02/28/1995 08:06 AM House STA

 HSTA - 02/28/95                                                               
 Number 129                                                                    
                                                                               
 HCR 11 - SOBRIETY AWARENESS MONTH, MARCH                                    
                                                                               
 DEBORAH OSTENDORF, Legislative Aide for Representative Irene                  
 Nicholia, came before the committee to testify on HCR 11.  Ms.                
 Ostendorf noted that HCR 11 designates the month of March as                  
 Sobriety Awareness Month.  The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN)             
 wants to have the state to recognize those individuals who have               
 pledged themselves to sobriety.  If this resolution passes in a               
 timely manner, AFN would like to have the resolution, along with              
 the Governor's Proclamation and signatures of thousands of people             
 from around the state who pledged themselves to sobriety, to be               
 taken up the Iditarod Trail, which beings Sunday, March 5.                    
 REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER told the committee that last year, he             
 had the pleasure of chairing an alcohol task force of the House.              
 It gave him the opportunity to go around the state taking testimony           
 pertaining to the substance abuse problem in Alaska.  Of all of the           
 approaches he knows of to deal with this seemingly insurmountable             
 problem, this, he believes, is the best.  He supports it                      
 wholeheartedly.                                                               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE CAREN ROBINSON moved that HCR 11 be passed out of              
 committee with individual recommendations a zero fiscal note.                 
 There being no objection, the motion passed.