04/05/2011 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

                HB 213-NAMING MARK HUFFORD TRAIL                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:07:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE  CHAIR PRUITT  announced that  the first  order of  business                                                               
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 213,  "An Act naming the pathway parallel                                                               
to  the section  of Eagle  River Loop  Road connecting  Old Glenn                                                               
Highway  with  North  Parkview  Terrace  Loop  the  Mark  Hufford                                                               
Trail."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:08:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ANNA  FAIRCLOUGH,  Alaska State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime  sponsor of  HB 213,  stated that  this bill  would name  a                                                               
section of  Eagle River  Loop Road  connecting Old  Glenn Highway                                                               
with North Parkview  Terrace Loop the "Mark Hufford  Trail".  She                                                               
said she has  known the Hufford family for over  20 years and his                                                               
sister  was her  good  friend.   She  related  that Mark  Hufford                                                               
graduated from Chugiak High School in  1989.  She said she shared                                                               
the sadness  when her  friend's brother, Mark,  was injured  in a                                                               
hunting accident in 1995 that left  him in a wheelchair. She told                                                               
members that  Mark Hufford was  loved by many and  appreciated by                                                               
all.   He frequented the  trail HB 213  would name in  his honor.                                                               
She  related that  he  competed seven  times  in Sadler's  Alaska                                                               
Challenge  wheelchair and  handcycle competition.  For those  not                                                               
familiar with  the race, she  explained that the  Sadler's Alaska                                                               
Challenge   is  arguably   the  world's   longest  and   toughest                                                               
wheelchair and handcycle  race in the world and  the course route                                                               
is from Fairbanks to Anchorage.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH stated that  his family raised funds to                                                               
support his  racing efforts.   Mr. Hufford  twice won  the Speedy                                                               
Sourdough  Award  for  fastest  Alaskan in  the  Sadler's  Alaska                                                               
Challenge.   She  related that  she held  conversations with  her                                                               
Eagle River  Parks and Recreation's Service  Area, which prepared                                                               
a resolution  to present for  the board's approval.   She offered                                                               
that  John Rodda,  Director, Eagle  River Parks  and Recreation's                                                               
Service  Area, could  not  indicate the  final  action the  board                                                               
would  take, but  he predicted  the service  area would  strongly                                                               
support naming the trail after Mark Hufford.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:10:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR PRUITT, after first  determining no one else wished to                                                               
testify, closed  public testimony on  HB 213.   After discovering                                                               
additional people  wished to testify, Vice  Chair Pruitt reopened                                                               
public testimony on HB 213.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:11:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TERESA KNOWLES  stated that she  is Mark Hufford's sister  and it                                                               
is a  real honor for  their family to  have HB 213  move forward.                                                               
She said  that Mark was  a great  inspiration to so  many people.                                                               
She  told members  she  is  a hairdresser  and  has  had so  many                                                               
clients and  neighbors express  excitement that  a trail  will be                                                               
named after  him.   She remarked  that when  her clients  saw his                                                               
photograph in her  shop they recognized Mark as  someone they had                                                               
frequently seen  on the trail.   Rain or shine, Mark  would be on                                                               
the  trails  and in  doing  so  obtained  some freedom  from  his                                                               
paralysis.   She  reiterated her  thankfulness and  expressed how                                                               
important HB 213 is to his family.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ANTHONY TAMBRUN stated that  Representative Fairclough and Teresa                                                               
Knowles have already  covered most of his comments.   He asked to                                                               
testify in "total" support of HB 213.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:13:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOAN HUFFORD stated she is  Mark Hufford's mother.  She commented                                                               
that  Representative   Fairclough  and  Teresa   Knowles,  Mark's                                                               
sister,  have also  covered  many  of her  points.   She  thanked                                                               
members for  hearing this bill.   She  said that the  Eagle River                                                               
Community supported and  inspired Mark, more than  they will ever                                                               
know.   Mark  faced many  challenges with  his disability  and in                                                               
doing so challenged himself.   During his training and races many                                                               
people would  honk, wave, and  encourage him  to go faster.   She                                                               
and her husband thanked members for  hearing this bill.  She also                                                               
said, "We are just totally honored, the whole family."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR PRUITT, after first  determining no one else wished to                                                               
testify, closed public testimony on HB 213.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:14:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MUNOZ moved  to report  HB 213  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 213 was reported  from the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.