03/23/2017 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

             HB 138-MARCH: SOBRIETY AWARENESS MONTH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:06:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 138, "An  Act establishing the month  of March                                                               
as Sobriety Awareness Month."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:06:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   DEAN   WESTLAKE,   Alaska   State   Legislature,                                                               
paraphrased from the sponsor statement, which read:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     House  Bill  138 seeks  to  have  the State  of  Alaska                                                                    
     recognize  March  as   Sobriety  Awareness  Month.  The                                                                    
     purpose  of   Sobriety  Awareness  Month  is   to  call                                                                    
     attention   to   Alaska's   aggregate   population   of                                                                    
     citizens,  who practice  a  positive  and healthy  non-                                                                    
     consumer   lifestyle   of    any   mood/mind   altering                                                                    
     substances. Sobriety Awareness  Month is an opportunity                                                                    
     for  schools, community  groups, and  other public  and                                                                    
     private   agencies   and  individuals   to   recognize,                                                                    
     appreciate,   and  celebrate   the  existence   of  all                                                                    
     Alaska's  citizenry,  who  by virtue  of  their  freely                                                                    
     chosen lifestyle, serve as Living Examples-To-The-                                                                         
     Truth  (LETTT)  that  life can  be  lived  and  enjoyed                                                                    
     without   having   to    consume   mood/mind   altering                                                                    
     substances. Individuals  that lead a sober  life are an                                                                    
     asset  to  Alaska in  that  they  can help  reduce  the                                                                    
     incidence of  alcohol or drug related  social ills such                                                                    
     as  crime,   domestic  violence,  and  child   abuse  &                                                                    
     neglect. Please join me in  support of recognizing this                                                                    
     valuable group of Alaskans and their lifestyle.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:07:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ opened public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:07:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:08:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON  moved to  report HB  138 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There  being no  objection, HB  138 was  moved from  the                                                               
House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:08:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 3:08 p.m. to 3:11 p.m.