03/14/2024 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

              SB 256-ESTABLISH ALS AWARENESS MONTH                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:31:45 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 256                                                               
"An  Act  establishing  May   as  Amyotrophic  Lateral  Sclerosis                                                               
Awareness Month; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The intention is to look to the  will of the committee on SB 256.                                                               
The  committee heard  an  introduction,  the sectional  analysis,                                                               
invited  testimony, and  public testimony  from the  bill sponsor                                                               
and  his  staff  at  the previous  meeting.  He  invited  Senator                                                               
Kawasaki to put himself on record and provide closing comments.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:32:27 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  SCOTT KAWASAKI,  District P,  Alaska State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau,   Alaska,   provided   closing   remarks   on   SB   256,                                                               
acknowledging that while  the bill might not  seem significant to                                                               
some, it  is profoundly  impactful for the  60 Alaskans  with ALS                                                               
and their  families. He explained  that May is recognized  as ALS                                                               
Awareness  Month  nationally  but   stressed  the  importance  of                                                               
establishing local  awareness in  Alaska. He  noted that  ALS can                                                               
affect anyone  but is  nearly twice  as prevalent  among military                                                               
veterans,  an issue  of particular  concern given  Alaska's large                                                               
veteran and active-duty population. He  affirmed that SB 256 is a                                                               
crucial step in  raising ALS awareness and  thanked the committee                                                               
for its attention to the bill.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:34:06 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:34:13 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON moved  to  report SB  256,  work order  33-                                                               
LS1444\B,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached zero fiscal note(s).                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR found no objection and  SB 256 was reported from the                                                               
Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee