05/01/2001 04:15 PM Senate STA

                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN GENE  THERRIAULT called the Senate State  Affairs Committee                                                          
meeting  to order  at  4:15  p.m. Present  were  Senators  Phillips,                                                            
Pearce and Chairman Therriault.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There was one item on the agenda.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
           HB 200-DRUNK DRIVING VICTIMS REMEMBRANCE DAY                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JANET SEITZ,  staff to  Representative Rokeberg,  presented  HB 200,                                                            
which  was  sponsored  by the  House  Judiciary  Committee.  HB  200                                                            
establishes July 3 as drunk driving victims remembrance day.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE TALBOT testified  that Jessie Winthrow was her best friend                                                            
who was  killed by an Anchorage  drunk driver  on July 3, 2000.  She                                                            
described Ms.  Winthrow as an involved  and civic-minded  person. It                                                            
is important  to recognize  people like Jessie  who would have  made                                                            
this state  a better place  but never got  the chance because  drunk                                                            
drivers killed  them. If this bill passes, Alaska  will be the first                                                            
state in the  nation to recognize  those people who have  lost their                                                            
lives at the hand of drunk drivers.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
BRYAN  CLARK testified  in support  of HB  200. He  is working  with                                                            
Cindy Cashen from  Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)  to move the                                                            
bill forward.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT  said there is no prepared committee  substitute                                                            
(CS) and no amendments.  He asked for the will of the committee.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PEARCE  moved CSHB  200 (STA)  and  zero fiscal  note  from                                                            
committee   with   individual   recommendations.   There   were   no                                                            
objections.