02/01/2024 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

               SB 159-ALASKA VETERANS' POPPY DAY                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
3:36:38 PM                                                                                                                  
CHAIR  KAWASAKI announced  the consideration  of  SENATE BILL  NO.                                                              
159  "An  Act   establishing  Alaska  Veterans'   Poppy  Day;  and                                                              
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:36:52 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  DUNBAR, District  J,  Alaska State  Legislature,  Juneau,                                                              
Alaska,  sponsor for  SB 159. He  said SB  159 establishes  Alaska                                                              
Veterans Poppy  Day on the Friday  before Memorial Day.  The poppy                                                              
has been  used as a  symbol of remembrance  for fallen  members of                                                              
the  military  since  the  late  17th  century,  but  became  most                                                              
prominent during  and after World  War I (WWI). Inspiring  the use                                                              
of  the  poppy,  In  Flanders  Field  was  written  by  Lieutenant                                                              
Colonel John  McCrae who  presided over  a funeral for  Lieutenant                                                              
Alexis  Helmer.  The  poppy  became the  official  flower  of  the                                                              
American  Legion  in  1920  and   was  first  distributed  by  the                                                              
Veterans of  Foreign Wars  (VFW) in 1922  before Memorial  Day. He                                                              
expressed  that establishing  Veterans  Poppy Day  is  one way  to                                                              
honor fallen veterans and remember the purpose of Memorial Day.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:38:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SETH  TIGARIAN,  Staff,  Senator   Forrest  Dunbar,  Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska, presented  the  sectional  analysis                                                              
for SB 159.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                       SECTIONAL ANALYSIS                                                                                     
               SB 159: ALASKA VETERANS' POPPY DAY                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
      Section 1: Designates the Friday before Memorial Day                                                                    
     as "Alaska Veterans' Poppy Day."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
      Section 2: Establishes the effective date as date of                                                                    
     passage.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:39:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI asked  if  there are  any  other Alaskan  holidays                                                              
that have  been established  on the  Friday immediately  preceding                                                              
Memorial Day.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:39:39 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. TIGARIAN replied that he does not believe so.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:40:00 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced invited testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:40:25 PM                                                                                                                    
JEANNE OSTNES,  President, American  Legion Auxiliary,  Jack Henry                                                              
Unit 1,  Anchorage, Alaska,  testified in support  of SB  159. She                                                              
said National  Poppy Day was set  forth by the American  Legion in                                                              
2017 after  it was brought forth  to U.S. Congress. The  poppy was                                                              
first  distributed  nationwide by  the  Veterans  of Foreign  Wars                                                              
(VFW) in 1922 before  Memorial Day. VWF adopted the  flower as the                                                              
"buddy poppy."  The day of remembrance  is a way to show  that the                                                              
state appreciates veteran sacrifice and service.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The  American Legion  Auxiliary  unit has  200  members while  its                                                              
post has  800 in Alaska. American  Legion orders  approximately 23                                                              
thousand poppies each  year for Alaska. The poppy  is displayed at                                                              
several   graves  in  Anchorage.   The  concept   for  Poppy   Day                                                              
encourages people  to display  and wear the  poppy as a  symbol of                                                              
remembrance  and hope.  She urged  that poppy  funds must  only be                                                              
used  for  the  welfare  of  veterans   and  active-duty  military                                                              
personnel when a financial or medical necessity exists.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:46:10 PM                                                                                                                    
MS.  OSTNES conveyed  that the  National  Warriors Foundation  and                                                              
its Executive  Director expressed support  for SB 159 to  show its                                                              
commitment to past  and current armed forces. The  bill allows the                                                              
opportunity   for   communities   to  express   appreciation   for                                                              
veterans, provides  a platform for citizens to  donate proceeds to                                                              
veterans  and  their  families,  and  creates  an  opportunity  to                                                              
educate future  generations. Numerous  countries around  the world                                                              
can celebrate Poppy  Day on either the day before  Memorial Day or                                                              
on Veteran's Day.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:48:48 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR  thanked members for  hearing SB 159. He  said this                                                              
past summer,  he went to Camp  Funston in Fort Riley,  Kansas, and                                                              
visited a WWI museum  in Kansas City. In the museum,  visitors had                                                              
the opportunity  to  walk over a  glass bridge  with thousands  of                                                              
poppies  underneath.  He  expressed   his  appreciation  for  this                                                              
experience  that  allowed  him to  understand  the  importance  of                                                              
introducing legislation to honor its historical significance.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:49:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 159 for future consideration.