SB 294 - PETERSBURG CANNED SALMON CLASSIC                                    
                                                                               
  Number 395                                                                   
                                                                               
  TERRY OTNESS, STAFF TO SENATOR ROBIN TAYLOR, PRIME SPONSOR                   
  OF SB 294, stated "We introduced this legislation at the                     
  request of the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.  The                          
  Petersburg Chamber last year implemented a `canned salmon                    
  classic' whereby the person who comes closest to guessing                    
  the number of cases packed by the canneries, wins.  The                      
  chief purpose of the legislation is to allow for the                         
  promotion of Petersburg and the canned salmon industry.                      
  Receipts are used to fund the prize, of course, finance the                  
  Chamber of Commerce operations and hopefully, if this                        
  passes, with enough funds to fund a scholarship, as well.                    
  Currently, under regulation there is a 50 cent per ticket                    
  limitation on these types of affairs and this would remove                   
  this limitation.  This limitation would prevent the chamber                  
  to raise the price of tickets to $2 and allow it to join                     
  other state-sanctioned classics such as the Nenana Ice                       
  Classic.  Tickets would be sold throughout Southeast Alaska;                 
  it's been endorsed by most of the communities.  In fact,                     
  most of the communities have agreed to allow ticket sales in                 
  their communities.  And the Alaska Trollers Association                      
  supports this legislation."                                                  
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN OLBERG asked, "You say the ticket limit is 50                       
  cents?  Doesn't the Nenana Ice Classic charge two dollars                    
  per ticket?"                                                                 
                                                                               
  MR. OTNESS said, "Right.  To go above that limitation you                    
  need to have this type of statutory sanction."                               
                                                                               
  PATRICK WILSON, PLANT MANAGER, ICICLE SEAFOODS, PETERSBURG,                  
  testified via teleconference in support of SB 294.  He said,                 
  "I am also the Chairman of the Canned Salmon Classic and I'm                 
  the treasurer here of the Chamber.  Last year we kicked this                 
  idea off.  The main reason was to draw attention to                          
  Petersburg...and we were positively received last year...                    
  We hope this Canned Salmon Classic will draw attention to                    
  the seafood industry...  We're hoping to raise funds for                     
  scholarships for graduating high school students..."                         
                                                                               
  Number 469                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BILL WILLIAMS moved to pass SB 294 out of                     
  committee with individual recommendations.  There were no                    
  objections.                                                                  
                                                                               
  Chairman Olberg called an at ease from 1:33 p.m. to 1:35                     
  p.m., when he brought forth HB 502.