05/05/1999 01:23 PM House RES

HCR 9 - TAKE A KID HUNTING WEEK                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SANDERS announced that the next item of business would be                                                              
House Concurrent Resolution No. 9, relating to Take a Kid Hunting                                                               
Weekend.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 2639                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
JUDITH JORDAN, Legislative Assistant to Representative Gail                                                                     
Phillips, Alaska State Legislature, read the following sponsor                                                                  
statement:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     HCR 9 seeks to name the second weekend in September each year                                                              
     as "Take a Kid Hunting Weekend."  Such an event would greatly                                                              
     assist in preserving our hunting heritage and to encourage                                                                 
     Alaskan hunters to become knowledgeable in the areas of                                                                    
     sportfishing and hunting.  Naming a special weekend would                                                                  
     complement the Hunter Education and Shooting Sports program                                                                
     funded last year by the legislature.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Representative Phillips is hopeful that the members of this                                                                
     committee are willing to dedicate a special weekend where                                                                  
     experienced hunters can pass along to our children hunting                                                                 
     skills, gun safety awareness and the contributions of                                                                      
     responsible and ethical hunter behavior.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE said he supports HCR 9 and wishes more people                                                              
would be encouraged to follow the intent.  He noted that one                                                                    
reason for wanting more adults to take children out is because                                                                  
Alaska has an abundance and variety of fish and wildlife resources;                                                             
however, that is not referenced in HCR 9.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 2411                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE made a motion to adopt Amendment 1, which adds                                                             
the following language to line 3, and then renumbers accordingly:                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     WHEREAS Alaska's abundance and variety of natural resources                                                                
     are unmatched in the United States; and                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 2452                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MASEK made a motion to adopt Amendment 2 to page 1,                                                              
line 1, which changes the title to "Take a Kid Hunting Week" and                                                                
further reads:                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 2:                                                                                                            
     delete "Weekend" after "Hunting" and insert week.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 6:                                                                                                            
     delete "Weekend" after "Hunting" and insert week.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 2280                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE made a motion to adopt Amendment 3, which                                                                  
changes "kid" to "child" throughout.  There being no objection,                                                                 
Amendment 3 was adopted.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 2260                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DICK BISHOP, Alaska Outdoor Council, came forward again to testify                                                              
in support of HCR 9, noting that it is a step in the right                                                                      
direction.  He said he also believes there is not enough emphasis                                                               
on getting young people out to experience that, which certainly is                                                              
the message.  He also agrees with changing "weekend" to "week"                                                                  
because the children can get more out of it in the course of a                                                                  
week.  He pointed out, technically and ecologically, that other                                                                 
states have a greater variety and abundance of wildlife and natural                                                             
resources; however, Alaska's is still unmatched.  Mr. Bishop urged                                                              
the committee to move HCR 9.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 2191                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES moved to report CSHCR 9 out of committee with                                                             
individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note.                                                               
There being no objection, CSHCR 9(RES) moved from the House                                                                     
Resources Standing Committee.