Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
04/17/2018 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR19 | |
| HB97 | |
| HB7 | |
| HB235 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HCR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 7 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 235 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HCR 19-GOVERNOR: AK NATIVE LANGUAGES EMERGENCY
3:33:37 PM
CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of House Concurrent
Resolution 19 (HCR 19).
3:34:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, sponsor of HCR 19, provided an overview as follows:
Over ten thousand years ago anthropological evidence
suggests that the first human beings began migrating
into the area we now call the State of Alaska, and
when they migrated, they brought with them, of course,
their culture, their language, and it became the
initial, these different languages and these different
cultures became the foundation of what we now have as
Alaskan culture.
Over the years and in more recent history, we've seen
an increasing problem in that key elements of that
culture of language are beginning to disappear. This
resolution is attempting to at least bring light to
that particular problem.
The state has moved in the right direction by
acknowledging and recognizing the 20 Alaska native
languages as official languages of the state; however,
recognition is just the first step.
The intent of this resolution is the heed the
suggestions put forth by the Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council (ANLPAC). The
council strongly urges the governor to issue and
administrative order recognizing the linguistic
emergency that exits and state that it's the policy of
the State of Alaska to actively promote the survival
and continued use of all 20 Alaska native languages.
In ANLPAC's biennial 2018 report to the governor and
Legislature, ANLPAC warned that all 20 Alaska native
languages are in crisis and most are predicted to
become extinct or dormant by the end of 21st century.
The State of Alaska can no longer sustain these rates
of language loss unless policy changes are enacted
that support people who are learning and speaking
Alaska native languages throughout the state. The loss
of language represents the loss of a critical piece of
our history, culture and traditional way of life.
I respectively request that the Legislature join me in
the support of ANLPAC and the languages that represent
intergenerational knowledge.
As an added note, in 2008, we the State of Alaska lost
last Eyak fluent speaker we now have Tanana language
have only one speaker left who is now 93 years old, so
that is two specific examples of where we truly are
looking at a crisis or looking at the prospect of
losing some of these key languages that are part of
our Alaskan culture.
SENATOR COGHILL asked what the process would be if an emergency
administrative order was put forward.
3:38:21 PM
JODIE GATTI, Staff, Representative Ortiz, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, addressed ANLPAC's 2018 biennial
report and noted five specific recommendations by the council as
follows:
1. Support for emersion programs.
2. Statewide assessment program.
3. Official apology from the State of Alaska.
4. Language normalization activities such as recognizing
indigenous place names.
5. Language restoration by making Alaska native languages
a requirement for high school graduation.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ added that the intent of the resolution was
not necessarily for the governor to specifically adopt any type
of recommendations, but to submit a plan to deal with the issue.
3:40:01 PM
SENATOR COGHILL disclosed that he was raised in a village and
noted his historical understanding and desire to keep languages
but remarked that he would not raise the issue to an emergency
level. He continued as follows:
I would say it is definitely a cultural priority,
there's no doubt about it; in fact, when we debated
whether they should be official languages, I debated
them on whether that was going to get them what they
really wanted to do, and I think I was somewhat
vindicated on that, but the question really is if we
do an emergency rather than, let's just say we stop
the resolution at the second resolve, to me that would
compel us to some action, but when I think you put an
emergency on it, you are asking for drama that may not
do well in this arena.
I'm just giving you my thinking on this, that's why I
wanted to know what the emergency recommendations
might looks like; for example, I was born and raised
here, many of us were born and raised here, but my
population up in the Fairbanks area turns over 20
percent every year, sometimes 30 percent. To ask them
to apologize for something that happened 100 years ago
may very well be a tall ask and may not raise to the
level of an emergency; however, if there are things as
a state can do to facilitate the growth of that
language, most of us would be willing to do that.
So, when you ask for an emergency, I begin to ask the
drama questions because that's exactly what you are
doing, you are raising it to a level of drama that I
don't know it's going to be beneficial. I'm just
bringing that point up because if the governor then
writes out an emergency order and we don't act like
it's an emergency, then I think those who would expect
something to happen might actually feel a backlash
that would be less than productive. I'm just giving
you my opinion after having been through several
discussions on native language issues. I agree, let's
keep the language rich and the culture rich, but I
think by demanding this dramatic language, I just
haven't bought into that part yet.
