1998-05-26                     House Journal                      Page 3966
HJR 101                                                                      
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 101 by the House Rules                              
Committee by request of the Governor:                                          
                                                                               
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska             
authorizing a priority for subsistence uses of renewable natural               
resources that is based on place of residence; and providing for an            
effective date.                                                                
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Resources, Judiciary and           
Finance Committees.                                                            
                                                                               
                                                                               
The following fiscal notes apply:                                              
                                                                               
Fiscal note, Office of the Governor, 5/26/98                                   
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Law, 5/26/98                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated May 26, 1998, appears below:           
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
This joint resolution calling for a vote on a state constitutional             
amendment is the key element in a plan that offers a solution to               
Alaska's longstanding subsistence dilemma.  Taken in conjunction with          
a companion bill I also present today on behalf of Alaskans and the            
subsistence task force, and with amendments to the Alaska National             
Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) passed by Congress in                 
1997, this measure will enable the state to regain and retain complete         
management of fish and wildlife on all land and water in Alaska.  It           
is identical to the joint resolutions I offered on January14, 1998, as         
Senate Joint Resolution 31 and House Joint Resolution 46.                      
                                                                               
This comprehensive solution to the subsistence question is the result          
of the outstanding work of a bipartisan task force made up of public           
and private members I convened  last summer.  These Alaska leaders             

1998-05-26                     House Journal                      Page 3967
HJR 101                                                                      
joined me in developing an approach, which not only enables the state          
to regain subsistence management of fish and wildlife, but also                
recognizes the paramount importance of the subsistence lifestyle to            
Alaskans.  The task force members included Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer,            
Senate President Mike Miller, House Speaker Gail Phillips, former              
Governor Jay Hammond, former Attorney General Charlie Cole and                 
Byron Mallott, Executive Director of the Permanent Fund Corporation            
and myself.  Working together, we agreed the best approach was to              
adhere to the original intent of ANILCA, not to expand or diminish its         
fundamental provisions, and to recommend only those changes in                 
current federal and state law absolutely necessary to affect the original      
purposes.                                                                      
                                                                               
The attached joint resolution allows the people of the state to vote to        
amend the Alaska Constitution.  Under this constitutional amendment,           
the Legislature could establish a priority for subsistence uses of fish        
and game based on a person's place of residence.                               
                                                                               
The task force designed its three-part package--the constitutional             
amendment, state statutory changes, and amendments to ANILCA--to               
be interdependent.  Neither the statutory changes presented in the             
companion bill, nor the already-approved amendments to ANILCA,                 
will take effect unless the voters adopt this constitutional amendment.        
Giving Alaskans an opportunity to make their contribution to solving           
the dilemma by voting on the amendment is critical.  I urge the                
Legislature to demonstrate its faith in Alaskans by considering and            
passing this resolution.                                                       
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor"