02/21/2000 03:12 PM Senate RES

                 HCR  9-TAKE A KID HUNTING WEEK                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced HCR 9 to be up for consideration.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCOTT PETSEL,  aide to Representative Phillips, said  HCR 9 as                                                              
amended seeks  to name the second  week in September each  year as                                                              
Take A  Young Person Hunting  Week.   Such an event  would greatly                                                              
assist in  preserving our hunting  heritage and encourage  Alaskan                                                              
hunters to become knowledgeable in  the areas of sport fishing and                                                              
hunting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Naming  a  special  week  would   greatly  complement  the  hunter                                                              
education  and shooting  sports program  funded last  year by  the                                                              
legislature.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. PETSEL  noted there were letters  of support in  their packet.                                                              
Ten percent  or less of  the U.S. population  now hunts,  and that                                                              
number is declining.   This resolution may not only  help to teach                                                              
hunting heritage and the importance  of wildlife conservation, but                                                              
also increase the number of hunters in the state.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  TAYLOR said  he  totally supports  this  concept, but  he                                                              
questioned  where  he  could  take   a  young  person  hunting  if                                                              
subsistence passes, which the sponsor supports.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  PETSEL  said he  couldn't  respond,  but would  pass  Senator                                                              
Taylor's comments on to Representative Phillips.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  LINCOLN said  she understands  the concept,  but she  has                                                              
difficulty with  it.  She read  the proclamation by  the Governor,                                                              
which  talked about  gun safety,  hunting skills  and that  people                                                              
make  smart  and  safe  decisions  when choosing  to  hunt.    Her                                                              
difficulty with  the resolution  is that it  says that we  have an                                                              
obligation to teach  our children hunting skills, that  we need to                                                              
have  opportunities  to hunt,  and  that we  urge  our schools  to                                                              
ensure the  continuation of hunting.   She doesn't have  a problem                                                              
with the percentage  of people who are hunting or  with the people                                                              
who don't want to go out and kill.   When people depend on hunting                                                              
for  food, she  doesn't have  a problem  with that.   She  thought                                                              
people are  teaching their children  about that.   This resolution                                                              
is not  written the  same as the  proclamation, which  talks about                                                              
gun safety  and  when one chooses  to  hunt.  It  talks about  how                                                              
hunters are  declining and,  "By golly, get  those young  kids out                                                              
there armed  with guns  and bows  and arrows and  go out  and show                                                              
them how to kill animals."  That  gives her heartburn - especially                                                              
when they talk  about taking that into the schools.   She believes                                                              
many programs  should be  taught in the  schools, but this  is not                                                              
one of them.  It is the reverse of  removing guns from schools and                                                              
the  school yard.    The resolution  applies  to  a yearly  event,                                                              
unlike  the Governor's  proclamation,  which  concentrates on  one                                                              
year.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. PETSEL  said he didn't  think it was Representative  Phillips'                                                              
intention to  teach children to go  out and kill; it  was designed                                                              
to  address   wildlife  conservation   issues,  gun   safety,  and                                                              
heritage.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LINCOLN asked where it talks  about wildlife conservation.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TAYLOR and  MR. PETSEL pointed to page 1,  lines 8 and 14,                                                              
and page 2, line 1.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GREEN said  she supports  this resolution  and finds  the                                                              
language  in it  to be  very tactful.   She  said resolutions  are                                                              
meant to bring  attention to the issue.  She  noted the resolution                                                              
speaks to the  harvest, which many Alaskans partake  in regularly.                                                              
She believes it  is important that  students and  children grow up                                                              
with good information about it.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GREEN moved  to pass HCR 9 from committee  with individual                                                              
recommendations.  There were no objections  and it was so ordered.