02/20/2014 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB262 | |
| HB217 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 262 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 217 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 20, 2014
8:06 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative Wes Keller, Vice Chair
Representative Lynn Gattis
Representative Shelley Hughes
Representative Doug Isaacson
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Charisse Millett
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 262
"An Act exempting the Public Defender Agency and the office of
public advocacy from certain provisions of the State Procurement
Code; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HB 262 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 217
"An Act establishing November 14 each year as Dr. Walter
Soboleff Day."
- MOVED HB 217 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 262
SHORT TITLE: PROCUREMENT EXEMPTION: PDA, OPA
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HOLMES
01/21/14 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/14
01/21/14 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/14 (H) STA
02/20/14 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HB 217
SHORT TITLE: DR. WALTER SOBOLEFF DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS, P.WILSON, MUNOZ,
KERTTULA
01/21/14 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/14
01/21/14 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/21/14 (H) STA
02/20/14 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY HOLMES
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 262.
MIKE BARNHILL, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Administration (DOA)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the reason behind the proposal
under HB 262 to exempt the Office of Public Assistance (OPA) and
the Public Defender Agency (PDA) from a requirement related to
the procurement code.
RICK ALLEN, Director
Anchorage Office
Office of Public Advocacy (OPA)
Anchorage, Alaska
Department of Administration
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
262.
QUINLAN STEINER, Director
Central Office
Public Defender Agency (PDA)
Department of Administration (DOA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a brief comment during the hearing
on HB 262.
ROBERT MARTIN, Vice-Chair
Board of Trustees
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Had his written testimony paraphrased by
his brother, William Martin, on behalf of the Sealaska Heritage
Institute, during the hearing on HB 217.
WILLIAM MARTIN, Grand President
Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 217.
SELINA EVERSON, Member
Executive Committee
Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
PETER NAOROZ, President/General Manager
Kootznoowoo, Inc.
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
SUSETTNA KING
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
ROSS SOBOLEFF
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on behalf of himself in support
of HB 217.
JANET (SOBOLEFF) BURKE
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
WALTER SOBOLEFF, JR.
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
SASHA SOBOLEFF
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 217.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:06:31 AM
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. Representatives Keller, Isaacson,
Gattis, Hughes, and Lynn were present at the call to order.
Representative Kreiss-Tomkins arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
8:06:33 AM
HB 262-PROCUREMENT EXEMPTION: PDA, OPA
8:06:59 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced the first order of business was HOUSE BILL
NO. 262, "An Act exempting the Public Defender Agency and the
office of public advocacy from certain provisions of the State
Procurement Code; and providing for an effective date."
8:07:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LINDSEY HOLMES, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, presented HB 262. She explained that the
proposed legislation would clarify how the state's procurement
code applies to the Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) and the
Public Defender Agency (PDA). She said those are the state
agencies that act as defense attorneys representing indigent
clients in criminal cases. They are paid by the state through
the Department of Administration. She said in most cases, "the
other side" is the Department of Law (DOL). She said there is
question as to when those agencies are subject to the
procurement code and when they are not. Under Section 1, of HB
262, neither OPA nor PDA would have to obtain permission from
the attorney general to hire expert witnesses or counsel, which
would put both agencies on a level playing field with DOL.
8:09:56 AM
MIKE BARNHILL, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Administration
(DOA), said prior to his current three years as deputy
commissioner, he was an assistant attorney general (AG) with the
Department of Law. While there, he said, he used the
procurement code frequently to retain the services of outside
counsel. He stated that in the field of law, one attorney does
not equal another attorney. He explained that the field is
highly specialized; one cannot get a defense attorney as
representation on a tax case, for example. Therefore, he
emphasized the importance of tailoring the procurement to apply
in highly specialized situations.
MR. BARNHILL said Section 2, of HB 262, is the limited
competition provision. He said normally, for all state
agencies, permission must be obtained from the chief procurement
officer in the Division of General Services, within the
Department of Law. For legal service, one must go to the AG to
get permission to use the limited competition statute. He said
that is very effective for retaining specialized counsel. He
said under HB 262, OPA and PDA could go to the AG to get the
permission for "limited competition procurement." Deputy
Commissioner Barnhill said he used the limited competition
procurement many times. He said it was very effective; he got
great counsel to represent the state. He continued as follows:
The most significant one was the counsel we retained
in the lawsuit against Mercer for actuarial
negligence. And I can tell you with a high degree of
certainty that the outcome of that case was entirely
dependent on the counsel we selected. The ability to
get the right counsel to fit the case you have is
entirely consistent with our rules of professional
responsibility. If we just had a generic procurement
code that required us to go the lowest bidder without
consideration of specialization, we would routinely be
hiring the wrong counsel for the wrong case.
