03/12/1996 03:32 PM Senate STA

                                                                               
              SB 196 NAMING FERRY VESSEL KONIAG                              
                                                                               
 TAPE 96-18, SIDE A                                                            
                                                                               
 Number 001                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN SHARP called the Senate State Affairs Committee to order             
 at 3:32 p.m. and brought up SB 196 as the first order of business             
 before the committee.  He called Senator Zharoff to testify.                  
                                                                               
 Number 010                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR FRED ZHAROFF, prime sponsor of SB 196, stated the                     
 legislation would call for the naming of the new maritime ferry               
 vessel to be named the "Koniag".  That is in keeping with the                 
 tradition of naming state ferries after glaciers, and follows                 
 Alaska Statute as well.                                                       
                                                                               
 SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked where the ferry will run.                        
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF replied the new ferry will be the state's second              
 ocean-going vessel.  It will probably serve Southeast Alaska,                 
 Kodiak, and Western Alaska.                                                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS asked if there is any opposition to the name           
 "Koniag".                                                                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF responded he has not heard any opposition.                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN SHARP asked if the ferry that would bear the name "Koniag"           
 is the one that is currently under construction.                              
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF replied that is correct.                                      
                                                                               
 Number 045                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN stated that currently, the politically correct thing            
 to do is not to name things after aboriginal groups.  He thinks             
 that denies proper attention to aboriginal people.                            
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN SHARP asked the pleasure of the committee.                           
                                                                               
 Number 068                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN made a motion to discharge SB 196 and accompanying              
 zero fiscal note from the Senate State Affairs Committee with                 
 individual recommendations.                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN SHARP, hearing no objection, stated SB 196 was discharged            
 from committee.