Representative Justin Parish’s

Capitol Update

March 10, 2017

Hello friends and neighbors in Juneau and across Alaska! Juneau is seeing a beautiful winter renaissance! Get out and enjoy the snow while it lasts. Spring and summer are just around the corner.

The Military & Veterans Affairs committee with the Alaska Veteran’s Advisory Council.

House Bill 165

I am proud to announce the introduction of my first bill! House Bill 165 allows military work experience and training to be considered when veterans may not meet the published minimum qualifications for a state job. Alaska has the highest concentration of veterans per capita of any state, and we must do all we can to support them after their service to our country. HB 165 would be a positive change for both veterans and the state, as veterans who lack college degrees or private sector experience can obtain jobs they are otherwise skilled in, while the State of Alaska gains valuable employees who have obtained expertise in many areas while in the military.

Meet with me and make your voice heard!
This Sunday, there will be an opportunity for Juneauites in District 34 to meet with me and ask questions. I will give an update on the latest in the Legislature as well as the budget and some of the most important pieces of legislation. There will also be ample time for questions. I’ll be providing pizza and coffee! The meeting will be at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library from 3-5pm on Sunday, March 12. I encourage you to come and make your voice heard!

Alaska Artistic License Contest
Are you an artist looking to get your work out there? Do you have a child at home who just can’t put the crayons down? Do you have the greatest idea for a license plate design? Well look no further, because the Alaska Artistic License contest is perfect for you! Alaska is looking for a new license plate design, and the Alaska State Council on the Arts wants Alaskans to design the best one. The rules are simple: Pick a template, draw your design right on it, and submit! The winning design will be chosen by a panel of secret Alaskan celebrity judges. You can find more information by clicking this link. The contest goes until April 24th.

Members of the House of Representatives wear red on International Women’s Day.

Upcoming Community Events

Superhero Sham Jam. Saturday, March 11, 8pm at The Canvas. An event put on by AK Young Democrats, come dressed your “alter ego” superhero or villain for dancing and an open bar. All proceeds benefit The Canvas, a part of the non-profit group REACH, which serves people with disabilities. The Canvas provides studio, pottery, and gallery facilities for adults with disabilities. Tickets are $25 at the door.
Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope. Friday, March 17th, 5-6:30pm at Centennial Hall. This educational film details the long term effects of adverse childhood experiences with eye-opening data that historically hasn’t been studied. A good precursor to this event would be to take the ACEs test, a questionnaire that will give you a measurable score on your own adverse childhood experiences. The film revolves around this test score, so taking the test will help you to understand how this data applies to not only your own life but the lives of others.
AWARE Advocacy Training. A two part training series starting Tuesday, March 28th, 5pm at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library. An empowering training seminar to increase understanding of domestic violence and sexual assault, learn how to support survivors and be part of the solution. For more information and registration call 586-6623.

Have a great week, and please do not hesitate to contact my office at 465-3744 if you have any questions or you would like to meet with me. I would love to hear your ideas on how I can make Juneau a better place to live for all of us.

Justin Parish[signed]
- Representative Justin Parish