8:12:26 AM
MR. BARNHILL said under HB 262, OPA and PDA would be in the
exact position as DOL with respect to retention of counsel,
professional services under the limited competition statute, and
the retention of expert witnesses. He explained that under the
existing procurement code, DOL is exempt when it comes to hiring
expert witnesses. He emphasized that "if the field of law is
specialized, the field of professional witnesses is extremely
specialized." For example, he said some witnesses are experts
on tire treads, while others are blood splatter experts. He
said he believes that is why DOL has had that exemption. He
suggested that when AS 36.30 was enacted, it was probably an
oversight that the criminal defense side of the equation was
overlooked. The proposed legislation would restore that by
exempting both OPA and PDA so that those agencies can get
whatever expert they need without having to go through the
procurement code. He noted that the bill has a zero fiscal
note.
8:14:02 AM
MR. BARNHILL, in response to Chair Lynn, said in order to get
representation by either OPA or PDA at the public's expense, a
person would have to be indigent. If that indigent person
needed an expert witness in order to determine the facts in a
case, he would then be provided with one.
8:15:22 AM
MR. BARNHILL, in response to a question from Representative
Keller, offered his understanding that the point at which
someone would be considered indigent is decided by the courts.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER said it is not clear how changing the
authority for the contracting addresses some of the concerns of
the audit and how it relates to the fiscal note.
8:16:53 AM
MR. BARNHILL said the audit found that OPA was not complying
with the procurement code. Further, the audit found that there
was failure in contract oversight. He said the latter is not
addressed in HB 262, and DOA filed a response with the Division
of Legislative Audit and could provide that response to the
committee. He said DOA's oversight is broad; it includes the
Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), OPA, PDA, and the core
administrative entities. Within this, he said, DOA has the
Division of Administrative Services, which provides services
including contract oversight to a number of its divisions. In
this particular context, DOA's Division of Administrative
Services was not providing contract management oversight, and
the recommendation of the Division of Legislative Audit is that
it do so. He related that DOA has begun to provide more
oversight, but it is a large task to do so for every division.
He stated that DOA believes it is important to effectively
monitor and manage contracts "across the departments," but it
will have to observe the oversight to determine its
effectiveness.
8:19:04 AM
MR. BARNHILL, with respect to procurement, stated his belief
that OPA and PDA did not interpret the procurement code in the
same way that the Division of Legislative Audit did. He
explained that [OPA and PDA] took the position that the AG could
not control how they procured legal counsel or how they would
procure expert witnesses. He said, "I mean, as a matter of
professional responsibility, as the sponsor indicated, if you're
adverse to a party, you would never dream of going to the
adverse side to ask for permission to retain counsel." Further,
he stated that retaining an expert witness who is not the best
for a particular case could have implications with respect to
"your duty of zealous advocacy." He said, "I think it just
simply didn't occur to them that the procurement code wouldn't
apply in this way." He concluded, "So, what we're doing is
we're changing the law so we have a common understanding of how
the procurement code applies with respect to outside counsel,
with respect to conflict counsel, with respect to expert
witnesses."
8:20:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER said it makes sense, because DOA handles
the defense and the prosecutors are in DOL; [the state] must do
everything it can to avoid a conflict of interest. He indicated
that legislators realize that "we end up paying for the defense
and the prosecution," as well as the judge and court room. He
emphasized the importance of not making changes without
following to proper process.
MR. BARNHILL noted that Rick Allen, the director of OPA, had
instituted an initiative to help control costs better within the
office, particularly when it comes to retention of outside
counsel; he has had regulations drafted that provide case caps
by type of case, with legitimate escape clauses. He said he
thinks it is an excellent approach.
8:22:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES asked if Mr. Allen might have anything to
add to the subject of cost control.
8:23:18 AM
RICK ALLEN, Director, Anchorage Office, Office of Public
Advocacy (OPA), stated that the implementation of the
aforementioned regulations has been a "game changer" for OPA.
He said when he became director of OPA he found there were no
controls in place on how much contractors were being paid on
cases, which posed a series of problems, one of the major ones
being that without parameters on contractors, it is impossible
for anyone serving as director of OPA to maintain budgetary
predictability. He said the caps have been in place for about a
year now, which has been a big change for the contractors;
however, he said he thinks everyone has "settled in" and
realizes "this is the way we're going to do business now," and
it has made a big difference for OPA's bottom line. In response
to a follow-up question from Representative Hughes, he said he
thinks the quality of the expert witnesses and legal counsel is
adequate with the caps in place. He echoed Mr. Barnhill's
notation that there is always a release valve on the caps, which
makes it possible to adjust the money spent on a case. He
offered an explanation of the adjustment process.
8:25:38 AM
MR. ALLEN, in response to Chair Lynn, said when the state pays
for a person's services, then that person does not get to choose
who his/her expert witness or lawyer is, although OPA will take
the input of its clients into consideration. Most of the
decisions about how the criminal case proceeds are made by the
attorney.
CHAIR LYNN surmised that a poor person "is not going to get the
dream team."
MR. ALLEN responded that he has practiced in other parts of the
United States before coming back home to Alaska, and he
emphasized he is "very, very comfortable with the standard we
are able to provide." He expressed pride in the work that OPA's
staff and contractors do. He ventured that Mr. Steiner from the
Public Defender Agency would say the same. He stated that some
of the finest criminal defense attorneys and appellate writers
work for OPA or PDA; therefore, an indigent person will be
assigned a quality attorney and the resources needed to properly
defend the case.
8:28:13 AM
QUINLAN STEINER, Director, Central Office, Public Defender
Agency (PDA), opined that Deputy Commissioner Barnhill had
articulated the concerns address through the proposed HB 262.
8:28:51 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 262.
8:29:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS said HB 262 seems like a simple bill that
would clean-up "what we already do." She said experts in their
field representing those who cannot afford representation seems
to make sense, and "it directs it." She stated her support of
HB 262.
8:29:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER pointed out that the House State Affairs
Standing Committee is the only committee of referral for HB 262,
which he opined is appropriate, because this is an issue about
contract management and administration.
8:30:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 262 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, HB 262 was reported out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
8:30:41 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:31 a.m. to 8:33 a.m.
HB 217-DR. WALTER SOBOLEFF DAY
8:32:57 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced the final order of business was HOUSE BILL
NO. 217, "An Act establishing November 14 each year as Dr.
Walter Soboleff Day."
8:33:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS, as joint prime sponsor,
introduced HB 217, which he said would designate November
Fourteenth as Dr. Walter Soboleff Day. He said the proposed
legislation is similar to legislation that the committee heard
last year recognizing the late former Governor Jay Hammond,
because both pieces of legislation honor great Alaskans. He
said the late Dr. Soboleff is a revered figure in Southeast
Alaska and throughout Alaska in Native communities. He said he
thinks the testimony that the committee will hear today from
family members and other people who knew Dr. Soboleff will speak
to that.
8:34:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS said she means no disrespect to Dr.
Soboleff, but wants to know if Southeast Alaska could honor a
great Alaskan without proposing a bill.
8:34:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that there was a
grassroots movement in Southeast Alaska to create this
particular means of honoring Dr. Soboleff, who was a towering
figure in the Native community. He said there are other ways to
honor someone; there is a building currently being erected in
downtown Juneau by the Sealaska Center, which will be called the
Dr. Walter Soboleff Cultural Center.
8:35:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES asked what might happen on November 14 if
Dr. Walter Soboleff Day is established.
8:36:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS gave the example of Elizabeth
Peratrovich Day, which is in November, and which prompts schools
to study the history of anti-discrimination legislation in the
state or territory of Alaska. He said it could be a way for
schools and institutions to honor and observe what the person
represented.
8:36:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER related that he had the honor of meeting
Dr. Soboleff, and he was impressed by the man's "peaceful, wise
demeanor." He thanked the bill sponsor for bringing forward HB
217. In response to the chair, he said he had met Dr. Soboleff
at his home in Juneau on a social occasion.
8:38:42 AM
ROBERT MARTIN, Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees, Sealaska Heritage
Institute, had his testimony paraphrased by his brother, William
Martin, on behalf of the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Mr.
