03/08/1993 09:10 AM Senate STA

                                                                               
                                                                               
                 SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE                                
                          March 8, 1993                                        
                            9:10 a.m.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
  Senator Loren Leman, Chairman                                                
  Senator Jim Duncan                                                           
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
  Senator Mike Miller, Vice Chairman                                           
  Senator Robin Taylor                                                         
  Senator Johnny Ellis                                                         
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  CONFIRMATION HEARING:  Augusta Sayoko D. Mimoto Greenheart                   
                         State Commission for Human Rights                     
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  None                                                                         
                                                                               
  ACTION NARRATIVE                                                             
                                                                               
  TAPE 93-17, SIDE A                                                           
  Number 001                                                                   
                                                                               
  Chairman  Leman called  the  Senate State  Affairs Committee                 
  meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.                                                
                                                                               
  SENATOR LEMAN announced  the only  order of business  before                 
  the committee would  be a  confirmation hearing on  Governor                 
  appointee Augusta Sayoko  D. Mimoto Greenheart to  the State                 
  Commission for Human Rights.  He invited Ms. Greenheart, who                 
  was  participating in  the  hearing by  teleconference  from                 
  Anchorage, to make an opening statement.                                     
                                                                               
  Number 025                                                                   
                                                                               
  SAYOKO GREENHEART said  she was born in Japan, but  is now a                 
  naturalized U.S. citizen.  She came  to the United States in                 
  1965, attended high school and colleges in this country, and                 
  has resided in Anchorage since 1977.                                         
                                                                               
  Ms. Greenheart teaches the Japanese language at Romig Junior                 
  High  School,  Chugiak  High School  and  the  University of                 
  Alaska, Anchorage,   and she said she  enjoys teaching young                 
  people  the  Japanese language  as  well as  the  culture of                 
  Japan.                                                                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Ms.  Greenheart said  Alaska is  a very  diverse  state with                 
  different  nationalities   and  different  cultures.     She                 
  believes the  Commission is  quite helpful  and interesting.                 
  She  said she  thinks she is  a very fair  minded person and                 
  that she can do a good job on the Commission.                                
                                                                               
  Number 105                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR  LEMAN  asked Ms.  Greenheart  if  she  has had  the                 
  opportunity  to  attend  any  of  the  Commission  meetings.                 
  SAYOKO GREENHEART responded  that she attended a  meeting in                 
  Homer in  February.   She  basically observed  what went  on                 
  during the meeting and found it quite interesting.  She said                 
  she feels comfortable  that Title 18 clearly  describes what                 
  to expect or what to look at as a member on the Commission.                  
                                                                               
  Number 130                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR LEMAN  thanked Ms. Greenheart for  her participation                 
  in the hearing  and her  willingness to serve  on the  State                 
  Commission for  Human  Rights.   He  informed her  that  her                 
  nomination will probably come up before the full legislature                 
  some time in April.                                                          
                                                                               
  There  being  no   further  business  to  come   before  the                 
  committee, the meeting was adjourned at 9:17 a.m.