SENATE BILL NO. 216                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act designating the Alaska Highway and portion of                                                                      
     the Richardson Highway as the Purple Heart Trail."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOHNNY  ELLIS, bill sponsor,  spoke in support  of SB                                                                   
216. This legislation,  to establish the Purple  Heart Trail,                                                                   
honors  Alaska  veterans.  He  indicated that  the  idea  was                                                                   
brought to him  by a veterans advocate, Ron  Siebels. Senator                                                                   
Ellis  pointed  out  that  there   are  100,000  active  duty                                                                   
military  personnel  who  consider  themselves  Alaskans.  He                                                                   
reported that forty  two states have designated  all or parts                                                                   
of  their interstate  highway system  as part  of the  Purple                                                                   
Heart Trail. The proposal is to  designate part of the Alaska                                                                   
Highway which  was built by the  U. S. Army during  World War                                                                   
II. Senator Ellis mentioned that  large signs would be placed                                                                   
at Delta Junction,  Fairbanks, Tok, and the  Canadian Border,                                                                   
with smaller  signs at mid-points  between. There  would also                                                                   
be three pullouts with informational  displays to educate the                                                                   
public and visitors.  Senator  Ellis emphasized that there is                                                                   
no  known  objection  to  this   proposal.  Co-Chair  Stedman                                                                   
mentioned one  fiscal note for $150,000 for  the installation                                                                   
of the signs. Senator Ellis continued  that there are letters                                                                   
of support from other veteran's organizations on file.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
KURT SMITH, STATE TRAFFIC AND  SAFETY ENGINEER, DEPARTMENT OF                                                                   
TRANSPORTATION  AND PUBLIC  SAFETY,  supported  the bill  and                                                                   
intends  to install  signs  that appropriately  honor  Purple                                                                   
Heart recipients.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
RON SIEBELS,  MILITARY ORDER OF  THE PURPLE HEART,  ANCHORAGE                                                                   
(TESTIFIED  VIA TELECONFERENCE),  supported the  SB 216.   He                                                                   
mentioned the  widespread support for the Purple  Heart Trail                                                                   
throughout the State of Alaska  including the Governor, local                                                                   
officials, the  cities along the route, and  Alaska citizens.                                                                   
He believed  it was important  for Alaska to visibly  show to                                                                   
the  world that  it  cares about  its  veterans. Mr.  Siebels                                                                   
reiterated  that the  Purple Heart  Trail  already exists  in                                                                   
forty two  states plus Guam and  he hopes Alaska will  not be                                                                   
the  last state  to  participate.  Mr. Siebels  believed  the                                                                   
Purple Heart Trail would honor  Alaska's veterans and promote                                                                   
a warm  welcome to the  visitors to the  state who  have been                                                                   
Purple Heart  recipients. He emphasized  that this is  just a                                                                   
word designation; it will not  change any road numbers or any                                                                   
road names.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:45:37 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman MOVED  to report  SB 216  out of  Committee                                                                   
with the individual  recommendations and  accompanying fiscal                                                                   
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SB 216 MOVED  to report out of Committee with  the individual                                                                   
recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.