05/09/2023 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

            HB 157-PROCLAIM JUNETEENTH DAY A HOLIDAY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:10:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL NO.  157, "An  Act establishing  Juneteenth Day  as a                                                               
legal holiday."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:11:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WRIGHT, prime  sponsor, presented  HB 157,  which                                                               
would elevate  Juneteenth to the  level of other  legal holidays,                                                               
               th                                                                                                               
such as  July 4  and  Labor Day.   By doing so, he  expressed the                                                               
hope  that  history would  be  better  understood in  Alaska  and                                                               
America; additionally, that ideals,  such as freedom and justice,                                                               
could be  applied equally.   He emphasized that  the grandparents                                                               
of millions  of Americans  were denied the  right to  vote, marry                                                               
across  race, or  attend segregated  schools.   He expressed  the                                                               
belief that [Juneteenth] would be  an opportunity to move forward                                                               
and reflect.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:13:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
FORREST WOLF, Staff, Representative  Stanley Wright, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on  behalf of  Representative Wright,  prime sponsor                                                               
of HB  157, paraphrased  the sponsor  statement [included  in the                                                               
committee packet],  which read  as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     In 1865,  union soldiers landed at  Galveston, TX. with                                                                    
     news  that the  war  had ended.  This  news meant  that                                                                    
     enslaved  people  were  now free.  Since  1865,  people                                                                    
     across the  world have joined together  to celebrate an                                                                    
     important day.  Juneteenth- also  known as  Freedom Day                                                                    
     or  Emancipation  Day-  is a  holiday  celebrating  the                                                                    
     emancipation   of   previously  enslaved   peoples   in                                                                    
     America. Each  year on June  19th, people of  all races                                                                    
     join one another in fellowship  to honor those who gave                                                                    
     so much  for America  and educate themselves  about the                                                                    
     struggles  toward   liberation  for   Black  Americans.                                                                    
     Juneteenth   has   been   recognized   and   celebrated                                                                    
     throughout Alaska. There have  been events ranging from                                                                    
     parades to street fairs.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     House Bill 157 would  make Juneteenth an observed legal                                                                    
     state  holiday alongside  July  4th  and Memorial  Day.                                                                    
     This bill would make Juneteenth a paid state holiday.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  WOLF  presented  the sectional  analysis  [included  in  the                                                               
committee packet],  which read  as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1. This  section amends  AS 44.12.010(a),  the                                                                  
     Statute  regarding  legal  holidays.  Specifically,  it                                                                    
     requires that  June 19th, known  as Juneteenth  Day, be                                                                    
     considered a legal holiday.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2.  This  section  amends  AS  44.12.020,  the                                                                  
     statute regarding holidays that  fall on a Sunday, with                                                                    
     conforming  language that  reflects Section  1 of  this                                                                    
     bill.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3. This section repeals AS 44.12.090.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:14:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW inquired about the fiscal note.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  WOLF responded  that the  various fiscal  notes reflect  the                                                               
fact that employees would be absent from work on Juneteenth.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:15:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELVI GRAY-JACKSON,  Alaska State  Legislature, spoke  in                                                               
favor of  HB 157 and emphasized  its importance.  In  addition to                                                               
being a federal  holiday, she noted that Juneteenth  is a holiday                                                               
in the  Municipality of Anchorage.   She expressed her  hope that                                                               
the  bill would  "make it  to the  finish line"  this legislative                                                               
session.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:16:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SHAW   opened  public   testimony  on   HB  157.     After                                                               
ascertaining  that no  one wished  to testify,  he closed  public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:16:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY expressed  her appreciation  for the  bill.                                                               
She  said there  was a  lack of  education about  the history  of                                                               
[Juneteenth]  and  shared her  belief  that  making this  day  an                                                               
official state holiday would be informative.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that HB 157 would be held over.