained that
the bill has been a yearlong process; there is a resolution
approved by the post in 2023 included in the committee packet.
She said this year's poppy day is on May 27, and that national
poppy day started in 2017. She pointed out that the first
veteran's organization to organize a nationwide poppy
distribution was Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in 1922. If the
state also recognizes May 27 as National Poppy Day, this would
show the populace that that state is showing its appreciation
for service and sacrifice. She detailed the logistics of
distributing poppy flowers. She said the idea of poppy day
encourages people to wear a poppy as a symbol of remembrance and
hope. She explained that all poppy funds must only be used for
the welfare of veterans, active-duty members, and their
families; poppies are not for sale, rather, they are distributed
at the request of the person receiving them after they donate.
She informed members of the other support letters sent to the
committee.
1:17:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked, if HB 229 were to pass, would it
change how the American Legion carries out veteran remembrance
events.
MS. OSTNES answered no, events would stay the same. She noted
that poppies are available throughout the year. In response to
a follow-up from Representative Saddler regarding overseas use
of poppies, she responded that Canada, England, France, Belgium,
and Australia all use the poppy as a symbol.
1:21:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER thanked Ms. Ostnes for her testimony.
1:22:07 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT opened public testimony on HB 229. After
ascertaining that there was no one wishing to testify, he closed
public testimony.
CHAIR WRIGHT thanked the sponsor for bringing HB 229 forward.
1:22:53 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that HB 229 was held over.
1:23:07 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:23 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 229 version A.PDF |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Sectional Analysis version A.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Fiscal Note VAR-EXE-01-11-24.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Statement of Zero Fiscal Impact.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Support Document - Poetry Foundation.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Support Document - American Legion Resolution.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Support Document - National Warrior Foundation Letter.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Support Document - AMVETS Resolution.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |
| HB 229 Sponsor Statement version A.pdf |
HMLV 1/25/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 229 |