03/08/2011 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                 HB  98-HANDLING OF STATE FLAG                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:51:32 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced the next  order of business would be                                                               
HB  98,  which  would  establish  a  standardized  procedure  for                                                               
handling of the state flag.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JEANNE OSTNES, staff to Representative  Craig Johnson, sponsor of                                                               
HB 98, said the bill adds  subsections and two new sections to AS                                                               
44.09.030. The  bill would bring standardization  in handling the                                                               
state  flag  in Alaska.  It  is  designed to  insure  consistent,                                                               
respectful, and appropriate procedures for display of the flag.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:54:21 AM                                                                                                                    
BIANCA ARMSTRONG, Junior Reserve  Officer Training Corps (JROTC),                                                               
Diamond High School,  Anchorage, said the idea for  the bill came                                                               
from  a   service  learning  project.  While   looking  in  state                                                               
statutes, they  noticed there  were no  guidelines for  the state                                                               
flag.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT HOWSER,  JROTC Battalion  Commander, Diamond  High School,                                                               
said they  wanted a more  unique way to  fold the Alaska  flag in                                                               
comparison to the  U.S. flag. They wanted to fold  it so that the                                                               
North Star would be on top.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:56:00 AM                                                                                                                    
Members were shown  a video of a flag ceremony  made by the JROTC                                                               
students, showing how to fold the flag.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. OSTNES  said she wanted  to recognize the students  for their                                                               
work  on the  video and  for taking  the time  to testify  during                                                               
their spring break. They also prepared  a booklet for use by each                                                               
school district or  senate district. She displayed  a draft mock-                                                               
up of  the booklet. Most important  is placement of the  flag and                                                               
folding it properly.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:03:34 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR  PASKVAN noted  there  are many  ways  of displaying  the                                                               
state flag. Many  people wear bandanas, patches,  or t-shirts. He                                                               
hopes the  bill would  encourage correct  procedures but  not ban                                                               
other types of display.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  OSTNES responded  that was  correct. There  was no  standard                                                               
procedure  for  vertical hanging  of  the  state flag.  The  bill                                                               
sponsor just  wants to  make a uniform  policy, and  no penalties                                                               
would be involved.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI said perhaps the  bill should refer to display                                                               
in a public place.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:06:19 AM                                                                                                                   
MS. OSTNES replied the booklet goes into extensive etiquette.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN pointed  out that  the flag  could be  displayed                                                               
many  different ways  in  different places;  for  instance, in  a                                                               
newspaper  advertisement. He  said the  first Alaska  Legislature                                                               
did not put a penalty for  improper display of flags. He does not                                                               
want to see any penalty or punishment.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. OSTNES confirmed there are no penalties in the bill, just                                                                   
basic guidelines. The booklet could be educational. It is a                                                                     
draft and things can change.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:09:23 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR MEYER asked how to obtain the booklet.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. OSTNES answered the print shop is printing them now.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MEYER said he recently gave a state flag that had flown                                                                 
over the Capitol Building to a deceased soldier's parents, and                                                                  
the booklet would make a nice addition to such a gift.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced HB 98 would be held in committee.