02/01/2018 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR10 | |
| SB152 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SCR 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 152 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 1, 2018
3:36 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kevin Meyer, Chair
Senator David Wilson
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Dennis Egan
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator John Coghill
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10
Proclaiming 2018 to be the Alaska Year of Innovation.
- MOVED CSSCR 10(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 152
"An Act establishing September 11 of each year as Patriot Day."
- MOVED SB 152 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SCR 10
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA YEAR OF INNOVATION
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) COSTELLO
04/07/17 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/07/17 (S) L&C, STA
04/10/17 (S) L&C AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/10/17 (S) Heard & Held
04/10/17 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
04/11/17 (S) L&C AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/11/17 (S) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/11/17 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/11/17 (S) Moved CSSCR 10(L&C) Out of Committee
04/11/17 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
04/12/17 (S) L&C RPT CS 4DP 1AM NEW TITLE
04/12/17 (S) DP: COSTELLO, HUGHES, MEYER, GARDNER
04/12/17 (S) AM: STEVENS
02/01/18 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 152
SHORT TITLE: SEPT. 11: PATRIOT DAY
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER
01/24/18 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/24/18 (S) STA
02/01/18 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR MIA COSTELLO
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SCR 10, addressed a committee
substitute for the resolution.
DAKOTA ORM, Staff
Senator Costello
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SCR 10.
NIRAV DESAI, representing self
Seattle, Washington
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
MATT MORRISON, Executive Director
Pacific NorthWest Economic Region
Seattle, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
ROBERT COKER, Ambassador
Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
MARK BILLINGSLEY, employee
Technology Transfer Office
Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
LARRY HINZMAN, Vice Chancellor-Research
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
PAUL LAYER, Vice President
Academic and Student Affairs
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
NOLAN KLOUDA, Director
University of Alaska Center for Economic Development
University of Alaska-Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
JULIET SHEPHERD, Technology Project Manager
Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SCR 10.
EDRA MORLEDGE, Staff
Senator Meyer
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SB 152.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:36:49 PM
CHAIR KEVIN MEYER called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:36 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Wilson, Giessel, Egan, and Chair Meyer.
SCR 10-ALASKA YEAR OF INNOVATION
3:37:43 PM
CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of Senate Concurrent
Resolution 10 (SCR 10). He asked the sponsor if she wanted the
committee to adopt the committee substitute (CS).
3:38:15 PM
SENATOR MIA COSTELLO, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,
sponsor of SCR 10, explained that the proposed CS simply changes
the year to 2019.
3:38:28 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt the CS for SCR 10, version 30-
LS0618\U, as the working document.
3:38:43 PM
CHAIR MEYER announced that hearing no objection, the CS is
before the committee.
3:39:12 PM
DAKOTA ORM, Staff, Senator Costello, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, provided an overview of SCR 10 as follows:
Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 would proclaim 2019 as
the "year of innovation" in Alaska; this designation
spotlights an issue or theme that is crucial to the
state and highlights the work being done by the
Legislature and Alaskans statewide. Innovation can
help address all challenges facing Alaska whether that
be harnessing technology or growing economic
diversification. Alaskans are innovators by tradition
and necessity. There's a pioneering spirit in our
state that really requires innovation and adaptation;
this goes back not only to the founders that helped
build our state, but also the public policy in how we
manage our resources.
Declaring a "year of innovation" not only spurs
conversations but allows organizations to take
advantage of it in different ways; it also recognizes
innovation that is already happening in our state now
from the university level to groups like Lego Robotics
to Lemonade Day. Alaska constructs a culture where
innovation, entrepreneurship, and out-of-the-box
thinking is encouraged and accepted and declaring a
"year of innovation" will aid in the growth of this
culture as well as Alaska's overall economy.
3:40:41 PM
CHAIR MEYER opened public testimony
3:40:52 PM
NIRAV DESAI, representing self, Seattle, Washington, testified
in support of SCR 10. He said establishing a "year of
innovation" lets the nation know that Alaska embraces
innovation. He opined that Alaska's unique characteristics as
the country's only Arctic state provides an environment to drive
innovation and test technologies in harsh conditions.
3:42:59 PM
MATT MORRISON, Executive Director, Pacific NorthWest Economic
Region, Seattle, Alaska, testified in support of SCR 10. He said
Alaska has a great opportunity to lead the nation in terms of
arctic technologies and adapting to climate change innovations.
