02/02/2006 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                   SB 224-OLDER ALASKANS' DAY                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:34:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR THERRIAULT announced SB 224 to be up for consideration.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS paraphrased the sponsor statement.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska's  seniors  are  one   of  the  nation's  fastest                                                                   
     growing  senior populations,  comprising  20 percent  of                                                                   
     the  state's population.  Each year,  Alaskans 60  years                                                                   
     of  age and  older  contribute  millions of  dollars  to                                                                   
     Alaska's   economy.  Through   their  involvement   with                                                                   
     various  organizations,  service  clubs  and  the  like,                                                                   
     they also provide  thousands of hours of  volunteer work                                                                   
     through  various  organizations  for the  betterment  of                                                                   
     their  communities  and state.  Given  the numerous  and                                                                   
     important  contributions Alaska's  seniors  make to  our                                                                   
     state, it  is a fitting  honor that  a day be set  aside                                                                   
     to recognize these accomplishments.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     If passed  into law,  SB 224  will designate the  second                                                                   
     Wednesday of  September as "Older Alaskans'  Day". Older                                                                   
     Alaskan's'  Day  will  be  an  appropriate  addition  to                                                                   
     National  Senior Center  Week  celebrations, which  fall                                                                   
     during  the second full  week of  September starting  in                                                                   
     2007, and will be close to Grandparents' Day.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
He reported that the Alaska Commission on Aging and AARP                                                                        
(American Association of Retired Persons) endorse the bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THERRIAULT noted the bill packet contains resolutions and                                                                 
letters of support from a variety of organizations.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PAT BRANSON, Senior Citizens of Kodiak, testified via                                                                           
teleconference in support of SB 224.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MARIE DARLIN, AARP Coordinator, Capital City Task Force, stated                                                                 
support for SB 224.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:40:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR THERRIAULT noted there was no further testimony and asked                                                                 
for the will of the committee.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS WAGONER motioned to report SB 224 and attached                                                                   
zero fiscal note from committee with individual recommendations.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  THERRIAULT  announced that  without  objection,  it was  so                                                              
ordered.