03/12/2026 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

                  HB 221-ARTS AND CULTURE DAY                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:55:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the  next order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 221 "An Act  establishing June 21 as  Alaska Arts                                                               
and Culture Day; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK noted  that the committee had its  first hearing on                                                               
the bill earlier in the  week and would be considering amendments                                                               
today.    She noted  that  her  office  consulted with  the  bill                                                               
sponsor's office and have proposed a date change.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:56:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CAROLYN  HALL, Alaska State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor of HB 221, reviewed  that the bill, as currently written,                                                               
would establish June  21 as Arts and Culture Day  for Alaska, and                                                               
she  emphasized the  importance  of  a day  focused  on arts  and                                                               
culture.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:57:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 4:57 p.m. to 4:59 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:59:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK announced the  committee would consider amendments.                                                               
She noted  other amendments would not  be offered in favor  of an                                                               
upcoming conceptual amendment.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:00:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BEN BROWN, Chair, Alaska State  Council on the Arts, talked about                                                               
the  advantage  of changing  the  date  from  June 21,  which  is                                                               
already a busy  day, to another day  of the year.   He noted that                                                               
the month  of October  is federally  designated as  National Arts                                                               
and  Humanities month.   A  day in  September was  also discussed                                                               
with the  bill sponsor, with one  advantage to having the  day be                                                               
celebrated  while  students  are  still  attending  school.    He                                                               
indicated that choosing the first  Friday in October would fit in                                                               
well with the art exhibits celebrated on "First Friday."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:03:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK  moved to adopt  Conceptual Amendment 1 to  HB 221,                                                               
to change the date from June 21 to the first Friday in October.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK then  objected for the purpose of  discussion.  She                                                               
said she enjoyed  working with the bill sponsor's  office and the                                                               
Alaska Council  on the Arts  to identify  a date that  would work                                                               
best.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:04:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HALL stated that she  thinks the new date would be                                                               
a wonderful  compromise, and she  reemphasized the  importance of                                                               
teaching youth about the importance of art and culture.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:05:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   HOLLAND  stated   his   support  of   Conceptual                                                               
Amendment  1  while expressing  concern  about  adding "one  more                                                               
thing" for  educators to do.   He  said the legislature  needs to                                                               
provide them with more support to make this date meaningful.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HALL   concurred  regarding  the   concern  about                                                               
overburdening teachers, and she pointed  out that on page 1, line                                                               
6, the bill read that the  designated day "may" be observed.  She                                                               
stated that there are no requirements related to HB 221.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:07:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BROWN  noted  that  since  his  appointment,  the  council's                                                               
educational  programs are  the  ones that  have  grown the  most.                                                               
Over half the budget comes from nongovernmental monies.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:08:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY expressed support  for the legislation.  She                                                               
noted some  districts have art  specialists, and she  spoke about                                                               
art kits that have been developed.   She suggested there could be                                                               
a  partnership   with  administrators  and  the   council.    She                                                               
suggested there could be an art  kit focused on Arts and Cultural                                                               
Day.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:09:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARRICK removed  her objection.   There  being no  further                                                               
objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 to HB 221 was adopted.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK recapped the comments that had been stated.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:10:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  move to report  HB 221, as amended,  out of                                                               
the  House  State  Affairs Standing  Committee,  with  individual                                                               
recommendations   and   the   accompanying   fiscal   notes   and                                                               
authorizing Legislative Legal Services  to make any necessary and                                                               
conforming changes.  There being  no objection, CSHB 221(STA) was                                                               
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.