03/21/2022 01:00 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 203                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  designating  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."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:14:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EMMA  TORKELSON, STAFF,  SENATOR JOSH  REVAK, explained  the                                                                    
legislation. She detailed that  since 1992, the Purple Heart                                                                    
Trail  system of  highway designations  had extended  across                                                                    
the  nation honoring  service  men and  women  who had  been                                                                    
wounded or killed  in service to the  nation. She elaborated                                                                    
that  in 2008,  former Senator  Johnny Ellis's  bill SB  216                                                                    
designated the  highway between the Alaska/Canada  border to                                                                    
Fairbanks as the Purple Heart  Trail. Since that time, signs                                                                    
along the highway stood as a  thank you to veterans and as a                                                                    
reminder of  the sacrifices made by  individuals serving the                                                                    
United States. The bill would  extend the Purple Heart Trail                                                                    
from Fairbanks to Homer, connecting  the Purple Heart cities                                                                    
of North Pole, Fairbanks,  Wasilla, Soldotna, and Homer. She                                                                    
highlighted  that Alaska  had  a  strong military  tradition                                                                    
with   an    estimated   65,000   resident    veterans   and                                                                    
approximately 21,000  active duty military  members. Signage                                                                    
drawing  attention to  the designation  would  be placed  at                                                                    
appropriate  intervals   along  the  highway   to  stimulate                                                                    
thought  and discussion  amongst adults  and children  about                                                                    
the  history of  the country  and individuals  who had  made                                                                    
significant sacrifices for the country.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop asked to hear the sectional analysis.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:16:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Torkelson  reviewed  the sectional  analysis  (copy  on                                                                    
file):                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1. Amends AS 35.40.210(a)  to extend the Purple                                                                    
     Heart Trail  designation to include  the ~590  miles of                                                                    
     highway  from  Fairbanks to  the  End  of the  Road  in                                                                    
     Homer.  With this  extension,  the  Purple Heart  Trail                                                                    
     will, in its entirety, be made up of:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          ? the Alaska Highway from the Alaska-Canada                                                                           
          Border to Delta Junction - existing                                                                                   
          ? the Richardson Highway between Delta Junction                                                                       
          and Fairbanks - existing                                                                                              
          ? the George Parks Highway between Fairbanks and                                                                      
          Wasilla - new                                                                                                         
          ? the Glenn Highway between Wasilla and Anchorage                                                                     
          - new                                                                                                                 
          ? the Seward Highway between Anchorage and the                                                                        
          Seward-Sterling highway junction - new                                                                                
          ? the Sterling Highway to its termination at the                                                                      
          end of the Homer Spit - new                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2.  Amends  AS  35.40.210(b)  to  require  the                                                                    
     Department  of  Transportation  and  Public  Facilities                                                                    
     erect appropriate  "Purple Heart Trail" signage  at the                                                                    
     Veterans  Memorial at  Byers Lake,  Wasilla, Anchorage,                                                                    
     the  junction  of  the Seward  and  Sterling  highways,                                                                    
     Soldotna, and Homer.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Removes  the  existing  language requiring  signage  be                                                                    
     placed at points "halfway  between" these locations and                                                                    
     replaces it  with language  that allows  the department                                                                    
     to  determine   the  most  appropriate   locations  for                                                                    
     additional signage.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 3.  Amends AS 35.40.210(c)  to increase  to six                                                                    
     the number of required  informational displays at pull-                                                                    
     outs  along  the  Purple Heart  Trail.  The  Border  to                                                                    
     Fairbanks  trail  has  three  displays,  so  this  will                                                                    
     require that at least three  displays be erected on the                                                                    
     new  portion   of  the   Purple  Heart   Trail  between                                                                    
     Fairbanks and Homer.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4.  Amends the uncodified  law of the  State of                                                                    
     Alaska  to  ensure that  DOTP&F  has  the authority  to                                                                    
     accept gifts,  donations, and grants  from a  person or                                                                    
     agency  for  the  purpose   of  providing  signage  and                                                                    
     informational displays required  by AS 35.40.210(b) and                                                                    
     (c).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5.  Amends the uncodified  law of the  State of                                                                    
     Alaska to  clarify that DOTP&F  has the  flexibility to                                                                    
     erect  the signs  and informational  displays as  funds                                                                    
     are  available,  without  waiting to  receive  all  the                                                                    
     funds needed  to complete  the entire  project required                                                                    
     by AS 35.40.210(b) and (c).                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:18:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop asked  if the  department  agreed with  the                                                                    
bill sections  and that  it could move  quickly to  make the                                                                    
changes proposed under the legislation.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
ANDY    MILLS,    LEGISLATIVE   LIAISON,    DEPARTMENT    OF                                                                    
TRANSPORTATION  AND PUBLIC  FACILITIES, explained  that most                                                                    
signage took the  department four to six weeks  to craft. He                                                                    
noted  that the  sign design  was already  complete and  was                                                                    
included in members' bill packets.  He stated it would be an                                                                    
"easy lift"  for the department  to produce and  install the                                                                    
signs.  The  department's  fiscal note  reflected  the  full                                                                    
amount detailed  in the bill;  however, general  funds would                                                                    
be  offset  by donations  if  received.  He added  that  any                                                                    
donations  would  be recognized  as  a  contribution to  the                                                                    
effort.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop moved to invited testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JOHN  KNOTT, STATE  COMMANDER, ORDER  OF  THE PURPLE  HEART,                                                                    
FAIRBANKS  (via teleconference),  relayed the  Order of  the                                                                    
Purple  Heart had  three  chapters in  Alaska.  He spoke  in                                                                    
support  of  the  legislation  and  relayed  it  would  mean                                                                    
tremendous   pride  for   his   organization,  active   duty                                                                    
military,  and  veterans in  Alaska.  He  detailed that  the                                                                    
signs reflected continued patriotism  and showed respect for                                                                    
individuals who  had sacrificed with blood  and their lives.                                                                    
He elaborated  that the signs  brought up  conversations and                                                                    
emotions.  He stated  the signs  recapped everything  people                                                                    
lived  for in  the United  States: freedom.  He pointed  out                                                                    
that  freedom was  not free.  He thanked  the committee  for                                                                    
hearing the legislation.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop thanked  Mr.  Knott for  his testimony  and                                                                    
service to the country.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  suggested  including  the  Alaska  Marine                                                                    
Highway System  (AMHS) and perhaps  adding a plaque  on each                                                                    
of the ferries.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop thought  it was  a good  idea. He  remarked                                                                    
that AMHS  served some communities with  the highest veteran                                                                    
population per capita. He noted  that the amendment deadline                                                                    
was March 23 at noon.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman added  there  were  many military  members                                                                    
traveling from Bellingham to Haines  [on the ferry] to reach                                                                    
their post in Fairbanks and  Anchorage. He would discuss the                                                                    
idea with the bill sponsor.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  203  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop reviewed  the  schedule  for the  following                                                                    
day.