03/23/2017 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

         HCR 3-APRIL 2017: CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
3:17:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION NO. 3, Proclaiming  April 2017 as                                                               
Child Abuse Prevention  Month; and proclaiming April  7, 2017, as                                                               
Go Blue Friday.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:17:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GERAN TARR,  Alaska  State Legislature,  declared                                                               
that  the   resolution  continued  the  tradition   of  declaring                                                               
attention for April as Child  Abuse Prevention Month and the need                                                               
for everyone  to work together  with community  organizations and                                                               
neighbors.   She  pointed out  that  the resolution  specifically                                                               
stated  April  7 as  Go  Blue  Friday,  a  day recognized  as  an                                                               
opportunity to talk about child abuse prevention.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:18:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ opened public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:18:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALIZA  KAZMI,  Policy  Specialist,  Alaska  Network  on  Domestic                                                               
Violence and Sexual Assault, stated  that the network offered its                                                               
support  for this  proposed resolution.   She  stated that  child                                                               
abuse was  a critical problem  throughout Alaska and that  it was                                                               
important  to build  awareness as  one tool  of prevention.   She                                                               
reminded that  violence was preventable,  and she  encouraged all                                                               
Alaskans to become more aware and to act to prevent it.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:19:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CAROL  EVON  stated  that  she  was a  family  advocate  for  the                                                               
children's advocacy  center.  She  declared that no  child should                                                               
be hurt  in any way  as it puts  a scar on  them for the  rest of                                                               
life.  She pointed out that  children can think it is their fault                                                               
and withdraw  from family and  friends.   She opined that  it was                                                               
better to  talk about these  experiences, as it  allowed everyone                                                               
to help the victim.   She stated that this was  one reason it was                                                               
so important to have child  awareness month, and to work together                                                               
to make children's lives better.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR  thanked Ms. Evon  and the sensitive  work of                                                               
the child advocacy centers to help the process.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:21:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:22:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EDGMON moved  to report  HCR 3  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  HCR 3 was moved from the House                                                               
Health and Social Services Standing Committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:22:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at ease from 3:22 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.