ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  March 3, 2020 4:52 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Zack Fields, Co-Chair Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Co-Chair Representative Grier Hopkins Representative Andi Story Representative Sarah Vance Representative Laddie Shaw MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Steve Thompson COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE BILL NO. 101 "An Act establishing March 12 of each year as Ashley Johnson- Barr Day." - MOVED SB 101 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 233 "An Act relating to the display of documents on an electronic device." - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD HOUSE BILL NO. 264 "An Act relating to proof of financial responsibility after certain motor vehicle accidents." - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD HOUSE BILL NO. 250 "An Act relating to voter preregistration for minors at least 16 years of age." - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 101 SHORT TITLE: MARCH 12: ASHLEY JOHNSON-BARR DAY SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) OLSON 03/29/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/29/19 (S) STA 02/25/20 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/25/20 (S) Moved SB 101 Out of Committee 02/25/20 (S) MINUTE(STA) 02/26/20 (S) STA RPT 3DP 02/26/20 (S) DP: COGHILL, WILSON, KAWASAKI 02/28/20 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 02/28/20 (S) VERSION: SB 101 03/02/20 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/02/20 (H) STA 03/03/20 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER SETH BEAVER, Staff Senator Donny Olson Alaska state Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SB 101 on behalf of Senator Olsen, prime sponsor. SCOTTY BARR Kotzebue, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 101. SENATOR DONNY OLSON Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as prime sponsor of SB 101. ACTION NARRATIVE 4:52:22 PM CO-CHAIR JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS called the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 4:52 p.m. Representatives Story, Shaw, Hopkins, Fields, and Kreiss-Tomkins were present at the call to order. Representative Vance arrived as the meeting was in progress. CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved that the House State Affairs Standing Committee authorize the chair to draft a bill relating to living conditions for prisoners as committee sponsored legislation. There being no objection, it was so ordered. CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved that the House State Affairs Standing Committee authorize the chair to draft a bill proposing amendments to the Alaska State Constitution relating to the Alaska Permanent Fund and to appropriations from the Alaska Permanent Fund as committee sponsored legislation. There being no objection, it was so ordered. SB 101-MARCH 12: ASHLEY JOHNSON-BARR DAY    4:53:27 PM CO-CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the only order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 101, "An Act establishing March 12 of each year as Ashley Johnson-Barr Day." 4:54:28 PM SETH BEAVER, Staff, Senator Donny Olson, Alaska state Legislature, paraphrased from the sponsor statement, which read: SB 101 establishes March 12th as Ashley Johnson-Barr Day to commemorate the life of young Ashley Johnson- Barr, who was taken from this world too soon at ten years old. In an unimaginable time of grief and loss, communities across the state and nation joined the family and friends of Ashley in support. While loss is overwhelming, there is comfort in knowing progress can be made in ensuring that other children will not encounter the same tragedy. SB 101 aims to bring light surrounding tragedy. Establishing Ashley Johnson-Barr Day brings awareness surrounding violent crimes committed against children and highlights that individuals hold a moral responsibility to make sure Alaska's children are protected. It is complementary to the annual Sexual Assault Awareness Resolution that passes the legislature every year. Additionally, it brings awareness to the missing and murdered indigenous women across North America. 84.3% of Alaska Native/Native American women experience violence in their lifetime, a percentage we desperately need to reduce. Honoring Ashley's life by wearing her favorite color purple, volunteering for child abuse prevention organizations, and celebrating the liveliness and youthfulness of Alaska's children are all appropriate ways to spend Ashley Johnson-Barr Day. 4:55:59 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed her appreciation for the letters of support and the proposed legislation. 4:56:30 PM CO-CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on SB 101. 4:56:42 PM SCOTTY BARR testified in support of SB 101 as the father of Ashley Johnson-Barr, with the following testimony: There have been many people who have spent many hours of their own time from their work and families to bring Ashley home safely. By enacting Ashley Johnson- Barr Day on her birthday, she'll always continue to be talked about, what happened to her, to help to bring protection and safety before our future generations come, so they can feel protected from any harm that has been on them on a daily basis. She brought not only our region, state, nation, but the whole world to come closer to each other to help this epidemic that has been going on for decades and decades. We need to act on this and provide more awareness so, therefore, our future generation of girls - future mothers - will never go through something that any parent should never go through in their entire life by losing a young child. I believe that we can come together as our great state of Alaska and work together closely with local, state, and federal agencies around our state and nation by hopefully finding funding for all communities to help with this ever happening again. We don't need another Ashley tragedy ... we need more funding, more grants out there for our communities to aim more for our young and teenaged troubled boys that are suffering ... and change their hearts to honor, respect, and give love to our future generations of girls and mothers and sisters. MR. BARR mentioned that he was speaking on behalf of himself and his family. He thanked the committee members for the work they do. CO-CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS closed public testimony. 5:00:48 PM SENATOR DONNY OLSON, Alaska State Legislature, remarked: Out of the ashes ... in the anguish of this abominable deed that was done to this little girl and having little girls myself, it's one of those things where we want to make sure that ... the most vulnerable in society are able to go ahead and have some element of protection from perpetrators like this who prey on people. Senator Olson maintained it is for that reason and to give the family closure that he wishes the proposed legislation passed. He concluded, "Evil lurks everywhere." REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked Mr. Barr for his testimony and for speaking out against child abuse. She expressed her appreciation for the Ashley Johnson-Barr Day activities suggested by sponsor, wearing purple on the day, and for Mr. Barr's plea for funding for resources. 5:02:27 PM CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved to report SB 101 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, SB 101 was reported from the House State Affairs Standing Committee. 5:03:05 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 5:03 p.m.