03/05/2024 02:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

          HB 341-MARVIN THURMOND GALENA MAINT. STATION                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:05:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE announced  that the only order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 341,  "An Act naming  the Marvin  Thurmond Galena                                                               
Maintenance and Operation Station."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:05:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MIKE CRONK,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  introduced   HB  341.    He   paraphrased  the  sponsor                                                               
statement  [included  in  the committee  packet]  which  read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                  Marvin Thurmond Nomenclature                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Present   and   past   employees  of   the   DOT/Galena                                                                    
     Maintenance   and   Operation  have   requested   their                                                                    
     facility be  named after a  long time  highly respected                                                                    
     employee who has passed.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
       Our office has received many endorsements for this                                                                       
     proposed action and no opposition.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     The workers there have pledged to provide the time and                                                                     
     materials at no cost to the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     It is an honor to support in this worthy effort and I                                                                      
     ask for your support.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:07:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE inquired about a sectional analysis.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:07:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE STANCLIFFE,  Staff, Representative Mike Cronk,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on behalf of Representative  Cronk, prime sponsor of                                                               
HB  341,  stated there  was  no  need  to present  the  sectional                                                               
analysis,  as  the bill  was  "pretty  straightforward" and  just                                                               
honors an individual  by applying a name to a  building.  He also                                                               
drew  attention  to a  zero  fiscal  note  which is  included  in                                                               
Section 2  of the bill to  stipulate it was a  commitment made by                                                               
DOT&PF at no expense.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:08:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE opened public testimony on HB 341.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:08:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JENNALE ESMAILKA,  representing self, testified in  support of HB
 and  read a  resolution titled 2024-04  that the  Galena City                                                               
Council had  passed.   She added  that Mr.  Thurmond had  a great                                                               
impact on the  community, and he lived a life  of dedication.  By                                                               
naming the  building after Mr. Thurmond,  she said it would  be a                                                               
great legacy that  would continue to shine  through the community                                                               
of Galena.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:10:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHERIN THURMOND, representing self,  testified in support of HB
, as the  wife of Edward Thurmond,  Marvin Thurmond's brother.                                                               
She read  a letter of support  from her husband, and  she thanked                                                               
Senator  Bishop and  Representative  Cronk for  putting the  bill                                                               
forward.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:12:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHAUNDA HUNTINGTON,  representing self,  testified in  support of                                                               
HB 341  and stated  that Mr. Thurmond  was a  dedicated employee,                                                               
cared greatly  about the community, and  was a good friend.   She                                                               
said he was  a "hard act to follow" and  noted his experience and                                                               
values  meant  a   lot  to  the  community.     She  offered  her                                                               
appreciation towards Senator Bishop  and Representative Cronk for                                                               
introducing the bill.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:14:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EDWARD THURMOND,  representing self,  testified in support  of HB
  and stated  he was  Marvin Thurmond's  younger brother.   He                                                               
thanked the  legislature for  introducing the  bill on  behalf of                                                               
his brother.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:15:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCABE, after  ascertaining no one else  wished to testify,                                                               
closed public  testimony on HB 341.   He noted that  anyone could                                                               
send in their testimony if they were unable to testify today.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:15:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES offered her support for HB 341 unamended.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:16:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VANCE moved  to report  HB 341  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual recommendations  and  the  attached zero  fiscal                                                               
note.  There  being no objection, HB 341 was  reported out of the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.