3:42:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ replied as follows:
I fully appreciate the point that you are making with
the point that you just made and understand it and get
it in terms of what it is you are saying. I think the
word "emergency" as a part of the title was more not
in the sense of trying to, it's just more of a
recognition that it's happening right now; in other
words, these languages are disappearing, it's just a
fact that they are disappearing. So, it was more in
recognition of that and knowing that if we don't do
everything that we can, I don't think that this
resolution is saying that it's the state's
responsibility to deal with the issue. I think it's
calling on the state to do everything that it can to
facilitate, like you say, to facilitate activities and
to promote actions that help to address the issue
because 2 years ago or back when we adopted the 20
Alaska native languages, that was done, that was
positive, I think that was under the Parnell
Administration, it was very positive but we still have
the problem.
The reason for the resolution was to address that fact
that we still have a problem in that the problem is
probably only increased since that time. The sense of,
for a lack of a better word, sense of "emergency" has
increased since that time because we are seeing
concrete examples now where the threat is very real,
perhaps more real than it was a couple of years ago.
3:44:58 PM
SENATOR COGHILL replied as follows:
Only two things, first of all you are asking the
administration to declare a linguistic emergency, I
struggle with that; and then I remember the debate on
the language issue and they were put in the official
language section and the argument I remember very
clearly because I had to deal with it is they said it
was going to be very symbolic so that we could
actually get some of these things done, now we are
coming back stepping on the fact that they are
official, not symbolic, but official and that we are
going to now require an emergency.
So, I just struggle with those kind of approaches and
I know, I've already stuck my finger into the
politically correct light socket, but at the same time
I tend to appreciate the language. I was raised around
the Athabascan language and I spoke Gwich'in language
as a kid, I loved it, and I loved the culture that
went along with it, and our school didn't promote it,
they didn't forbid it, there was a generation before
me that did forbid it, I get that, but it is also true
that since probably the Native Claims Settlement Act,
there are now more native speakers in my home town
than when I was a kid, and I spoke it. I think we are
doing what we can, but I just don't know that I want
to put an emergency moniker on it, that's all.
3:46:36 PM
CHAIR MEYER noted that the previous year the governor declared
an opioid emergency, an act that allowed access to federal
dollars to help with the crisis. He asked Representative Ortiz
if he anticipated and federal dollars coming from the Bureau of
Indian Affairs (BIA) or somebody if an emergency is declared.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ answered that he has not considered Chair
Meyer's question and does not know how to answer.
CHAIR MEYER opined that using the word "emergency" that the
intent is to get somebody's attention, like what the governor
had done with opioids where the federal government agreed and
provided monies to help with the crisis. He said he was
wondering if BIA maybe had a similar program.
3:48:08 PM
MS. GATTI specified that what the governor did for the opioid
crisis was issue a disaster declaration which is different from
HCR 19 where the resolution is an administrative order.
CHAIR MEYER asked Ms. Gatti to repeat what the governor issued.
MS. GATTI specified that the governor announced a disaster
declaration, which is probably the reason he was able to
leverage federal funding.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ stated that he failed to note that Ms.
Gatti is a First Alaskan intern and that she has been the main
driver for HCR 19 and has done an amazing job pushing the
legislation.
3:49:19 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL commented as follows:
Following up with Senator Coghill's comments, the word
"emergency" appears in here twice at least as far as I
can see, the last word and of course the last word in
the title. Emergencies typically mean eminent danger
of life and limb, so after a flood or an earthquake we
declare a state of emergency, people are dying, we
need federal money, we need troops to come in, the
National Guard; but, what you are describing is
actually a need for urgent action, right, because that
is a word you keep using is "urgent" and I get that,
that's actually what you are portraying here. So,
would it be more helpful to with the last words of
this recognizing a "linguistic preservation urgency"
versus an "emergency" which portrays that life is in
danger, because I think the word "urgency" actually
gets to what you want, and it portrays the need for
focus on the subject, quickly, a suggestion.
