ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE  January 22, 2002 3:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Gene Therriault, Chair Senator Randy Phillips, Vice Chair Senator Ben Stevens Senator Bettye Davis MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Rick Halford   COMMITTEE CALENDAR    CS FOR HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4(STA) am Declaring February 2002 to be African-American Citizen Recognition Month. MOVED CSHCR 4(STA)am OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION    No previous action WITNESS REGISTER  Representative Fred Dyson Alaska State Capitol, Room 104 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Resolution sponsor ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 02-1, SIDE A  CHAIRMAN GENE THERRIAULT called the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present were Senators Davis, Stevens, Phillips and Chairman Therriault. He officially welcomed Senator Stevens as the replacement for Senator Drue Pearce. He advised committee members that meetings are now streamed on the Internet and pointed out that streaming occurs when the red light that sits on top of the teleconference equipment is illuminated. HCR 4-AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITIZEN RECOGNIT'N MONTH  The single order of business was CSHCR 4(STA)am and he asked the sponsor, Representative Fred Dyson to introduce the bill. REPRESENTATIVE FRED DYSON thanked the committee for hearing the bill. He said he was pleased when a number of activists approached him a year ago and asked him to introduce a resolution establishing February of this year as a month that is set aside to recognize the contributions Black Americans have made in Alaska's history. He said this is a subject that holds his interest and his anecdotal research includes the Black regiment stationed in Skagway in the early 1900's, the Blacks that worked to build the Alaska Highway and Roaring Mike Healy, a skipper for the U.S. Revenue Service aboard the Bear and the Corwin. He found a model of the Corwin in a Portland museum and is in the process of getting it transferred to an Alaska museum. SENATOR THERRIAULT asked whether page 1, line 8 wording of "approximately 27,617 persons" represents the most recent census data. He then commented the number was specific and not approximate. REPRESENTATIVE DYSON said that is the number given to him by the community activist that approached him and he cannot defend it. He admitted the wording is inconsistent. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT responded the wording doesn't change the intent of the resolution. SENATOR DAVIS pointed out census numbers are available. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT agreed but didn't think it was necessary to propose a committee substitute. Committee members had no questions and there was no additional testimony. The zero fiscal note in committee packets is an updated version for the new fiscal year. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT asked for the will of the committee. SENATOR DAVIS moved CSHCR 4(STA)am and zero fiscal note from committee with individual recommendations. There being no objection, the resolution moved from committee. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT advised committee members that the meeting scheduled for Thursday would address the five disaster policy cabinet bills excluding appropriations. General Phil Oates wants to be present when the committee discusses the appropriations section but doesn't believe his presence is necessary for the initial hearings. CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT adjourned the meeting at 3:35 p.m.