04/16/2005 09:30 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

SB  90-ALASKA TERRITORIAL GUARD DAY                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:41:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON  announced that the  first order of business  was CS                                                               
FOR  SENATE  BILL  NO.  90(STA),   "An  Act  relating  to  Alaska                                                               
Territorial Guard Day."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:41:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS, Alaska  State Legislature, as sponsor of                                                               
SB 90, offered praise and  introduction of his staff member, Ryan                                                               
Moore.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:42:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RYAN  MOORE,  Staff  to Senator  Charlie  Huggins,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  SB  90  on behalf  of  Senator  Huggins,                                                               
sponsor.    He  noted  that 6,500,  predominately  Alaska  Native                                                               
people formed  the Alaska  Territorial Guard  over 60  years ago,                                                               
and SB 90 is a long time coming  in honoring them.  He stated the                                                               
reason for choosing October 8  to be Alaska Territorial Guard Day                                                               
is  that that  was the  day  [in 2004]  when the  members of  the                                                               
[Alaska]  Territorial  Guard  were recognized  as  United  States                                                               
veterans by the U.S. Army.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:43:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MOORE,  in  response  to   a  question  from  Representative                                                               
Gardner, offered his understanding  that approximately 300 of the                                                               
Alaska Territorial Guard are still alive today.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:44:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS   emphasized  "how  quickly  these   people  are                                                               
passing."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:44:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER  said she's  sure it would  mean a  lot to                                                               
the members and to their children.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:44:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS noted  that Representative Carl Moses  was in the                                                               
Alaska Territorial  Guard at the age  of 13.  He  said many rural                                                               
Alaska  Natives share  stories  of an  uncle  or grandfather  who                                                               
served  in that  guard.   He also  noted that  there were  also a                                                               
number of females who served.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:45:19 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MIKE  KELLY, Alaska State Legislature,  to share a                                                               
case in point,  noted that his cousin, Joe  Kelly, was associated                                                               
with the [Alaska Territorial] Guard.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:45:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON,  in response to comments  by Representatives Elkins                                                               
and Lynn,  offered his understanding  that the bill  is available                                                               
for cross sponsorship.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:46:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS confirmed that's correct.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:46:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HUGGINS, in  response to  a comment  from Representative                                                               
Gruenberg, mentioned a desire to honor certain families.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:47:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEATON closed public testimony.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:47:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN   moved  to  report  CSSB   90(STA)  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.   There  being  no  objections, CSSB  90(STA)  was                                                               
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:47:55 AM