03/21/2019 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION

           HB 34-NAMING SCOTT JOHNSON MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:10:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL announced that the first order of business                                                                  
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 34, "An Act naming the Scott Johnson                                                                    
Memorial Bridge."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:11:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 2:11 p.m. to 2:12 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:12:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO, as  prime sponsor, presented HB  34.  He                                                               
paraphrased  the   sponsor  statement,  which  read   as  follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The legislation  amends Alaska Statute 35.40  by naming                                                                    
     bridge number  506 over the  Tok River at mile  1309 of                                                                    
     the  Alaska  Highway  to be  named  the  Scott  Johnson                                                                    
     Memorial Bridge.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Scott was  a person  who led  from the  front.   He set                                                                    
     very high standards for himself.   After graduating his                                                                    
     recruit  class as  valedictorian,  he  was assigned  to                                                                    
     Fairbanks  patrol.    Scott became  involved  with  the                                                                    
     Special  Emergency  Response  Team  (S.E.R.T.)  for  19                                                                    
     years  and held  positions  of  perimeter team  leader,                                                                    
     entry team leader and acting team leader.  He was a K-                                                                     
     9 handler,  instructor and  coordinator.   In addition,                                                                    
     Scott  trained at  least 33  dual  purpose and/or  drug                                                                    
     detection  canine teams  throughout  Alaska.   He  also                                                                    
     worked  in the  Alaska Bureau  of Investigation  and at                                                                    
     the age of 36 was  promoted to sergeant.  Scott oversaw                                                                    
     patrol  shift  and  later  transferred  to  the  Alaska                                                                    
     Bureau of  Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.   Scott earned                                                                    
     at  least 43  letters  of  commendation, including  two                                                                    
     commendations for honorable service during his career.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Scott  Johnson was  an Alaska  State Trooper  killed in                                                                    
     the line  of duty on  May 1, 2014.   He had  served the                                                                    
     State of Alaska 23 years.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Let this  be a lasting memorial  to a man who  gave his                                                                    
     life in the  line of duty to the citizens  of the State                                                                    
     of Alaska.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:14:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  said she had heard  compelling testimony as                                                               
a member of  the House State Affairs Standing  Committee, when HB
 was  heard by that committee.   She emphasized her  support of                                                               
HB 34.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WOOL shared  that he  also heard  the moving  testimony                                                               
from many people when HB 34  was heard by the House State Affairs                                                               
Standing  Committee,  and  he  stated his  full  support  of  the                                                               
proposed legislation.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:14:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN  inquired as to  the size and style  of the                                                               
bridge.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:14:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO  shared that  it is on  the east  side of                                                               
Tok,  crosses  the  Tanana  River,   and  is  newly  constructed,                                                               
spanning approximately  200 feet.   He said  there would  be rest                                                               
areas on each end of the bridge.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:15:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RASMUSSEN related that  both her father-in-law and                                                               
brother-in-law  are  first  responders, and  she  emphasized  the                                                               
respect  she has  for what  they  do.   She said  she thinks  the                                                               
recognition given under HB 34  is well-deserved, and she said she                                                               
would support the bill.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:16:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STUTES  echoed  the  statements   made  by  her  fellow                                                               
legislators and shared that she  has the utmost respect for first                                                               
responders.  She emphasized she is in full support of HB 34.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:16:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WOOL  opened   public  testimony  on  HB   34.    After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one who  wished to  testify, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:17:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  opined that  HB 34  is a  wonderful idea                                                               
and fitting  memorial to  [the late Trooper  Johnson].   She said                                                               
she had  driven across the  bridge, as would anyone  driving back                                                               
from Juneau to other parts of  the state, and she speculated that                                                               
it is substantially longer than 200  feet.  She said she would be                                                               
pleased to drive past the bridge once it has been named.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:18:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STUTES moved  to report  HB  34 out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  zero  fiscal                                                               
note.   There being no objection,  HB 34 was reported  out of the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.