05/08/2024 03:15 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS

        SB 174-HONOR & REMEMBER/HONOR & SACRIFICE FLAGS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:40:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WRIGHT announced  that the only order of  business would be                                                               
CS FOR  SENATE BILL NO.  174(CRA) "An  Act relating to  the Honor                                                               
and Remember Flag and the Honor and Sacrifice Flag."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:40:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JESSE  BJORKMAN,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as  prime                                                               
sponsor, introduced  CSSB 174(CRA).   He explained that  the goal                                                               
of the proposed legislation is  to recognize a military veteran's                                                               
remembrance  flag as  an official  state  symbol in  Alaska.   He                                                               
stated that this would be in  remembrance of those who have given                                                               
their lives in the line of  duty and service to their country and                                                               
communities.  He discussed the  difficulties when a family member                                                               
is  lost in  this way  and stated  that the  proposed legislation                                                               
would create  a state  symbol to be  presented to  family members                                                               
when someone is lost in the  line of duty, whether the individual                                                               
is  a service  member, veteran,  police officer,  or firefighter.                                                               
He  stated that  27 other  states have  already identified  these                                                               
flags as  a means to  recognize those lost  in the line  of duty.                                                               
He continued that the proposed  legislation would define the form                                                               
the flags  would take, as  well as where they  may be flown.   He                                                               
explained that this would not  be a requirement on state offices,                                                               
and no additional cost would be incurred to the state.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:42:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SHAW  expressed  his  appreciation  to  the  bill                                                               
sponsor for bringing this issue forward.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:43:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   expressed  his  appreciation   for  the                                                               
proposed legislation and noted that  it would be optional through                                                               
the discretionary clause.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:44:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER acknowledged  that each generation needs                                                               
to find its own way to  acknowledge those who have sacrificed and                                                               
served.   He expressed  support for CSSB  174 as  the appropriate                                                               
way to do so.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:45:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVE  CASWELL, Director,  Alaska Chapter  of Honor  and Remember,                                                               
shared his  history and  experience.   He gave  a history  of the                                                               
organization,  explaining  that  it  was  inspired  by  the  five                                                               
dreaded words  - "We  regret to  inform you."   He said  that the                                                               
organization created  the flag to  bring recognition to  those in                                                               
our society  who often  are forgotten.   He  gave context  to the                                                               
national  scope  of  Honor  and  Remember,  saying  that  it  has                                                               
presented  over 5,000  personalized flags  to families  of fallen                                                               
veterans.   He referenced the  House Joint Resolution  53 [passed                                                               
during  the  Twenty-Sixth  Alaska State  Legislature],  of  which                                                               
Honor and  Remember was instrumental  in passing.  He  noted that                                                               
the national  online petition, which  would make  the remembrance                                                               
flags  officially recognized,  has  over 50,000  signatures.   He                                                               
listed  several  corporations  and companies  who  recognize  the                                                               
remembrance flags.   In  order to recognize  those who  serve, he                                                               
relayed that  many feel  more should be  done than  setting aside                                                               
one day of the year.  He  argued that CSSB 147 would achieve this                                                               
by giving veterans  and families of lost  veterans something they                                                               
can look to for identity, pride, and remembrance.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:50:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRAY thanked  Mr.  Caswell for  his  work on  the                                                               
issue.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:51:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WRIGHT  opened public  testimony on  CSSB 174(CRA).   After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one who  wished to  testify, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:51:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SHAW  moved  to   report  CSSB  174(CRA)  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:52:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:52:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WRIGHT,  there being no  objection, reported  CSSB 174(CRA)                                                               
out  of the  House Special  Committee on  Military and  Veterans'                                                               
Affairs.