HB 202-NAME STATE VEGETABLE GIANT CABBAGE  3:17:13 PM CHAIR CARRICK announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 202, "An Act designating giant cabbage as the official state vegetable; and providing for an effective date." 3:17:31 PM CHAIR CARRICK noted that the committee would entertain a committee substitute following presentation of the bill. 3:17:50 PM REPRESENTATIVE DELENA JOHNSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, presented HB 202. She explained how the bill came to her, highlighting some historical information. She said Alaska does not have a state vegetable, which would serve as an advertising feature of Alaska's success in agriculture. There are 16 other states that have a state vegetable. She provided cabbage facts and trivia. 3:23:58 PM ANDREW EVANS, Staff, Representative Delena Johnson, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Johnson, prime sponsor, provided a sectional analysis of HB 202, [included in the committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Sec. 1: Amends AS 44.09 to add a new section, Sec. 44.09.055, establishing the Giant Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) as Alaska's official state vegetable. Sec. 2: Sets an immediate effective date under AS 01.10.070(c). 3:25:11 PM MR. EVANS began a PowerPoint [hard copy included in the committee packet], titled "HB-202 An Act Designating the Giant Cabbage as the Official State Vegetable." He stated that vegetable cultivation in Alaska began in the 1870s and expanded to the Tanana Valley in the 1920s. In 1935, with the establishment of the Matanuska colony in Palmer, it became firmly established in Alaska. Alaska's most iconic of these crops is the giant green cabbage and gets worldwide media attention. On slide 4, "Alaska Cabbage Analytica," he shared statistics about cabbage and details about the world record cabbage, on slide 6. He emphasized that cabbage is symbolic of Alaska's agriculture. On slide 7, he showed a map of the other states that have a state vegetable. On slide 6, he shared Alaska's official insignia with none listed for the state vegetable. 3:26:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked where the samples were. MR. EVANS replied that he had thought about bringing corned beef and cabbage. 3:27:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT expressed concerns as there aren't giant cabbages in Southeast Alaska. She had thought about amending the bill to include a lapel pin. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON replied that Stinky Rose is another name for the cabbage. It could be a lapel pin. 3:28:38 PM CHAIR CARRICK noted that the lapel pins are done through Legislative Council, which is the mechanism for this activity. She shared that Representative Himschoot was holding images of potential lapel pins. REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT shared one of just cabbage which covers the whole state and one of cabbage in a wheelbarrow to represent the giant cabbage for context. 3:29:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 202, Version 34-0753\N, Gunther, 1/21/26, as a working document. CHAIR CARRICK objected for discussion. 3:30:12 PM STUART RELAY, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, provided changes in the amendment as outlined in the committee file, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Section 1: Updates the scientific name of the Giant Cabbage. Specifically, it changes the scientific name from Brassica oleracea var. capitata in Version A to the O-S Cross cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in Version N. Section 2: No changes 3:30:44 PM CHAIR CARRICK removed her objection and with no further objection, Version N was adopted by the House State Affairs Standing Committee. 3:31:00 PM CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on HB 202, Version N. After ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, she closed public testimony. 3:31:21 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY pointed out there are letters of support. 3:31:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE thanked the bill sponsor. 3:32:19 PM The committee took an at-ease from 3:32 to 3:35. 3:35:11 PM CHAIR CARRICK summarized comments that had been made during the at-ease. There was discussion about moving HB 202 along today. 3:35:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to report CSHB 202, Version 34- LS0753\N, Gunther, 1/21/26, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 202(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.