HJR 32-RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AND PEACE IN SYRIA  9:44:21 AM CHAIR DYSON reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of HJR 32. [CSHJR 32(STA) was before the committee.] 9:44:33 AM REPRESENTATIVE DAN SADDLER, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced HJR 32 speaking as sponsor. He paraphrased the following sponsor statement: [Original punctuations provided.] Alaskans have a rich tradition of willingness to live and let live - to respect our mutual right to believe and behave as our conscience dictates. This appreciation for our neighbors and their various religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds is an essential element of our state character, and informs our belief that there are few differences that cannot be resolved peaceably. Alaskans also have a strong connection with and sympathy for the residents of what is sometimes known as the Holy Land -countries such as Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria that are the birthplace of Christianity, in which the tremendous events documented in the Old and New Testament occurred. Those of many faiths in Alaska have therefore been saddened and outraged by the tragic consequences of the ongoing civil war in Syria, which have included the murder of innocent women and children, the kidnapping and massacre of Christians, and the systematic destruction of Christian churches. Alaskans across the state pray for the protection of the Syrian people, and rightly condemn acts of religious persecution perpetrated against the Christian leaders and families in their homeland of Syria. HJR 32 expresses the solidarity of the Alaska people with the peace-loving people of Syria in opposition to the atrocities occurring in that nation, and urges the United States government to condemn the violent acts of religious persecution and bring a peaceful resolution to these conflicts. 9:47:00 AM SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked which religious group is being persecuted in Syria. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER replied it's the 700 thousand Orthodox Christians and 400 thousand Roman Catholic Christians who are living in Syria. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the U.S. has adopted any policy on granting asylum to those who are being persecuted. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said he didn't know. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he thought it would be appropriate for the legislature to urge the U.S. government to grant asylum if it wasn't doing so already. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER replied he believes it's better to solve the problem at home than to address it piece-meal as it comes to U.S. shores. CHAIR DYSON commented that dealing with refugees in that region is a huge issue. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER noted that Christians in Syria represent 5 percent to 8 percent of the population but they represent about 25 percent of the refugees. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he had a sense of the number of Syrians living in Alaska or if any Syrian refugees are living here. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said no. CHAIR DYSON noted that Jewish people and those who practice the Bahai Faith aren't treated well in Syria either. 9:50:18 AM SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report CS for HJR 32(STA), labeled 28- LS1532\C, from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note(s). 9:50:32 AM CHAIR DYSON announced that without objection CSHJR 32(STA) is reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.