SB 358-NAMING STATE FERRIES                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KOHRING   announced  that  the  next   matter  before  the                                                               
committee  would be  SENATE BILL  NO. 358,  "An Act  naming state                                                               
ferries."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 1646                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KELLY  HUBER,  Staff  to  Senator   Rick  Halford,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, presented SB  358 on behalf of  Senator Halford [who                                                               
as President  of the Senate had  been a judge for  the contest to                                                               
name the ferries].   Ms. Huber told the committee  the bill was a                                                               
response  to a  statewide essay  contest organized  by Lieutenant                                                               
Governor Ulmer  to name the  next two ferries to  be constructed.                                                               
The  contest took  place among  children in  grades 2  through 6.                                                               
There was widespread  participation, and wonderful essays.   As a                                                               
result,  the  two  ferry  names  chosen  were  "Fairweather"  and                                                               
"Chenega."   Ms. Huber reminded  the committee that  Alaska state                                                               
ferries must  be named after glaciers.   Ms. Huber said  the bill                                                               
was  sponsored by  the rules  committees of  both houses,  at the                                                               
request of  both the Senate  President and Speaker of  the House.                                                               
She asked that SB 358 be passed out of committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 1691                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KOHRING  asked  what  communities  were  involved  in  the                                                               
contest.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.   HUBER  said   the  contest   was  statewide   and  included                                                               
correspondence  students and  homeschoolers.   The  girl who  won                                                               
with the ferry name "Chenega" was a homeschooler from Ninilchik.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1778                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MASEK moved  to report  SB 358  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no  objection, SB 358  was moved out  of the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.