02/01/2007 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

HB  21-DISPOSAL OF STATE FLAG                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:03:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN announced  that the first order of  business was HOUSE                                                               
BILL  NO. 21,  "An Act  relating to  the proper  disposal of  the                                                               
state flag."                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:03:26 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PETER FELLMAN, Staff to Representative  John Harris, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, presented HB 21 on  behalf of Representative Harris,                                                               
joint  prime sponsor.   He  revealed that  Representative Harris'                                                               
office was  approached by the  Veterans of Foreign Wars  (VFW) in                                                               
North Pole, Alaska, with a concern  that there is no provision in                                                               
state law for the proper and  legal disposal of tattered and worn                                                               
Alaska State Flags.  The  proposed legislation would address that                                                               
concern by  providing language regarding the  respectful disposal                                                               
of the state flag.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:04:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DOLL asked  if the definition of flag  refers to a                                                               
flag of  certain dimensions.  She  noted that she has  very small                                                               
flags that she has distributed during parades, for example.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:05:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. FELLMAN  said he  thinks the bill  is directed  towards flags                                                               
that fly over state buildings; however,  he said he will get back                                                               
to Representative Doll with an answer.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:05:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ROSES  noted  that   there  has  been  an  e-mail                                                               
circulating  throughout the  capitol  for the  last couple  days,                                                               
regarding the desecration of the  Alaska State Flag, witnessed by                                                               
some of the  military troops serving in Iraq.   He explained that                                                               
the names  of soldiers  who had  been injured  or killed  on duty                                                               
were  embroidered on  the flag.    He reported  that through  the                                                               
House Special Committee on Military  and Veterans' Affairs, which                                                               
he chairs,  a general  in Iraq  was contacted,  all of  the names                                                               
were removed, and the practice will no longer occur.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:07:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  LYNN  noted that  there  is  a committee  substitute  (CS)                                                               
[Version 25-LS0137\C, Bullock, 1/30/07]  in the committee packet,                                                               
and he  asked if anyone  would move to  bring that CS  before the                                                               
committee.    In  response  to  a  question  from  Representative                                                               
Coghill,  he  confirmed that  the  House  State Affairs  Standing                                                               
Committee is the only committee of referral for the bill.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:07:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   COGHILL  offered   his  understanding   that  AS                                                               
44.09.020 includes language designating  the spacing of the stars                                                               
on the  flag, but not  the measurements of  the flag itself.   He                                                               
said  he  thinks  the  committee needs  a  better  definition  of                                                               
"official" as it pertains to the flag.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN announced that HB 21 was heard and held.