Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
04/22/2021 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s):|| Department of Public Safety, Commissioner | |
| HB63 | |
| HB123 | |
| HB148 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 63 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 148 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
April 22, 2021
3:08 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Chair
Representative Matt Claman, Vice Chair
Representative Geran Tarr
Representative Andi Story
Representative Sarah Vance
Representative James Kaufman
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative David Eastman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
Commissioner, Department of Public Safety
James Cockrell - Soldotna
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
HOUSE BILL NO. 63
"An Act relating to the duties of the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities; renaming the Alaska Marine
Transportation Advisory Board the Alaska Marine Highway
Operations Board; relating to the membership and duties of the
Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board; and providing for an
effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 63(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 123
"An Act providing for state recognition of federally recognized
tribes; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HB 123 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 148
"An Act relating to the Alaska Coordinate System of 2022."
- MOVED HB 148 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 63
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY OPERATIONS BOARD
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STUTES
02/18/21 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/15/21
02/18/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/18/21 (H) TRA, STA
03/11/21 (H) TRA AT 1:30 PM BARNES 124
03/11/21 (H) Heard & Held
03/11/21 (H) MINUTE(TRA)
03/18/21 (H) TRA AT 1:30 PM BARNES 124
03/18/21 (H) Moved CSHB 63(TRA) Out of Committee
03/18/21 (H) MINUTE(TRA)
03/20/21 (H) TRA RPT CS(TRA) NT 4DP 2NR
03/20/21 (H) DP: DRUMMOND, HANNAN, SPOHNHOLZ,
HOPKINS
03/20/21 (H) NR: MCCABE, CRONK
03/30/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
03/30/21 (H) Heard & Held
03/30/21 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/06/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/06/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/06/21 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/15/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/15/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/15/21 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/22/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
BILL: HB 123
SHORT TITLE: STATE RECOGNITION OF TRIBES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) ZULKOSKY
03/03/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/03/21 (H) TRB, STA
03/30/21 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
03/30/21 (H) Heard & Held
03/30/21 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
04/01/21 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/01/21 (H) Moved HB 123 Out of Committee
04/01/21 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
04/05/21 (H) TRB RPT 3DP 1NR
04/05/21 (H) DP: FIELDS, TARR, ZULKOSKY
04/05/21 (H) NR: CRONK
04/17/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/17/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/17/21 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/22/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
BILL: HB 148
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA COORDINATE SYSTEM OF 2022
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SHAW
03/24/21 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/24/21 (H) STA, RES
04/17/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
04/17/21 (H) Heard & Held
04/17/21 (H) MINUTE(STA)
04/22/21 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
JAMES COCKRELL, Commissioner Designee
Department of Public Safety
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Speaking as the commissioner designee to
the Department of Public Safety, provided his qualifications and
answered questions.
ED MERCER, Chief of Police
Juneau Police Department
Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of Commissioner
Designee Cockrell's appointment as commissioner of the
Department of Public Safety.
DAN SPENCER
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of Commissioner
Designee Cockrell's appointment as commissioner of the
Department of Public Safety.
JEFF STEPP, Staff
Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the proposed committee substitute
for HB 63.
ROB CARPENTER, Deputy Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
63.
KERRY CROCKER, Staff
Representative Louise Stutes
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During the hearing on HB 63, answered
questions on behalf of Representative Stutes, prime sponsor.
JOEL JACKSON, President
Organized Village of Kake
Kake, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 123.
DELORES LARSON
United Tribes of Bristol Bay
Koliganek, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 123.
COURTENAY CARTY, Tribal Administrator
Curyung Tribal Council
Dillingham, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 123.
REECE WILLIAMS, Staff
Representative Laddie Shaw
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During the hearing on HB 148, commented on
behalf of Representative Shaw, prime sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:08:17 PM
CHAIR JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS called the House State Affairs
Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:08 p.m.
Representatives Tarr, Story, Claman, Vance, Kaufman, and Kreiss-
Tomkins were present at the call to order.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
^Department of Public Safety, Commissioner
CONFIRMATION HEARING
Department of Public Safety, Commissioner
3:10:05 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business
would be the confirmation on the governor's appointee as
commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS noted this hearing was a continuation of
the one begun on 4/20/25.
3:10:19 PM
JAMES COCKRELL, Commissioner Designee, Department of Public
Safety (DPS), thanked members for their questions during the
previous hearing. He emphasized the importance of facilitating
open dialogue between legislators and state [agencies],
specifically DPS, as the department impacted many lives across
Alaska. He welcomed further questions from the committee.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked for an assessment of the agency's
morale and what needed to change.
COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE COCKRELL opined that morale was difficult
to judge because there were law enforcement officers all
throughout the state. He conveyed that a primary reason for his
return was the outpour of support from the department. He noted
that he had not spent any time in the field yet, but numerous
emails from DPS workers expressed a sense of hope that the
agency would "stay on track." He concluded that leadership had
a significant role in morale and hoped that his presence and
connections would generate further improvement on that issue.
