05/10/2022 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 203(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  designating the  Alaska marine  highway system                                                                    
     and portions of the  Parks, Glenn, Seward, and Sterling                                                                    
     Highways as  a part of  the State's Purple  Heart Trail                                                                    
     and relating to signage  and informational displays for                                                                    
     the trail."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:02:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  discussed the agenda for  the meeting. She                                                                    
indicated that Vice-Chair Ortiz had joined the meeting.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
EMMA TORKELSON,  STAFF, SENATOR  JOSH REVAK,  introduced the                                                                    
legislation. She  explained that  the original  Purple Heart                                                                    
Trail  was established  in  1992 as  a  national project  to                                                                    
designate portions of the interstate  highway system as "The                                                                    
Purple  Heart  Trail  System," reminding  Americans  of  the                                                                    
sacrifices made by  men and women in service  to the nation.                                                                    
In  2008, the  Alaska  Military Order  of  the Purple  Heart                                                                    
worked with  Senator Johnny Ellis,  to adopt SB  216 [Purple                                                                    
Heart Trail, CHAPTER 23 SLA 08,  05/03/2008] that designated                                                                  
the Alaska  and Richardson  Highways from  the Alaska-Canada                                                                    
Border to Fairbanks  as the Purple Heart  Trail. Senate Bill                                                                    
203  extended the  Purple  Heart  Trail highway  designation                                                                    
from Fairbanks  to the End of  the Road in Homer  and on the                                                                    
Alaska Marine  Highway System (AMHS)  routes. Doing  so will                                                                    
complete a  continuous 4,500-mile land and  ocean stretch of                                                                    
Purple Heart  Trail from the  Alaska-Canada Border,  down to                                                                    
the End  of the Road,  and then on  the ferry routes  of the                                                                    
Alaska   Marine  Highway,   connecting   the  Purple   Heart                                                                    
Cities/Boroughs  of  Fairbanks  North  Star  Borough,  North                                                                    
Pole,  Fairbanks,  Wasilla,  Soldotna, Homer,  and  Skagway.                                                                    
Alaska's  has  a  strong  military  tradition;  we  have  an                                                                    
estimated  65,000  resident veterans,  approximately  21,000                                                                    
active-duty  military.  Signage  drawing  attention  to  the                                                                    
designation was  placed at  appropriate intervals  along the                                                                    
highways and on each active  AMHS ferry to stimulate thought                                                                    
and  discussion among  adults and  children alike  about the                                                                    
history of  our nation and  those who have  made significant                                                                    
sacrifices for it.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:04:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  asked the department to  review the fiscal                                                                    
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ANDY    MILLS,    LEGISLATIVE   LIAISON,    DEPARTMENT    OF                                                                    
TRANSPORTATION   AND   PUBLIC   FACILITIES,   reviewed   the                                                                    
Department  of Transportation  and  Public Facilities  (DOT)                                                                    
published fiscal impact fiscal  note (FN2 (DOT) appropriated                                                                    
to  Administration   and  Support.  He  indicated   that  it                                                                    
reflected the  full cost  if no  donations were  received in                                                                    
the amount of $255.6 thousand  and would pay for signage and                                                                    
kiosks  along the  extended highway  trail system.  He noted                                                                    
that  language  in  this  bill   calls  for  the  option  of                                                                    
third-party donations to pay for signage  along the extended                                                                    
trail.   The  donations   would  be   used  to   offset  the                                                                    
Undesignated General Funds (UGF)  expended and the remaining                                                                    
unused UGF would lapse back to the state.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  LeBon   asked  if  there  was   currently  a                                                                    
campaign  rolling  out  soon to  gather  contributions  from                                                                    
interested parties including citizens.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Torkelson  replied that the  sponsor was  discussing the                                                                    
matter with the military  organization to gauge its interest                                                                    
in collecting  donations. She relayed that  the organization                                                                    
was  ready  to  send  out information  to  its  members  and                                                                    
request donations.  Part of the  process had  been gathering                                                                    
legislative intent regarding passage  of the legislation and                                                                    
with   passage  of   the  bill   they  would   proceed  with                                                                    
implementation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:08:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  LeBon asked  if  the effective  date of  the                                                                    
bill was upon  passage of the legislation.  He asked whether                                                                    
the bill required regulations.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Mills answered that lacking  an effective date there was                                                                    
a 90 day  window. He indicated that the  window granted time                                                                    
for  the  organization to  collect  donations  and then  DOT                                                                    
would  begin its  work. Representative  LeBon  asked if  the                                                                    
idea  was to  implement  the signage  changes the  following                                                                    
year. Mr.  Mills responded  there was  no timeframe  for the                                                                    
type  of legislation.  He reported  that the  bill was  more                                                                    
extensive   than   typical   naming  legislation   and   the                                                                    
department would  discuss what  timeframe was  necessary for                                                                    
the  organization to  collect the  donations and  would work                                                                    
around those needs.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:10:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster was  interested  in  hearing the  amendment                                                                    
during  the  meeting.  He  wanted  to  move  the  bill  from                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Carpenter was concerned  about the price tag.                                                                    
He was more comfortable using  donations as opposed to state                                                                    
funds.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick   set  and  amendment  deadline   for  the                                                                    
following day at noon.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 203(FIN)  was HEARD and  HELD in committee  for further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:11:44 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:13:31 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED