02/07/2008 02:00 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

                   SB 216-PURPLE HEART TRAIL                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOOKESH announced consideration of SB 216.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:03:23 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR ELLIS,  sponsor, presented an  overview of SB  216, which                                                               
creates  the Purple  Heart Trail,  a  portion of  the Alaska  and                                                               
Richardson Highways.  This bill would join  other states honoring                                                               
recipients of  the Purple Heart,  a distinguished  decoration for                                                               
military men and  women who have served and  sacrificed for their                                                               
country. Senator Ellis  said he comes from a  military family and                                                               
his  father served  in Vietnam.  The project  was brought  to his                                                               
attention   by  Ron   Siebels,   a   distinguished  veteran   and                                                               
constituent. Mr.  Siebels approached Rep. Berta  Gardner, sponsor                                                               
of  the House  legislation  while Senator  Ellis  presents it  in                                                               
Senate.  The   Department  of   Transportation  (DOT)   has  been                                                               
cooperative and reasonable  in the costs of the  project. He said                                                               
he looks forward to honoring recipients in this public way.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JESSE CROSS-CALL, staff to Senator  Ellis, said he wanted to make                                                               
sure  the   committee  was  aware   of  the   proposed  committee                                                               
substitute which clarifies  the size and location  of the signage                                                               
proposed by DOT.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI  moved  to  adopt  the  proposed  committee                                                               
substitute (CS) for  SB 216, labeled 25-LS1280,  Kane, Version C,                                                               
as  the  working  document  of  the  committee.  There  being  no                                                               
objection, Version C was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WILKEN asked if there was a fiscal note.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOOKESH  said the attached  fiscal note is  $150,000, which                                                               
includes an  installation of  six major  signs, six  minor signs,                                                               
and three  informational kiosks along the  Richardson Highway for                                                               
one year only.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:07:32 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE BERTA GARDNER, Alaska  State Legislature, said the                                                               
bill is part of a national  movement to designate a small portion                                                               
of  highway in  every state  to  honor recipients  of the  Purple                                                               
Heart, soldiers  who have been injured  or killed in the  line of                                                               
duty. It's very appropriate for  Alaska with a force of thousands                                                               
of men and women. The  section of highway selected was originally                                                               
built by the military.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
RON  SIEBELS, Chapter  Commander, Chapter  593 Military  Order of                                                               
the  Purple  Heart,  Anchorage,  AK,  said  he'd  like  to  thank                                                               
everyone  for their  support. Many  who travel  the Purple  Heart                                                               
Trail will know or be related  to a wounded veteran. He said this                                                               
can  be the  visual  proof  that the  state  cares  and helps  to                                                               
remember purple hearts  veterans. He said he  doesn't want Alaska                                                               
to  be the  last state  to pass  this legislation.  There are  43                                                               
states and Guam in support of it.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:10:59 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR COWDERY joined the meeting online.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI  moved to report CSSB  216(TRA), referred to                                                               
as Version C, from committee  with individual recommendations and                                                               
accompanying fiscal  notes. Hearing  no objection,  CSSB 216(TRA)                                                               
passed out of committee.