Robert Martin's written testimony read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
My name is Robert Martin, and I am a member of the
Board of Trustees of Sealaska Heritage Institute.
In some ways, it's difficult to explain why Walter
Soboleff was a great man. We just know that he was.
He wasn't a lawmaker who passed landmark legislation
or a maverick who changed the financial future of the
state. Rather...he was a person who quietly led by
example and whose small acts of kindness made profound
and lifelong impressions on the people he touched.
He was wise, humble, and kind and as Alaska's first
native ordained priest, he used those gifts to bring
comfort to people across the state - and to unite
people during difficult times. He was the kind of
person we might all aspire to be - an ideal human
being.
He was dear to the Sealaska family. He served as
Sealaska Heritage Institute's chair almost as long as
the institute has been around. His guidance prompted
the institute to make Native language revitalization a
priority 20 years ago. As a fluent Tlingit speaker,
he worked with language students up until the last
days of his long life.
He cherished his countless non-Native friends and
belonged to many civic organizations. He was the
first pastor in Juneau to open his church to all
people - Natives and non-Natives alike - at a time
when segregation was the norm. His delivery was low
key and his message simple: "love your fellow folk,
for love is God." This cost him dearly: his church
proved so popular with non-Natives a political
decision was made to shut it down. But as one person
said: Dr. Soboleff found other ways to minister to
the people. He was a spiritual leader who didn't need
a building.
We named a building in his honor anyway. At his
memorial in 2011, we announced that Sealaska Heritage
Institute's new cultural center would be named for
him. We see the Walter Soboleff Center as a physical
manifestation of the things he held dear - the
perpetuation and teaching of Native languages,
history, and cultures - in a place where all people -
Natives and non-Natives alike - will be welcome.
Please support HB 217 and make November 14 Dr. Walter
Soboleff Day.
WILLIAM MARTIN, Grand President, Alaska Native Brotherhood
(ANB), recollected that as a young man, growing up in Kake,
Alaska, his parents and grandparents would sit by the radio on
Sunday mornings and listen to Dr. Walter Soboleff's message,
which was delivered in Tlingit. He said the people in all the
villages of Southeast Alaska would make time to listen to Dr.
Soboleff's message.
8:42:33 AM
MR. W. MARTIN, in response to Chair Lynn, offered his
understanding that the reason for the shutdown of Mr. Soboleff's
church, referred to in Mr. R. Martin's testimony, was because it
became so popular that "the regular church that the Non-Natives
went to wasn't doing quite as well" as a result.
8:42:58 AM
SELINA EVERSON, Member, Executive Committee, Alaska Native
Sisterhood (ANS), explained that her membership in the Executive
Committee means that she once served as grand president. She
said Dr. Soboleff was originally from Killisnoo, Alaska, outside
of Angoon, and he meant everything to the Native communities.
She said she grew up knowing Dr. Soboleff, who performed the
marriages of the Native people and offered comfort to those in
sorrow. She said, "He stood by us." She acknowledged that
there is a building in downtown Juneau that is being erected in
his name, but said all Native Alaskans bear Dr. Soboleff's name
in their hearts. She emphasized her thanks to the sponsors of
[HB 217]. She added, "It's like somebody uplifted our heads
like he did by his very birth, his dedication to his church and
his people." She thanked the committee in Tlingit.
8:45:17 AM
MS. EVERSON, in response to Chair Lynn, said Dr. Soboleff was
102 when he died.
8:45:53 AM
PETER NAOROZ, President/General Manager, Kootznoowoo, Inc., said
Kootznoowoo, Inc., is the village corporation for the community
of Angoon, Alaska. He related that in the past he had been
recruited by Byron Mallott to leave the Virginia retirement
system to come work for the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.
He said he did not know how much Alaska meant to him until he
met Dr. Soboleff, who he said was a past president of
Kootznoowoo, Inc., and is its president emeritus. He said
Kootznoowoo, Inc., has approximately 1,000 shareholders, a third
of which live in Juneau. He said Dr. Soboleff mentored him and
set one goal for him to accomplish: to make sure the energy
costs in Angoon were low enough that a bakery could be built, in
which bread would be baked for all of Alaska; a lofty goal he
indicated stood for providing "the economic engine to contribute
to the overall state in a meaningful way." Mr. Naoroz noted
that Dr. Soboleff was born in 1908, shortly after the Tongass
was made a national forest. He commented that the Tongass has
much changed.
