02/01/2024 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

            HB 288-DON YOUNG FAIRBANKS INT'L AIRPORT                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:08:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HB 288, "An  Act renaming Fairbanks International  Airport as Don                                                               
Young  Fairbanks  International  Airport; and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:09:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANDY  MILLS, Legislative  Liaison,  Department of  Transportation                                                               
and  Public  Facilities,  introduced  HB 288  on  behalf  of  the                                                               
sponsor,  House Rules  by  request  of the  governor.   He  noted                                                               
several  other infrastructures  have  been named  after the  late                                                               
congressman, Don  Young, and this legislation  seeks to recognize                                                               
him  due to  his contributions  to transportation  infrastructure                                                               
and to Congress.  He confirmed  he heard from many that supported                                                               
the proposed  bill.  He  noted that  the airport naming  would be                                                               
from a state perspective over federal or local.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:13:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked  why Fairbanks was chosen  and not the                                                               
capital city of Juneau.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS clarified  that Juneau is a municipal  airport and from                                                               
a state perspective, Fairbanks is a  hub for the northern part of                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:14:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCCABE  commented that  some  residents  may not  want  to                                                               
change the airport designation, "FAI,"  and he further added that                                                               
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  may not want to change                                                               
the identifier.  He questioned the  fiscal note and  how $600,000                                                               
was determined.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  confirmed that the  FAI designation would  not change.                                                               
He  noted  that  cost  analysis   does  not  include  statues  or                                                               
decorative signs.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:18:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA asked  about the  timeline for  changing all                                                               
the items listed in the fiscal note.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS offered his understanding that it would be less than a                                                                
year before shifting over to the new signage and new name.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:19:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE announced that HB 288 was held over.