HB 98-HANDLING OF STATE FLAG  8:05:48 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 98, "An Act relating to display, folding, presentment, and retirement of the state flag." 8:06:31 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON, Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 98 as sponsor. He stated that the idea for the bill was generated by the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), whose members pointed out that there are no rules designating the proper way to display, fold, and store the Alaska flag. The proposed legislation would address the issue and show respect for the state's flag. Furthermore, HB 98 would outline the proper way to dispose of the flag. He said he is not proposing that Alaska do anything that other states do not do or that is not already done for the country's flag. 8:10:13 AM CHAIR LYNN opined that a flag of a sovereign state deserves respect, and he expressed appreciation for the bill. 8:10:47 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON directed attention to page 2, line 11, and asked for a definition of an "official flag of the state". 8:11:41 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON said he does not think "official flag" is designated, but said he thinks that term would include any state flag that flies over a subdivision of the state, such as at the capitol building and public schools. He said there is no language in the bill that would impose a penalty for a citizen who does not display or store the flag in the manner proposed in HB 98. 8:13:52 AM BIANCA ARMSTRONG, A.J. Dimond High School U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps ("Dimond JROTC"), indicated that she was part of the group of JROTC members who started a project two years ago wherein they observed that the Alaska flag was being displayed in various directions. The group discovered that Title 4 addressed the retirement of only the U.S. flag, not the Alaska flag. 8:15:02 AM ROBERT HELZER, Lieutenant Commander, A.J. Dimond High School U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps ("Dimond JROTC"), stated that another part of the Dimond JROTC's project involved designing a way in which the Alaska flag should be folded. After some discussion, the group decided unanimously that the flag should be folded in a rectangle with the North Star showing on top. He introduced a video, which showed the folding process. 8:17:40 AM [The video was shown.] 8:23:16 AM JEANNE OSTNES, Staff, Representative Carl Johnson, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Johnson, sponsor, related a way to remember the folding method just shown in the video. 8:24:20 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER expressed pride in the Alaska flag and being an Alaskan. 8:25:43 AM CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else to testify, closed public testimony. 8:25:58 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON related that when he was on a trip to Idaho and to Minnesota, he never saw their respective flags. He said he thinks Alaskans feel more strongly about their flag. He further noted that in other states, people he asked were hard pressed to describe what their flag looks like. He said most places in Alaska there will be a flag flown. 8:27:54 AM CHAIR LYNN added that Alaska is one of few states where people actually stand when the Alaska Flag song is played. 8:28:21 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN asked if HB 98 would make the proper flag folding instructions part of statute, and whether instructions would be given out with the purchase of a flag. 8:28:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON said the sale of flags is a private enterprise, in which he does not want to get involved. He drew attention to a publication in the committee packet entitled, "Alaska's Flag Etiquette," which he said will not be copyrighted and would be available on the Internet for anyone who wanted to make a copy. 8:30:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON, in response to Representative Seaton, reiterated that under HB 98 there would be no penalty to anyone who did not follow the guidelines put forth in the bill. 8:31:32 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 98 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 98 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.