HCR 13: Creating the Commission on Alaska's Future.
00HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 13 01 Creating the Commission on Alaska's Future. 02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 WHEREAS Alaska is currently facing a substantial revenue shortfall; and 04 WHEREAS the residents of the state should be consulted about the needs and the 05 direction of state government for the future; and 06 WHEREAS the state should adopt benchmarks and goals that would be part of a long- 07 term strategic plan for Alaska and provide for future planning for state government while 08 measuring the performance of state government; and 09 WHEREAS a long-term bipartisan strategic plan is essential for the future well-being 10 of the state and the citizens of Alaska; and 11 WHEREAS the state has never incorporated a long-term, performance measuring plan 12 for Alaska; and 13 WHEREAS, with the urgency of the current revenue shortfall, a strategic plan must 14 be developed for at least the next five years with extensions to cover an additional 10 years;
01 and 02 WHEREAS the development of benchmarks and goals would be in the best interest 03 of the state and would provide guidance for the executive branch and the legislative branch 04 as they construct a long-term strategic plan for Alaska; 05 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature establishes the Commission on 06 Alaska's Future to operate as a steering committee in order to develop and recommend to the 07 Governor, the legislature, and the residents of Alaska, a long-term statewide strategic plan that 08 includes benchmarks and goals; the commission shall include individuals who reflect a wide 09 range of viewpoints and who have indicated a strong dedication to the public interest; and be 10 it 11 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall consist of the 12 following members: 13 (1) six members of the public, not to include members of the legislative, 14 executive branch, or judicial branches; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 15 President of the Senate, and the Governor shall each appoint two of these members; 16 (2) two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker 17 of the House; one shall be a member of the majority caucus and one shall be a member of a 18 minority caucus; 19 (3) two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; one 20 shall be a member of the majority caucus and one shall be a member of a minority caucus; 21 and 22 (4) three members of the executive branch appointed by the Governor; and be 23 it 24 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall select a chair 25 and vice-chair from among its members, and the chair shall vote only to break a tie; the 26 commission shall meet as frequently as the commission determines necessary, and may meet 27 and vote by teleconference; and be it 28 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature establishes a working group 29 to advise and aid the Commission on Alaska's Future; the working group shall be composed 30 of members each of whom is jointly appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the House of 31 Representatives, and the President of the Senate and shall represent a cross-section of Alaska's
01 social, economic, and cultural interests, including at least the following interests: 02 (1) business; 03 (2) design; 04 (3) social service nonprofits; 05 (4) primary and secondary education; 06 (5) vacation; 07 (6) fishing; 08 (7) mining; 09 (8) forestry; 10 (9) real estate; 11 (10) banking; 12 (11) university; 13 (12) local government; 14 (13) disabled community; 15 (14) Native organizations; 16 (15) labor; 17 (16) cultural groups; 18 (17) artists; 19 (18) writers; 20 (19) environment; and be it 21 FURTHER RESOLVED that the public members of the Commission on Alaska's 22 Future shall serve without compensation, but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses 23 authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180, and that the members of the 24 working group shall serve without per diem, travel expenses, or other compensation; and be 25 it 26 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature directs the Legislative 27 Budget and Audit Committee to provide administrative and other assistance to the Commission 28 on Alaska's Future, and the legislature also requests the Office of Management and Budget 29 to provide assistance to the commission; and be it 30 FURTHER RESOLVED that, subject to an appropriation for the purpose, the 31 Commission on Alaska's Future may employ up to two staff members; and be it
01 FURTHER RESOLVED that the purpose of the Commission on Alaska's Future is 02 to draft a long-term strategic plan that 03 (1) declares public policy concerning the social, economic, and cultural 04 development of the state and identifies the objectives and actions that the state will pursue to 05 achieve the recommendations in the long-term strategic plan; 06 (2) declares benchmarks, goals, and policies for the state to measure the 07 performance of state government; declares benchmarks, goals, and policies for the state's 08 development and management that guides, but does not bind, the legislature in taking action; 09 (3) informs the business community, the public, and other governmental 10 agencies of the state's long-term benchmarks and goals, and the relationship of those 11 benchmarks and goals to policy development and management; and be it 12 FURTHER RESOLVED that the long-term strategic plan developed by the 13 Commission on Alaska's Future must address the following general goals: 14 (1) to create a set of Alaska benchmarks, in coordination with state agencies, 15 for the state to follow and measure itself for the future in education, economic performance, 16 technology and innovation, civic engagement, social support, public safety, resource 17 management, community development, and the environment; 18 (2) to encourage citizen participation in formulating policies, plans, and 19 programs of the state at community and regional levels; 20 (3) to create and maintain conditions in which all Alaska residents have an 21 equitable opportunity to share in employment, education, health, housing, social service, and 22 recreational resources; 23 (4) to develop a safe, convenient, and economical state transportation system 24 that provides adequate access to all parts of the state maximizing safety, minimizing 25 environmental effects, and providing facilities for alternative modes of transportation; 26 (5) to ensure that resource development is maintained or enhanced while 27 protecting the environment by establishing standards for the protection of soil, vegetation, air, 28 natural sound, and scenic values, with appropriate standards and enforcement; 29 (6) to encourage the development of a state economy with sufficient growth 30 and diversity to provide a stable economic base; 31 (7) to encourage the protection of life and property from natural disasters and
01 hazards; 02 (8) to incorporate technology advances in telecommunications, tele-education, 03 tele-medicine and commerce; 04 (9) to encourage access to safe, decent, affordable housing, and to provide safe 05 and structurally sound housing resources that encompass designs proven in diverse Alaska 06 environments; 07 (10) to provide a wide range of cultural and recreational opportunities to all 08 communities and regions of the state; 09 (11) to provide a full choice of educational opportunities to all segments of the 10 state, using all community and regional facilities and programs to maximum advantage; and 11 be it 12 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall request 13 participation and information from 14 (1) the commissioner of each principal department in the executive branch; 15 (2) the president of the University of Alaska; 16 (3) representatives from local governments, school boards, businesses, 17 industries, and nonprofit organizations; and be it 18 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall hold public 19 hearings in the different regions and cities around the state, and take advantage, to the greatest 20 extent possible, of modern telecommunications technology in holding meetings; and be it 21 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall identify 22 appropriate mechanisms for continued engagement of Alaskans in shaping Alaska's dynamic 23 future; these mechanisms shall include annual review by a private and civic sector entity to 24 ensure responsiveness to changing socioeconomic conditions; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall present a 26 preliminary report and an action plan to the Governor and the legislature by August 1, 1999, 27 that details the methodology for crafting the long-term plan; the action plan must include a 28 detailed work schedule for the project and identify the public participation process, supporting 29 resources from state agencies, in-kind contributions from individual Alaskans and businesses, 30 joint ventures with nonprofit organizations, benchmarks for progress achieved, and appropriate 31 project management tools that illustrate the work to be accomplished; and be it
01 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future shall submit a draft 02 report by February 1, 2000, and a final report by April 30, 2000, to the Governor and the 03 legislature; and be it 04 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Alaska's Future is authorized to 05 begin work immediately upon the appointment of its full membership or by June 15, 1999, 06 whichever date is earlier, and that the Commission on Alaska's Future and the working group 07 established in the resolution are terminated on the adjournment of the Second Regular Session 08 of the Twenty-Second Alaska State Legislature.