04/02/2019 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

        HB  88-NAMING TROOPER GABE RICH MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   HUGHES  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration of  HOUSE BILL  NO. 88 "An  Act naming  the Trooper                                                               
Gabe Rich Memorial Bridge."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:58 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE DAVE  TALERICO, Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,                                                               
sponsor of HB 88, introduced  the bill paraphrasing the following                                                               
sponsor statement:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     The legislation  amends Alaska Statute 35.40  by naming                                                                    
     bridge  number 392  over the  Chatanika  River at  mile                                                                    
     38.8  of the  Steese Highway  to be  named the  Trooper                                                                    
     Gabe Rich Memorial Bridge.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     On May  1, 2014,  Gabriel "Gabe"  Lenox Rich,  gave his                                                                    
     life while answering  the call of duty  in Tanana. Gabe                                                                    
     attended Lathrop  High School,  graduating in  2006. He                                                                    
     attended  Montana State  University and  the University                                                                    
     of Alaska Anchorage before  pursuing his lifelong dream                                                                    
     of  entering  the  ranks   of  law  enforcement.  After                                                                    
     graduating from  the Fairbanks Police Academy  in 2007,                                                                    
     he went  to work for  the North Pole  Police department                                                                    
     until being  accepted by the  Alaska State  Troopers in                                                                    
     2011.  Of  all of  his  achievements,  the greatest  of                                                                    
     these soon followed when he became a father.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Integrity  was  the  foundation  of  his  career  as  a                                                                    
     trooper,  and love  was his  foundation at  home. As  a                                                                    
     father and spouse,  you couldn't have asked  for a more                                                                    
     dedicated and  compassionate man.  In his  career, Gabe                                                                    
     was  dependable,  kind and  had  an  innate ability  to                                                                    
     bring  comfort in  difficult situations.  He loved  his                                                                    
     work and those he worked with.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Gabe Rich  was an  Alaska State  Trooper killed  in the                                                                    
     line of  duty on May 1,  2014. He had served  the State                                                                    
     of Alaska over 7 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.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He highlighted that his peers  spoke very highly of Trooper Rich,                                                               
which speaks volumes about his character.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES ask Mr. Studler if he had anything to add.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:42:14 PM                                                                                                                    
THOMAS  STUDLER,  Staff,  Representative  Dave  Talerico,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature, Juneau,  said he  fully supports  this effort                                                               
and he knows  that the family solicited signatures  on a petition                                                               
to support the  renaming. In a matter of days  they received more                                                               
than 125 signatures.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES  related that the committee  spoke extensively about                                                               
both Scott  Johnson and Gabe  Rich when they heard  the companion                                                               
bills.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:43:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on HB 88.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:43:34 PM                                                                                                                    
RODIMUS  MERCADO,  Intern,  Senator John  Coghill,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  said he worked  on the companion  bills and                                                               
it was an honor to hear  the stories about both Trooper Gabe Rich                                                               
and Trooper  Scott Johnson. He will  think of them every  May 1st                                                               
and he  hopes everyone who sees  the names on these  bridges will                                                               
have the same experience.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HUGHES asked  if  there has  been  any conversation  about                                                               
having the bill signing on the fifth anniversary.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. MERCADO said he hadn't  heard anything about the signing, and                                                               
he might not  be there when it  happens, but he will  be there in                                                               
spirit.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HUGHES  commented that  regardless  of  when the  bill  is                                                               
signed, she's sure that May 1 will be a day of remembrance.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:46:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HUGHES  closed  public  testimony on  HB  88.  Finding  no                                                               
further discussion, she asked the will of the committee.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:46:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SHOWER  moved to  report HB  88, work  order 31-LS0658\A,                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HUGHES stated that without  objection, HB 88 moved from the                                                               
Senate Transportation Standing Committee.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WILSON  thanked   Representative  Talerico  and  Senator                                                               
Coghill for their due diligence.