04/02/2019 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

          HB  34-NAMING SCOTT JOHNSON MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:30:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES  announced the  consideration of  HOUSE BILL  NO. 34                                                               
"An Act naming the Scott Johnson Memorial Bridge."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
She reminded the  members that they heard the  companion bill, SB
, sponsored by Senator Coghill.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:31:16 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE DAVE  TALERICO, Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,                                                               
sponsor of HB  34, introduced the bill speaking  to the following                                                               
sponsor statement:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     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                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:32:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SHOWER joined the committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  highlighted  that the  packets  contain                                                               
signature pages from community members who support this bill.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES  asked if Trooper  Johnson's widow was aware  of the                                                               
petitions expressing  community support. She noted  that when the                                                               
committee  heard  the  companion  bill,  Mrs.  Johnson  expressed                                                               
reservations about  the effort unless  there was  broad community                                                               
support.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:34:20 PM                                                                                                                    
JULIE  MORRIS,  Staff,   Representative  Talerico,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, clarified that Mrs.  Johnson is aware of the                                                               
petitions  and  the  support the  community  has  exhibited.  She                                                               
credited  Dave  Stancliff  and  his  wife  for  distributing  the                                                               
petitions and gathering signatures.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:34:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on HB 34.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:35:24 PM                                                                                                                    
DAVE STANCLIFF,  representing self, Tok, testified  in support of                                                               
HB 34.  He said  you can never  tell how people  will react  to a                                                               
petition,  but when  this one  was circulated  around Tok  nearly                                                               
one-tenth  of  the  population   quickly  signed.  He  noted  how                                                               
emotional this  has been for  Scott's parents and said  he wanted                                                               
everyone  to  know  how  supportive the  community  is  and  "how                                                               
wonderful it  will be when we  finally dedicate that bridge  to a                                                               
great Alaskan."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES  thanked him for  gathering the signatures as  a way                                                               
to honor Scott Johnson's widow.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:37:35 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HUGHES  found  no  further   comments  and  closed  public                                                               
testimony.  Finding no  discussion,  she asked  the  will of  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:37:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SHOWER  moved to  report HB  34, work  order 31-LS0313\A,                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES announced  that without objection, HB  34 moved from                                                               
the Senate Transportation Standing Committee.