02/02/2012 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

                 HB 246-NAMING CERTAIN BRIDGES                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:02:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR P. WILSON  announced that the only order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 246, "An Act naming certain bridges."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:03:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KACI  SCHROEDER HOTCH,  Staff, Representative  Bill Thomas,  Jr.,                                                               
stated that  HB 246 would  name 15  bridges in the  Cordova area.                                                               
She  offered  Cordova  as  a great  example  of  Alaska's  unique                                                               
dedicated spirit.   She offered  this as  the reason the  City of                                                               
Cordova has requested 15 of its  area bridges be named after some                                                               
of  its  finest  residents.    First, the  City  of  Cordova  has                                                               
requested that the  Eyak River Bridge be named  after Marie Smith                                                               
Jones.   She described  Marie Smith  Jones as  an Eyak  elder who                                                               
worked tirelessly to preserve the  Eyak language.  Upon her death                                                               
Marie  Smith Jones  left  behind one  of  the most  comprehensive                                                               
records of any aboriginal language, she stated.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:04:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCHROEDER  HOTCH reported that  the City of Cordova  has also                                                               
requested 14  of its area  bridges be  named after the  brave men                                                               
lost in World War I, World War II, and Vietnam.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCHROEDER  HOTCH related that  HB 246 names bridges  to honor                                                               
the following  men who served in  World War I, which  Cordova and                                                               
our country lost, as follows:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     James Bennett                                                                                                              
     William M. Jones                                                                                                           
     Steve Green                                                                                                                
     Lucian Platt                                                                                                               
     Matthew Anderson                                                                                                           
     W. H. Mumby                                                                                                                
     John W. Jones                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCHROEDER  HOTCH related that  HB 246 names bridges  to honor                                                               
the following men  who served in World War II,  which Cordova and                                                               
our country lost, as follows:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Patrick A. Burchett                                                                                                        
     Norman D. Osborne                                                                                                          
     Leonard F. Olson                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCHROEDER  HOTCH related that  HB 246 names bridges  to honor                                                               
the following  men who served  in Vietnam, which Cordova  and our                                                               
country lost, as follows:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     David Henry Elisovsky                                                                                                      
     David Alen Lape                                                                                                            
     Warren Allen Paulsen                                                                                                       
     Michael Dean Banta                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SCHROEDER  HOTCH said,  "Naming  these  bridges after  these                                                               
remarkable people is the least we  can do to thank them for their                                                               
service and their sacrifice."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:05:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR P.  WILSON, after first  determining no one else  wished to                                                               
testify, closed public testimony on HB 246.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:05:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE Pruitt  moved to  report HB  246 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 246 was reported  from the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:07:06 PM