02/14/1996 05:15 PM House MLV

 HB 476 - YUKLA 27 REMEMBRANCE DAY                                           
                                                                               
 Number 102                                                                    
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN PETE KOTT testified:                                              
                                                                               
 "On September 22, 1995, an AWACS plane, with a call sign of YUKLA             
 27, crashed shortly after taking off from Elmendorf Air Force Base.           
 Tragically, its entire crew of twenty-four young men perished in              
 this catastrophic event.                                                      
                                                                               
 "HB 476, which is sponsored by the House Special Committee on                 
 Military and Veterans Affairs, would declare September 22 of each             
 year, as YUKLA 27 Remembrance Day.  It also calls upon the Governor           
 to issue a proclamation to commemorate the day and direct that                
 Alaska flags be flown at half-mast.                                           
                                                                               
 "It is only right and proper that we honor the memory of those who            
 sacrificed so much for us.  The Committee respectfully urges your             
 support."                                                                     
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT explained that he generally does not like to put             
 in statute, issues of this nature, but considering that the tragedy           
 happened in Alaska and considering that honorable members of the              
 military have sacrificed a lot for us in the past, at present and             
 will so in future, he has asked that a resolution be drawn up                 
 asking the Governor to issue a proclamation.                                  
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT informed the committee that this effort has been             
 coordinated with the public affairs office at Elmendorf Air Force             
 Base.  He said the names of the crew members of YUKLA 27 are all              
 listed on the bill.                                                           
                                                                               
 Number 277                                                                    
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN IVAN noted the arrival of Representative Richard Foster           
 and recognized the presence of Representatives Carl Moses and Tom             
 Brice.                                                                        
                                                                               
 Number 298                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ED WILLIS stated that he had two friendly amendments           
 for consideration:                                                            
                                                                               
 Amendment One:                                                                
 Page 1, line 6, between the and airmen, insert American and                   
 Canadian.                                                                     
                                                                               
 Amendment Two:                                                                
 Reorder the crew members by rank, force and occupation, rather than           
 alphabetically, and distinguish whether the airman is Canadian or             
 United States Air Force.                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 421                                                                    
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT addressed Amendment One stating that the term                
 airmen generally applied to all flyers aboard the Advanced Warning            
 and Control System (AWACS).  He said having flown himself on this             
 particular tail number, YUKLA 27, most correspondence related to              
 the term "airmen."  He said he had no objection to the amendment.             
 There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                  
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT said Representative Willis' proposal in Amendment            
 Two was correct.  He said the original draft arrayed the names by             
 rank, force and occupation, but recalled that the drafter of the              
 bill indicated that this was not the appropriate way to include               
 names in statute.                                                             
                                                                               
 Number 600                                                                    
                                                                               
 GEORGE DOZIER, Legislative Staff to Representative Pete Kott, said            
 he worked on two separate resolutions and recalled that HB 476 was            
 originally requested in order of rank but he did not recall the               
 specifics.                                                                    
                                                                               
 Number 695                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES said if the committee wishes the names be               
 listed in order of rank then that is the way it should be moved.              
                                                                               
 Number 727                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES questioned the significance of placing this             
 event in statute and suggested that a memorial or monument might be           
 a better approach.                                                            
                                                                               
 Number 854                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER agreed that the statutes should not get                 
 cluttered but felt the bill is appropriate for discussion and that            
 it makes a statement to the military community that the legislature           
 supports them and recognizes their sacrifices.                                
                                                                               
 Number 960                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER moved that CSHB 476(MLV) move from the            
 House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs with                 
 individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal note.                 
 There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                  
                                                                               
 Number 985                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT expressed agreement with Representative Davies            
 and suggested that the committee consider some type of memorial.              
 He said, if funding were available, it would be a nice gesture.               
                                                                               
 Number 1014                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD FOSTER declared that the committee could               
 confer with Adjutant General Lestenkof to see if DMVA could absorb            
 the cost of a brass plate or a concrete obelisk.                              
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIRMAN IVAN said he respected that recommendation and agreed             
 with Representative Foster that the committee would draft a letter            
 to the Adjutant General.                                                      
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT concurred with the recommendations.