3:50:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ replied that he would not be opposed to the
proposed change. He agreed with Senator Giessel that what he and
the committee members are talking about is an urgent problem.
SENATOR GIESSEL remined Representative Ortiz that he is a
legislator and sometimes legislators defer too much.
SENATOR WILSON shared his background when moving to Alaska when
he was 18. He noted that all Alaskan educators must take an
Alaska Studies course, a course that he had taken because his
intent was to become a teacher. He revealed that his wife is
from the Lower Yukon area and her sister-in-law is fluent in
Yup'ik and works with schools. He disclosed that he had met Ms.
Jones, the last Yup'ik speaker before she died in the early
2000s. He referenced the Alaska Native Language Center in
Fairbanks as an institution that has started documenting the
languages. He said he was not sure that the state has had a lot
of cultural emergency programs. He explained that he was trying
to figure out what more the State of Alaska can do with the
emergency identified in HCR 19 and queried what the
administration is being asked to do by issuing the emergency
order.
3:53:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ replied that he did not have a specific
goal in his vision for the resolution in terms of having the
governor dedicate funds. He specified that his intent was to
bring light to the issue and to encourage the governor to issue
an urgent order, if the resolution becomes an urgent order
rather than an emergency order, and to bring together a group of
interested people that would look at the issue again to submit a
report on recommendations. He said he did not know if the report
would recommend money to be included. He conceded that there
would be great hesitancy in dedicating monetary resources due to
the state's fiscal situation.
SENATOR WILSON asked if he was looking for more than a
proclamation but less than an emergency declaration.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ commented as follows:
The issue of the word "emergency" was brought before
me for the first time today. In the previous bill
hearings that we had nobody that I can recall brought
up the issue of the word "emergency" versus "urgent,"
so that just came to me today. I do think that Senator
Giessel makes a good point in the sense that really we
are talking about an urgent problem, so I am open to
that idea, but in terms of what my goal in bringing
this forward is something, I think it's making a
little bit too much of an interpretation, I didn't
even come up with the concern about "emergency" until
just ten minutes ago.
SENATOR WILSON asked if his intent was to receive more than a
proclamation from the governor.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ answered correct.
3:56:58 PM
SENATOR COGHILL asked Ms. Gatti to confirm that the Alaska
Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council was still an
authorized body.
MS. GATTI answered correct.
SENATOR COGHILL inquired if the Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council was about to bring forward
some recommendations.
MS. GATTI answered yes.
SENATOR COGHILL asked if recommendations from the Alaska Native
Language Preservation and Advisory Council will be ongoing. He
inquired if the council is a 501(c)(3) organization. He
requested that Ms. Gatti help him understand the council's
structure a bit more.
MS. GATTI explained that the Alaska Native Language Preservation
and Advisory Council was a state council created in 2012 from SB
130.
SENATOR COGHILL replied that he recalled the bill. He asked if
the council was given a sunset date or a charge in perpetuity.
3:58:21 PM
MS. GATTI replied that there is no sunset date.
SENATOR COGHILL explained that the reason why he asked will be
part of the ongoing conversation. He inquired if Senator Olson
was on the council.
CHAIR MEYER asked if Representative Kreiss-Tompkins was also on
the council.
SENATOR COGHILL continued as follows:
I'm then trying to then correlate why we would have
the governor sign something unless they are not
empowered to do something similar and so can you help
me understand what the governor could do to either
empower them or add extra drive to what they are
doing.
MS. GATTI replied that the council has six members with one
member that is employed through the state. She specified that
council members are essentially volunteers, native language
experts from different regions throughout the state.
SENATOR COGHILL commented as follows:
The reason I'm asking is they are actually doing the
work. I was just wondering if we do ask the governor
to sign a proclamation of some kind, just name it:
emergency, urgency, whatever it is. What do you expect
that that might do there? Do you think that that would
empower them differently or if it did, what would be
maybe a responsibility the state might take on more?
