03/03/2009 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                       SB  58-MARMOT DAY                                                                                    
9:03:59 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of SB 58.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL  ROVITO,  Staff to  Senator  Linda  Menard, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, sponsor of SB 58, said  the bill is about local hire                                                               
and would  establish February 2  of each  year as Marmot  Day. It                                                               
was first introduced 20 years ago  by Senator Curt Menard when he                                                               
was  in  the Alaska  legislature,  and  his wife,  Senator  Linda                                                               
Menard,  reintroduced  it.  She   looked  toward  the  marmot  to                                                               
represent  local  hire.  It  is an  abundant  animal  in  Alaska,                                                               
especially in the  Hatcher Pass area. Marmot Day  can be observed                                                               
by schools,  the zoo,  or anyone  else. There has  been a  lot of                                                               
support from  the Mat-Su school  district and the  Anchorage Zoo.                                                               
He spoke  of educational opportunities  for students and  a layer                                                               
of  Alaska pride.  A marmot  is a  big rodent  that is  unique to                                                               
mountainous  habitat.  The  hoary  marmot's  range  extends  from                                                               
Washington to Alaska where "we certainly have no shortage."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ROVITO said  some newspapers  say it  isn't a  serious bill,                                                               
"but I  don't think you  have to always  have a serious  bill." A                                                               
Wasilla man  said, "The  more we  can do  to imbue  our community                                                               
with  a  depth  of  history,  the more  the  Mat-Su  ...  becomes                                                               
somewhere where  we can be proud  to live." Mr. Rovito  said that                                                               
is  the whole  idea  of this  bill. There  are  no groundhogs  in                                                               
Alaska, "so groundhog day doesn't work out so well."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:08:25 AM                                                                                                                    
MR. ROVITO  said eight  students at  Polaris school  in Anchorage                                                               
sent a fax supporting the bill.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHUCK  HEATH, Wasilla,  said  he was  calling  from the  Menard's                                                               
house, and he  noted that Curt Menard just died  today. Mr. Heath                                                               
suggested changing  the bill to make  Marmot Day on March  3, the                                                               
day  of  his  death.  People  laughed  at  Curt  Menard  when  he                                                               
introduced  this bill,  "but why  not have  this marmot  day. The                                                               
kids all  want it." Adults want  it too. He works  in the schools                                                               
and the kids support the bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:11:19 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR MEYER said changing the date sounds good to him.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH  said the suggestion  is touching, but  he doesn't                                                               
want  to  undermine  the  sponsor.   The  bill  goes  to  another                                                               
committee, so in honor of  the late Senator Menard, the committee                                                               
should move  the bill forward  and hold  off on the  change until                                                               
Senator Linda Menard has had a chance to reflect.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:12:58 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  PASKVAN  moved  to  report SB  58  from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, SB 58 passed out of committee.