SB  31-NAMING AKHIOK RUNWAY AND KODIAK AIRPORT                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:07:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHNSON announced that the  next order of business would be                                                               
SENATE BILL NO. 31, "An Act  naming the runway at the state-owned                                                               
airport  in Akhiok  the  Jim Andie  and  Robin Starrett  Memorial                                                               
Runway."                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:07:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE OLSON moved to adopt Amendment 1, which read:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "Runway":                                                                                      
          Insert "; and naming the state-owned airport at                                                                     
     Kodiak the Benny Benson State Airport"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 4:                                                                                                            
          Delete "a new section"                                                                                                
          Insert "new sections"                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, following line 7:                                                                                                  
          Insert a new section to read:                                                                                         
          "Sec. 35.40.360. Benny Benson State Airport. The                                                                    
        state-owned airport at Kodiak is named the Benny                                                                        
     Benson State Airport."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHNSON objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:07:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASTRID ROSE,  Staff, Representative Alan Austerman,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  began  by  noting  that  she  worked  with  Senator                                                               
Stevens to develop Amendment 1.   She explained that the original                                                               
legislation  names  the  Akhiok  runway  after  two  pilots  that                                                               
recently passed away.  Amendment 1  aims to name the Kodiak state                                                               
airport  after Benny  Benson.   Benny  Benson,  who designed  the                                                               
Alaska State Flag,  was born in Chignik on October  12, 1913, and                                                               
therefore  this year  marks  the 100th  year  anniversary of  his                                                               
birthday.   Ms.  Rose  noted that  Representative Austerman  knew                                                               
Benny Benson  personally from their  time worked together  at the                                                               
airport.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:08:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER  asked whether  the state-owned  airport at                                                               
Kodiak already  has a name.   He also asked whether  there is any                                                               
opposition to this proposed name.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. ROSE  answered that  there is no  opposition to  the proposed                                                               
name.   In fact, she noted  receipt of resolutions from  the city                                                               
and the  borough in  support of  the name as  well as  letters of                                                               
support  from community  members.   She  stated  that the  Kodiak                                                               
airport doesn't currently have a name.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:09:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GRUENBERG  asked  whether Chignik  is  on  Kodiak                                                               
Island.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. ROSE  replied no, adding  that it's on the  Alaska Peninsula,                                                               
although it's located in the Kodiak Island Borough.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:09:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHNSON,  upon determining no  one else wished  to testify,                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:09:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHNSON removed his objection  to Amendment 1.  There being                                                               
no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:10:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE OLSON  moved to report  SB 31, as amended,  out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.   There being  no  objection, HCS  SB 31(RLS)  was                                                               
reported from the House Rules Standing Committee.