Just from your perspective of somebody who has worked,
looks like you have worked this issue between them and
us, so I'm just trying to get a feel for what you
might expect that would happen within that council.
4:00:32 PM
MS. GATTI replied as follows:
The council was created to advise the governor and the
Legislature on programs, policies and projects to
provide for programs and recommendations that would
enhance and revitalize Alaska native languages. The
structure that they are currently housed under, to my
understanding, can be prohibitive to their efforts in
some ways. So, they are only allowed one-fulltime
staff and they are only allowed one-paid trip each
year. Certainly, part of it could be them being
empowered, but again, I would have to go back to what
the representative said about the governor consulting
a group of people.
SENATOR COGHILL explained that he was trying to get a context
for the council. He asserted that the council was trying hard
under austere circumstances, but so was everybody in Alaska.
SENATOR GIESSEL shared that she just looked up the council and
shared that one Senate member and one House member are part of
the council. She conceded that she did not know who the people
are that serve on the Alaska Native Language Preservation and
Advisory Council.
SENATOR EGAN noted that Senator Olson is a member.
SENATOR GIESSEL reiterated that she was not sure and noted that
she would like to hear from the senator and representative as
far as what the council was doing. She continued as follows:
I'm not sure where the group is going in terms of
recommendations. The staff read some recommendations,
one of which was suggesting that native language
proficiency be part of graduation requirements, that's
a bit far in my opinion, and it's not possible to
execute that. I'm just trying to get more information
about something that we're wishing to be more
empowered and I want to know more about who's there,
what they are doing, and I'd like to hear from the
senator that is on this council.
4:03:21 PM
CHAIR MEYER asked who the representative is that serves on the
Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council. He
assumed that Senator Olson serves on the council.
MS. GATTI replied correct, Senator Olson serves on the council.
She said to her knowledge there is not a representative that
serves on the council.
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ responded that he did not know.
CHAIR MEYER remarked that Senator Giessel brought up a good
point. He asked if anyone had contacted Senator Olson to see
what the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory
Council is doing and if they agreed with the resolution.
MS. GATTI noted that the committee members received a copy of
the biennial report that was recently released by the Alaska
Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council.
4:04:30 PM
At ease.
4:05:40 PM
CHAIR MEYER called the committee back to order.
SENATOR GIESSEL detailed that the Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council is under the Division of
Community and Reginal Affairs, which is part of the Alaska
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. She
said the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory
Council is an advisor council that currently has six members,
one of which is Senator Olson. She pointed out that council
members are appointed by the governor and serve three-year
terms. She noted that she did not recall having a confirmation
hearing for anyone appointed to the Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council.
4:06:24 PM
CHAIR MEYER opened and closed public testimony.
4:07:26 PM
CHAIR MEYER held HCR 19 in committee.
4:07:34 PM
At ease.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HCR 19 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HCR 19 |
| HCR 19 Version R A.PDF |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HCR 19 |
| HCR 19 Previous Letters of Support.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HCR 19 |
| ANLPAC2018 Report to the Governor and Legislature.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HCR 19 |
| HCR 19 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HCR 19 |
| HB 97 Sponsor Statement ver D 3.12.18.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97 Version D.PDF |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97 Sectional Analysis ver D 4.10.18.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97 Support Indirect Expenditure Report 2.22.17.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 97 Fiscal Notes.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 97 |
| HB 7 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Version J.PDF |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Summary of Changes.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Sectional Analysis ver J.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Supporting Document-Article Columbia University.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Supporting Document-Article Denver Post.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Support Material Testimonies.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Supporting Document-Article Washington Post.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 7 Letter of Support Cora Dow.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 7 |
| HB 235 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Summary of Changes.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Supporting Document - NCSL Awards for Law Enforcement or First Responders.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Officer Down Memorial Pages.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Letters of Support.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Venn Diagram AK Medal for Heroism North Star Medal.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SSTA 4/10/2018 3:30:00 PM SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |
| HB 235 Letter of Support Bob Lynn.pdf |
SSTA 4/17/2018 3:30:00 PM |
HB 235 |