00 HOUSE BILL NO. 138 01 "An Act establishing the month of March as Sobriety Awareness Month." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 04 to read: 05 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) In establishing Sobriety Awareness 06 Month, it is the intent of the legislature to call attention to Alaskans who choose a positive 07 and healthy lifestyle by not consuming mood- or mind-altering substances, and who, by virtue 08 of their freely chosen lifestyle, serve as examples that life can be lived and enjoyed without 09 the consumption of mood- or mind-altering substances. 10 (b) The legislature finds that a life without the consumption of mood- or mind- 11 altering substances 12 (1) improves the quality of life and the health of individuals, families, and 13 communities; 14 (2) reduces the incidence of alcohol- or drug-related social ills, including 15 crime, domestic violence, and child abuse and neglect; 01 (3) reduces the burden on local, state, and federal treasuries that pay for the 02 pervasive social ills caused by alcohol and drug abuse; 03 (4) assists the state in identifying health benchmarks and measuring outcomes 04 associated with that lifestyle; those benchmarks and outcomes are monitored in the Healthy 05 Alaskans 2020 Health Assessment; 06 (5) assists the state in complying with the declaration of policy under 07 AS 47.37.010. 08 * Sec. 2. AS 44.12 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: 09 Sec. 44.12.150. Sobriety Awareness Month. The month of March each year 10 is established as Sobriety Awareness Month. Sobriety Awareness Month may be 11 observed by schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies and 12 individuals with appropriate activities that increase the public's awareness of 13 prevention and treatment of alcoholism, drug abuse, and misuse of hazardous volatile 14 materials and substances by inhalant abusers.