8:49:01 AM
MR. NAOROZ referred to a piece written by Dr. Soboleff for the
Juneau Empire, [dated Tuesday, April 8, 2008, and included in
the committee packet], in which he talks about the economics of
building homes and societies. He indicated that Dr. Soboleff
wrote the piece after asking him how he could help him reach his
goals. He said Dr. Soboleff also introduced him to John Sandor,
a person interested in the resources of the state. He talked
about the Tongass, in terms of broken promises and moving "from
here to there in a positive way." He concluded, "I would take
this day and mark it on the calendar very boldly, so everyone
can remember ... where we come from and what we still need to
do."
8:51:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES speculated that those living in Southeast
Alaska would be aware of the aforementioned building being
constructed to honor Dr. Soboleff, but people in the rest of the
state may not. She said she thinks what she has heard Dr.
Soboleff stood for would be good for children around the state
to learn about. She said for that reason she supports HB 217.
8:52:25 AM
MR. NAOROZ added that not only was Mr. Soboleff a gentle person,
civil rights advocate, and spiritual leader, he was also a
businessman.
8:53:29 AM
SUSETTNA KING said she is originally from Angoon, Alaska; her
parents are John and Theresa Howard. She said, "We spent a lot
of time with Dr. Soboleff and his wife and some of the grandkids
that went over to Tenakee."
8:54:36 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 8:55 a.m.
8:55:08 AM
MS. KING said a person growing up in a village does not really
know what is happening until he/she steps outside the village.
She said Dr. Soboleff prepared her village for what it needed to
do when he got older and moved away. She said he put God first.
She related a story about taking speed boats to Tenakee and
choosing not to race one year, because she had always won in the
past, to which Dr. Soboleff asked her what she would have done
if she had raced and someone had beat her. She told him she
probably would have come back the next year and beat that
person, to which Dr. Soboleff pointed out that she had not put
herself "out there."
MS. KING said she entered into the Alaska Native Sisterhood when
she moved to Juneau. She talked about issues that Alaska
Natives deal with and opined that it is nice when people come
together to deal with those issues. She said at one ANS
convention, Dr. Soboleff invited her to share her thoughts.
When she told him she still had a lot to learn, he told her that
it helps to surround oneself with good people. She said Dr.
Soboleff told her that she "is not here by accident" and one day
she would be ready to run for office.
8:59:31 AM
MS. KING talked about how great Dr. Soboleff was and how he
lived to serve others without regard to the color of anyone's
skin. She indicated that she takes comfort from knowing he
believed in so many people and saw the best in them. She said
everyone should know that; Dr. Soboleff's history should be
shared "so everybody could want that." Regarding
discrimination, she said, "We've come a long way, but it's still
so silent." She said she wished she would have asked Dr.
Soboleff how people can move away from the silent
discrimination. She said in her heart she knows Dr. Soboleff
"left a lot of himself in a lot of all of us." One way to carry
on his legacy, she said, is to allow the entire state to know
what kind of man Dr. Soboleff was.
9:01:49 AM
CHAIR LYNN concurred with the statement that Ms. King said Dr.
Soboleff had made that no one is here by accident.
9:03:32 AM
ROSS SOBOLEFF relayed that [although he is staff to a
legislator] he was testifying on behalf of himself. He shared
his Tlingit and Haida names. He introduced his siblings present
and expressed thanks for the proposed legislation's hearing and
sponsorship. He said he provided a copy of Dr. Soboleff's
obituary to give the committee a sense of what his statewide
impact was. Mr. R. Soboleff quoted Abraham Lincoln as follows:
"If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that
you are his sincere friend." He said Dr. Soboleff was a great
admirer of President Lincoln, and he suggested considering what
Dr. Soboleff's cause was.
MR. R. SOBOLEFF said Dr. Soboleff served as minister of Memorial
Presbyterian Church - considered a Native church - until 1962,
and he ventured that the proposal to have Dr. Walter Soboleff
Day would not be a consideration today if the man's reach had
ended there. He contended that by the end of Dr. Soboleff's
ministry, the church had become a church where all were welcome.
He said Dr. Soboleff told him a person has to feed his/her
spirit, and he thinks Dr. Soboleff did that in many walks of
life: in his church, through his service, and sometimes as
chaplain at the legislature.
