05/06/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

                 SB 40-HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:19:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO.  40 "An Act  establishing the  period between                                                               
September 15  and October  15 of each  year as  Hispanic Heritage                                                               
Month."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:20:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEIRDRE  GOINS, Staff,  Senator Elvi  Gray-Jackson, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, on  behalf of  Senator Gray-Jackson,  prime sponsor,                                                               
introduced  SB  40. She  said  that  designating September  15                                                                  
October 15  as Hispanic  Heritage Month  in state  law recognizes                                                               
and  celebrates  Alaska  diversity.   She  further  talked  about                                                               
celebrating  diversity  and  inclusivity.   She  noted  that  the                                                               
committee  file  includes  a  support  letter  with  hundreds  of                                                               
signatures from the Latino community.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:21:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on SB 40.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:22:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DORA WILSON,  representing self, testified  in support of  SB 40.                                                               
She noted that  she has been a therapeutic foster  parent for the                                                               
last  21 years  serving over  50 youth,  as well  as a  community                                                               
outreach  manager and  volunteer for  various non-profit  boards.                                                               
To  her knowledge,  she  is  the first  Latina  to  serve on  the                                                               
Anchorage  School  Board.    She said  7.7  percent  of  Alaska's                                                               
population is Latino.  The  Anchorage School District is the most                                                               
diverse  in  the country  with  over  100  languages.   She  said                                                               
recognizing  this  month  encourages  "greater  participation  in                                                               
civic and economic life."                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:24:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CISCO MERCADO, representing self, testified  in support of SB 40.                                                               
As a  Latino American,  he emphasized  the importance  of younger                                                               
kids learning  about cultural heroes  and the impact  that Latino                                                               
Americans have had  on Alaska history.  He said  that some people                                                               
want  to  whitewash  history and  downplay  the  significance  of                                                               
Latinos.  He said that Latinos should be celebrated.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:25:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND expressed  curiosity about  the dates  of                                                               
mid-September  to  mid-October  and  asked why  this  period  was                                                               
chosen.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. GOINS  replied that  this was  intentional as  multiple Latin                                                               
American countries share an Independence Day on September 15.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:27:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 3:27 p.m. to 3:28 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:28:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY, following  up on  Representative Hollands                                                                
question, asked  for further explanation regarding  the September                                                               
15 date.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  GOINS  elaborated  on the  countries  currently  celebrating                                                               
National  Hispanic Month  and offered  to provide  a list  to the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARRICK named  the following  countries:   Costa Rica,  El                                                               
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:29:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  asked why  the month  of September  was not                                                               
chosen instead of the middle of the month.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. GOINS answered that the  proposed date range would align with                                                               
the federally recognized dates.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked Ms.  Goins for the clarification and                                                               
said that  she had heard from  her constituents that they  are in                                                               
support of this month.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:30:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CARRICK, after  ascertaining that  no one  else wished  to                                                               
testify, closed public testimony on SB 40.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK announced that SB 40 was held over.