04/11/1996 03:06 PM Senate TRA

                                                                               
           HCR 29 STUDENT CONTEST TO NAME NEW FERRY                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN RIEGER called the Senate Transportation meeting to order             
 at 3:06 p.m.  He noted that a quorum was not present.  He said that           
 testimony would be taken on  HCR 29  until a quorum arrived.                  
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS, Prime Sponsor of HCR 29, read the                    
 following sponsor statement:                                                  
                                                                               
 HCR 29 was introduced to encourage the participation of elementary            
 students across the state in naming the new Alaska marine highway             
 vessel.                                                                       
                                                                               
 Vessels of the Alaska marine highway system are, by law, required             
 to be named after glaciers in the state.  With the introduction of            
 this resolution I hope to involve the elementary students of Alaska           
 in this process.  This will give teachers in the state a vehicle to           
 implement lessons about transportation systems in the state,                  
 geography of the state and the legislative process.                           
                                                                               
 The information contained in the resolution outlines the importance           
 of the Alaska marine highway to the state economy.  The christening           
 of a new vessel illustrates the continuing dedication to the system           
 by the state.  Because the Alaska marine highway impacts the                  
 economy of the entire state, I believe it is important to involve             
 the entire state in the naming of this new vessel.  I encourage you           
 to support this legislation.                                                  
                                                                               
 Representative Williams said that the Administration supports                 
 HCR 29.  He acknowledged that a Senate bill was transmitted to the            
 House after HCR 29 was passed.                                                
                                                                               
 Number 045                                                                    
                                                                               
 A quorum was established.                                                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR GREEN asked if this would occur throughout the state.                 
 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS replied yes.  SENATOR GREEN thought it was            
 a good idea.                                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR LINCOLN asked if HCR 29 referred to the same vessel                   
 referred to in the Senate bill.  REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS replied              
 yes.  Representative Williams explained that Senator Zharoff had a            
 bill which would name the vessel Koniag.  Representative Williams             
 talked with the Administration.  The department requested that                
 Representative Williams pursue HCR 29.  Senator Zharoff was                   
 informed of this.                                                             
                                                                               
 SENATOR LINCOLN believed that SB 196 naming the vessel Koniag had             
 already passed the Senate and been transmitted to the House.                  
 CHAIRMAN RIEGER believed that was correct.                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS said that SB 196 passed after HCR 29 had              
 been transmitted to the Senate.                                               
                                                                               
 Number 101                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LINCOLN asked Representative Williams if he had any                   
 objection to naming the vessel Koniag.  REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS               
 explained that he filed HCR 29 and later found out about Senator              
 Zharoff's bill.  After talking with the Administration who liked              
 the resolution better than SB 196, Representative Williams then               
 asked the department to talk with Senator Zharoff about the                   
 situation.  Representative Williams told Senator Zharoff that he              
 was going to pursue HCR 29.                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN RIEGER inquired as to the pleasure of the committee.                 
                                                                               
 SENATOR GREEN moved that HCR 29 be moved out of committee with                
 individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note.             
 Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.