03/25/2008 02:15 PM House TRA

SB 158-SHIRLEY DEMIENTIEFF MEMORIAL BRIDGE                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHANSEN announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO.  158 "An  Act designating  the bridge  on the                                                               
George  Parks  Highway  directly   north  of  the  Alaska  Native                                                               
Veterans'  Honor  Bridge  as  the  Shirley  Demientieff  Memorial                                                               
Bridge."                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:15:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ALBERT  KOOKESH, Alaska State Legislature,  sponsor of SB
,  informed  the committee  that  Shirley  Demientieff was  an                                                               
advocate for  the Native community  and addressed issues  such as                                                               
sexual exploitation,  alcohol, and  illegal drugs.   He explained                                                               
that she was  instrumental in naming the  Alaska Native Veterans'                                                               
Honor  Bridge and  that  she  was in  charge  of  the search  and                                                               
recovery  program in  the Interior.   He  reported that  she died                                                               
from  cancer a  few years  ago.   He  noted that  the Senate  was                                                               
unanimous in its  support of this bill, and that  he had heard of                                                               
no opposition to the bill.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:19:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WILLIE LORD,  Alaska Native Veterans Association,  Military Order                                                               
of  the  Purple Heart,  said  that  both organizations  supported                                                               
naming the  bridge in  honor of Shirley  Demientieff for  all the                                                               
work  she  had  done  for  Native veterans  and  for  the  Native                                                               
communities in the Interior.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:20:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHANSEN closed public testimony.   He expressed his belief                                                               
that Ms. Demientieff sounds like a wonderful person.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DOOGAN offered  that Ms.  Demientieff was  a fine                                                               
woman  from a  good family  and he  thanked the  sponsor for  the                                                               
opportunity to honor her.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH   moved  to  report  SB   158  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal notes.  There being no  objection, SB 158 was moved out of                                                               
committee.