02/03/2004 03:40 PM Senate STA

                SB 270-AVALANCHE AWARENESS MONTH                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced SB 270 to be up for consideration.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
JACQUILIN TUPOU, staff to Senator  Lyda Green, sponsor of SB 270,                                                               
informed members  that this issue  was before the  committee last                                                               
year  in  resolution  form  and  this year  it  is  a  bill.  The                                                               
legislation would establish each  November as Avalanche Awareness                                                               
Month.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Every year more  people are lost to avalanches in  Alaska than in                                                               
any other  state. In  fact, 28 Alaskans  have died  in avalanches                                                               
during the  previous four winters.  She reported that  there were                                                               
many people who  have worked hard on this issue  and were willing                                                               
to  testify  in  support  of the  legislation.  However,  in  the                                                               
interest of simplicity,  they ask the committee to  pass the bill                                                               
quickly.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS  thanked Ms. Tupou and said he  was pleased to                                                               
see that this  was in bill form and that  every November would be                                                               
Avalanche Awareness  Month. He noted  that the chart  in member's                                                               
packets  indicate that  27 percent  of  the avalanche  fatalities                                                               
between 1998 and  2002 have been from Alaska and  that 62 percent                                                               
were  snowmachiners,   which  shows  the  importance   of  safety                                                               
education.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He asked for a motion.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GRETCHEN  GUESS  made  a  motion to  pass  SB  270  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note. There being no objection, it was so ordered.