3:45:32 PM
ROBERT COKER, Ambassador, Office of Intellectual Property and
Commercialization (OPIC), University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF),
Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support of SCR 10. He noted that
he is also an associate professor at the Institute of Arctic
Biology at UAF. He added that he started a company in 2013
called Essential Blends, a company focused on the development of
clinical nutrition for conditions like muscle atrophy, obesity,
and substance abuse. He revealed that Essential Blends leads the
state in funding from the National Institutes of Health and has
worked with local health-care providers to improve the efficacy
of its products.
He said he is very passionate about developing a culture of
academic entrepreneurship in Alaska that engages faculty,
students, staff, and communities. He summarized that he fully
supports SCR 10 and asserted that the state needs to promote a
culture of innovation and commercialization. He emphasized that
the university environment should contribute to the innovation
opportunity.
3:47:48 PM
MARK BILLINGSLEY, employee, Technology Transfer Office, Office
of Intellectual Property and Commercialization (OIPC),
University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SCR 10. He explained that OIPC works to commercialize
the research that is done at UAF. He said OIPC looks to license
and sell its research, often to startup companies. He asserted
that OIPC fosters innovation to keep its "pipeline flowing." He
noted that the University of Alaska system is a major source of
innovation and encourages everyone to look to the university for
innovation.
He summarized that innovation represents a great opportunity for
Alaska's economy-of-tomorrow by keeping the state's best-and-
brightest children in the state to develop a stronger,
diversified and sustainable economy. He added that legislators
are welcome to attend the Arctic Innovation Competition in
Fairbanks in October.
3:49:33 PM
LARRY HINZMAN, Vice Chancellor-Research, University of Alaska-
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support of SCR 10. He
explained that his job is to help promote research activities
throughout the campus and across the state. He asserted that SCR
10 will help in many respects. He opined that the state is in a
tough time with its economy, but the state cannot cut its way
out. He set forth that the state must grow by diversifying its
economy.
3:51:45 PM
PAUL LAYER, Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs,
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support of
SCR 10. He said the University of Alaska system has a long
tradition of advancing innovation and entrepreneurialism
throughout Alaska. He asserted that innovation is a key
component to moving Alaska to a more sustainable and diversified
economy. He summarized that the University of Alaska looks
forward to highlighting its activities, encourages innovation
across the state, and to develop new partnerships during the
Alaska "year of innovation."
3:54:41 PM
NOLAN KLOUDA, Director, University of Alaska Center for Economic
Development (CED), University of Alaska-Anchorage, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SCR 10. He referenced Senator
Costello's sponsor's statement that said startups are
responsible for creating virtually all net-employment growth in
the private sector in the U.S. and the same is true in Alaska.
He disclosed that CED has found that startup companies annually
create approximately 4,000 to 6,000 jobs in Alaska, a trend that
continues during the state's recession. He asserted that the
startup statistics testify to the importance of innovation by
adding employment to the economy.
He summarized that the "year of innovation" designation would
add attention to the innovative things that Alaskans are already
doing as well as direct more focus about how to support
innovation in the state's economy as well as how to further
position Alaska's entrepreneurs for success.
3:58:03 PM
JULIET SHEPHERD, Technology Project Manager, Fairbanks Economic
Development Corporation, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support
of SCR 10. She disclosed that she works with entrepreneurs,
startups, and with the extended economic development community
in Fairbanks and across Alaska. She opined that combining the
"year of innovation" with other institutional and university
efforts will provide entry points for individuals who are
interested in developing entrepreneurial skills or business idea
to be able to increase their skill level, develop their team,
and gain access to capital.
4:01:09 PM
CHAIR MEYER closed public testimony.
4:01:44 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report [CSSCR 10(STA)], version 30-
LS0618\U from committee with individual recommendations and
attached zero fiscal note.
4:02:04 PM
CHAIR MEYER said being no objection, the motion carried.
4:02:12 PM
At ease
SB 152-SEPTEMBER 11: PATRIOT DAY
4:04:32 PM
CHAIR MEYER called the committee back to order. He announced the
consideration of Senate Bill 152 (SB 152) and noted that he is
the sponsor of the bill.
4:05:00 PM
EDRA MORLEDGE, Staff, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,
explained that SB 152 designates September 11 of each year as
Patriot Day in the State of Alaska. She pointed out that the
definition of "patriot" from Merriam-Webster dictionary states,
"One who loves his or her country and supports its authority and
interests," and a second definition from Dictionary.com states,
"A person who loves, supports and defends his or her country and
its interests with devotion."
MS. MORLEDGE provided background information as follows:
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked,
three of which were deliberately flown into buildings
in Washington D.C., which was the Pentagon, and in New
York at the World Trade Center Towers, the fourth
crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000
people died in these attacks making it the biggest act
of terrorism ever on the United States' soil; after
this time, the nation was inspired by the heroic
sacrifices of the firefighters, rescue and law
enforcement personnel, military service members, and
other citizens that responded to the terror attacks,
in many cases giving the ultimate sacrifice to save
innocent victims.
On October 25, 2001, a bipartisan resolution to make
September 11 a "national day of mourning" was
introduced in the House by Representative Vito
Fossella, Republican from New York; there were 22 co-
sponsors: 11 Republicans and 11 Democrats. The
legislation designated September 11 as Patriot Day and
passed both the House and Senate unanimously, it was
signed into law by President Bush on December 18,
2001, and the first Patriot Day was observed on
September 11, 2002 and it was known by that name
through 2008. The following year in 2009 the Edward M.
Kennedy Serve America Act was passed and signed into
law by President Obama which changed the name to
"Patriot Day and National Day of Service and
Remembrance," and that particular act that changed the
name had a large focus on expanding the programs of
AmeriCorps and five other new volunteer programs in
the United States; throughout this time however, it
didn't change the observance of the day which is the
flag of the United States is flown at half-staff at
the White House and all U.S. government buildings and
establishments throughout the country and the world.
Flags are also encouraged to be displayed on
individual American homes and a moment of silence is
observed to correspond with the attacks beginning at
8:46 a.m. which was the time the first plane struck
the north tower of the World Trade Center. Last year
in addition to recognizing September 11 as "Patriot
Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance,"
President Trump designated September 8 through
September 10 as "national days of prayer and
remembrance."
What this bill is intended to do is to recognize
September 11 of each year's Patriot Day in the State
of Alaska, bringing the focus back to honoring and
remembering those individuals that were killed,
injured or that courageously provided aid on September
11 during the terror attacks, but also pays tribute to
our military patriots in Alaska, nearly 2,100 of whom
were just deployed last fall from Joint Base
Elmendorf-Richardson to Afghanistan to continue
fighting terrorism on behalf of all Americans.
MS. MORLEDGE disclosed that the resolution has a zero fiscal
note.
4:09:01 PM
CHAIR MEYER noted that Ms. Morledge found in her research that
states are "all over the place" on how they recognize September
11, but most seem to still call the day, "Patriot Day." He noted
that on the federal level the day was called "Patriot Day" until
2009.
MS. MORLEDGE answered correct.
CHAIR MEYER said that SB 152 would specifically recognize
Patriot Day in Alaska on September 11 for those based on the
definitions Ms. Morledge previously noted, "Who loves, supports
and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion."
He asserted that the firefighters, policemen and all the first
responders who gave up their lives to rescue the people in the
World Trade Center were certainly patriots. He pointed out that
some states recognize September 11 as "Patriot Day" while others
note the day as "Patriot and Nation Day of Service."
MS. MORLEDGE revealed that she sampled 11 states where 7 out of
11 recognize September 11 as "Patriot Day."
4:11:20 PM
CHAIR MEYER opened and closed public testimony.
4:11:44 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report SB 152, version 30-LS1014\A from
committee with individual recommendations and attached zero
fiscal note.
4:11:56 PM
CHAIR MEYER said that being no objection, the motion carried.
4:12:09 PM
At ease
4:13:20 PM
CHAIR MEYER called the committee back to order.
4:14:06 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Meyer adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee at 4:14 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SCR 10 CS version U.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR 10 Version O.PDF |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR 10 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR 10 Summary of Changes.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR 10 Letters of Support.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR 10 List of Testifiers.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SCR10 Updated Fiscal Note LEG-LEG-01-25-18.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 10 |
| SB 152 Version A.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 Patriot Day in the United States.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 Donald J Trump Proclamation 9635.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 President Obama Proclamation.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 President Bush Proclamation Patriot Day, 2002.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |
| SB 152 Fiscal Note DOA.pdf |
SSTA 2/1/2018 3:30:00 PM |
SB 152 |