MR. R. SOBOLEFF stated, "In the diverse society of Alaska, he
cast a wide net and a long shadow." He suggested Alaskans
remember that Dr. Soboleff was welcoming, inclusive, and lived
his life in many communities, including: Native, Non-Native,
university and academic, military, business, and government. He
further suggested that the proposed day would be used to
remember how Dr. Soboleff lived his life with tolerance, grace,
and courage, and to talk about how Alaskans are living and
working together.
9:08:06 AM
MR. R. SOBOLEFF said Walter Soboleff put together a list of what
has popularly become known as "Native values." It was an
articulation of the values and standards by which Dr. Soboleff
observed the Alaska Native community had lived for generations.
He said he had given a copy of the list to the committee, and he
recommended anyone looking at the list should read it out loud,
because "that's the way that he wrote." He said he has heard
many stories in the halls of the capitol of people who have done
great or small things that have left a mark on the person
telling the story. He posited that everyone has those people in
their lives; people who taught them something or meant
something. He said, "We have a term for these people - a
compliment that we give ... in our state [to those] that we
consider the best of the best: We call them 'true Alaskans.'"
He suggested revisiting the list of Native values and
considering it an articulation of some of the values and
standards by which a "true Alaskan" is measured. He stated that
Dr. Soboleff believed that good values are good for everyone.
He said perhaps on Dr. Walter Soboleff Day, Alaskans can also
remember and honor "the great men and women who shaped the human
landscape of our great state" and "transformed Alaska into the
place that we so passionately call our home."
9:10:48 AM
JANET (SOBOLEFF) BURKE opined that the proposed legislation is
"wonderful," and said "we" would be honored if the state would
recognize [Dr. Soboleff's] birth date. She said toward the end
of Dr. Soboleff's life, he moved in with her and her husband.
She said there are many funny stories, because Dr. Soboleff had
a great sense of humor. She related a story in which he made
her sister and her laugh. She said he was not bashful about
speaking "at anything." She said she knew Dr. Soboleff as
"Daddy," and she also was aware that "he knew everybody and
everybody knew him." In response to Chair Lynn, she related
that she is the eldest of four children, followed by her
brothers, Sasha, Walter, Jr., and Ross.
9:13:15 AM
WALTER SOBOLEFF, JR., asked, "What more can you say about the
good doctor?" He added, "I just want to thank you for
supporting my dad." He said thank you in Tlingit.
9:13:43 AM
SASHA SOBOLEFF expressed thanks for the bill hearing and its
sponsors. He acknowledged those who ask why Dr. Soboleff should
be honored as proposed under HB 217 as having asked a good
question. He said, "It does merit some understanding about the
depth of this person or any person." He said he would spend the
month of July with his father in Tenakee, and one time, John
Rockefeller and his family showed up at the doorstep for a
visit. He said Dr. Soboleff served on the United States Air
Force Academy Board, which screened candidates for the Air
Force. He indicated that [he and his siblings] learned to
behave themselves, because no matter where they went, their
father was approached and welcomed. He said the University of
Alaska Fairbanks offered a professorship to Dr. Soboleff, to be
the director of its first Native Studies program, and he touched
the lives of the many students who traveled from their homes to
learn from him. He opined, "And that says something about the
gravity, the insight, that this particular individual has." He
opined that [setting aside November 14 as Dr. Walter Soboleff
Day] says, in today's society, that the man was a person who
stood for something. In conclusion, Mr. S. Soboleff talked
about Dr. Soboleff's belief in God and his encouragement to
people to pray and read the Holy Bible. He said his father
loved God and stood for the doctrine of ["Love your neighbor as
yourself."]
9:18:03 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 217.
9:18:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 217 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, HB 217 was reported out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
9:19:11 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:19
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 01 HB 262 v.A.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 262 |
| 02 HB 262 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 262 |
| 03 HB 262 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 262 |
| 04HB 262 OPA Audit.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 262 |
| 05 HB262 Fiscal Note DOA.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 262 |
| 01 HB0217A.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 217 |
| 02 HB 217 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 217 |
| 03 HB 217 Sectional Summary.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 217 |
| 04 HB 217 Fiscal Note DOA.pdf |
HSTA 2/20/2014 8:00:00 AM |
HB 217 |