03/07/2017 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

             HB 138-MARCH: SOBRIETY AWARENESS MONTH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:28:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 138, "An  Act establishing the month  of March                                                               
as Sobriety Awareness Month."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:28:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DEAN WESTLAKE,  Alaska State  Legislature, stated                                                               
that proposed  HB 138 designated  the month of March,  each year,                                                               
as Sobriety  Awareness Month.  He  relayed that this was  to help                                                               
and support  all those people  who have struggled.   The proposed                                                               
bill  would  provide  the   opportunity  for  schools,  community                                                               
groups,  and   other  entities   to  recognize,   appreciate  and                                                               
celebrate those Alaskans that choose  to live a life of sobriety.                                                               
Individuals that lead sober lives are  an asset to Alaska in that                                                               
they can  help reduce  the incidence of  alcohol or  drug related                                                               
social ills  such as crime, recidivism,  domestic violence, child                                                               
abuse and  neglect.   He relayed  an experience  with a  group of                                                               
empowering stories of sobriety at a gathering.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:30:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
FORREST WOLFE, Staff, Representative  Dean Westlake, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, read  from the  Uniform Alcoholism  and Intoxication                                                               
Treatment Act [Included in members' packets]:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     It   is  the   policy  of   the  state   to  recognize,                                                                    
     appreciate,  and  reinforce  the  example  set  by  its                                                                    
     citizens who  lead, believe in,  and support a  life of                                                                    
     sobriety.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  WOLFE offered  his belief  that a  permanent designation  of                                                               
March as Sobriety Awareness Month  would help the State of Alaska                                                               
meet this declaration of policy.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:31:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GREGORY  NOTHSTINE,  President,  Sobermute Reviving  Our  Spirit,                                                               
said  that he  was aware  the  Alaska State  Legislature was  the                                                               
first in  the nation to  pass a statute  recognizing appreciation                                                               
and reinforcement of citizens for living  a life of sobriety.  He                                                               
said  that there  were elders  and senior  citizens who  were not                                                               
recognized  for contributions  and efforts  for building  a safer                                                               
community.  He  offered his belief that millions  of dollars were                                                               
spent  on  treatment centers,  whereas,  this  proposed bill  was                                                               
reinforcing  appreciation  of its  citizens.    He expressed  his                                                               
support of the proposed bill.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON stated that she  was glad this was March,                                                               
as,  she opined,  spring could  be  a very  stressful time,  when                                                               
alcohol "rears  its ugly head  and suicide."  She  suggested that                                                               
celebrations and festivals  in March were great.   She stated her                                                               
support for the proposed bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON  offered his belief that  "tribes" could be                                                               
added to the wording in the proposed bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:34:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ  shared that she  had been sober  for 14                                                               
years,  and  that celebrating  sobriety  as  a healthy  lifestyle                                                               
choice for  Alaskans was a  step in  the right direction  for our                                                               
community to come together in March  every year.  She stated that                                                               
making  it dedicated  forever showed  commitment from  the state.                                                               
She stated her support for the proposed bill.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
[HB 138 was held over.]