3:13:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked whether Commissioner Designee
Cockrell could commit to keeping DPS jobs in Juneau unless there
was a justifiable reason to move them.
COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE COCKRELL said he had no plans to move
commissioned troopers or support staff from Juneau. He relayed
that the current director of the Alaska Police Standards Council
(APSC) would be retiring in July; consequently, there was an
option for the position to be filled in either Juneau or
Anchorage depending on the candidate pool. He noted that the
preference was to keep the position in Juneau if possible.
3:16:17 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the appropriate ratio of
troopers from the Division of Alaska Wildlife Troopers (AWT) to
the Division of Alaska State Troopers (AST) in different parts
of the state and how to approach the allocation of resources.
He anecdotally reported that in his district, Kake in
particular, there was a simmering frustration about the
difficulty of obtaining support from troopers when there were
murders in the community. He recalled that there had been
tragic, gratuitous murders over the last six to seven years. He
acknowledged that sometimes it was beyond anyone's control due
to the weather and the inability to access smaller remote
communities; however, that was juxtaposed against wildlife
troopers immediately showing up for minor technical violations.
He explained that it was sometimes perceived as an inappropriate
allocation of resources.
COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE COCKRELL noted that the guiding and
fishing industry was a billion-dollar industry in Alaska; hence,
the larger number of wildlife troopers versus state troopers.
He explained that wildlife troopers were expected to investigate
criminal offenses in rural communities, as they often possessed
the appropriate vessels and airplanes to respond. He said he
would be disappointed if any wildlife trooper acted otherwise.
He believed that the department could improve upon the
allocation of resources between AWT and AST, especially in the
winter. However, he cautioned against disrupting the balance of
resources because Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
workers would be disgruntled if wildlife protection was being
neglected. He reported that there were under 100 wildlife
trooper positions in Alaska; further, Alaska had fewer "game
wardens" than any other state.
3:22:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN, referencing Commissioner Designee
Cockrell's resum, asked what lessons he learned from working in
the private sector.
COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE COCKRELL said the biggest lesson he
learned from the private sector was the importance of fostering
a culture of safety. He explained that many injuries within the
department were caused by tripping and falling, which should be
preventable. He added that DPS should be practicing and
preaching safety culture when troopers enter the academy, as
opposed to a sole focus on officer safety.
3:25:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE recounted her experience in a "ride along"
several years ago, during which time she observed equipment
failure that consumed the officer's productivity. She asked
whether improvements had been made since then to provide for the
troopers' basic needs and if not, what improvements would be
made going forward.
COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE COCKRELL acknowledged that the department
struggled with its specialized IT equipment. He pointed out
that replacing and updating technology was expensive, noting
that each car was equipped with over $50,000 in equipment. He
noted that the fleet was undergoing an upgrade from Ford
Explorers to Chevrolet Tahoes, which would provide more room.
However, he explained that it was hard to plan for upgrades
because performing even a five-year fiscal projection for DPS
was difficult.
3:32:07 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on the confirmation
hearing.
3:32:32 PM
ED MERCER, Chief of Police, Juneau Police Department; Alaska
Association of Chiefs of Police, stated his support for the
commissioner designee's appointment. He said Commissioner
Designee Cockrell had high integrity and was a good listener and
critical thinker, all of which were sound leadership traits.
Further, he relayed that the commissioner designee possessed the
mentality of a team player, as he cared for DPS and all of
Alaska's public safety needs. He anecdotally reported that
Commissioner Designee Cockrell truly cared about establishing
positive working relationships with law enforcement agencies and
other community partners; additionally, he understood Alaska's
needs and how to fulfill the mission of public safety in the
state. He explained that presently, law enforcement was facing
many challenges, such as recruitment, retention, budget
constraints, and public trust. He believed that the
commissioner designee's long tenure with DPS would serve both
him and Alaska well.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked Chief Mercer for his contribution
to the Juneau community.
3:35:08 PM
DAN SPENCER informed committee members that he was a former
administrative services director for DPS. He opined that
Commissioner Designee Cockrell provided thoughtful answers and
had a good understanding of the issues that the department and
the state were confronted with; further, he believed the
commissioner designee had a desire to continually improve
policing in Alaska. Mr. Spencer said he completely endorsed
him, adding that he would make a fine DPS commissioner. He
urged the legislature to confirm the commissioner designee's
appointment and shared a personal anecdote.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked Mr. Spencer for his many years of
service to Alaskans.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS added that Mr. Spencer was a great example
of a Juneau-based DPS employee.
3:37:24 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing and welcomed additional comments from
committee members.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR noted the letters of support from the North
Pole Police Department and Soldotna's chief of police [included
in the committee packet], which relayed that the commissioner
designee was caring, hardworking, and possessed a high level of
integrity. She said she was excited for his return to DPS,
pending a successful confirmation vote.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS echoed the sentiment expressed by
Representative Tarr. He stated his belief that confirmation
hearings mattered, adding that there were consequences when the
legislature failed to do its diligence. He opined that this was
a positive case study of a wonderful confirmation hearing and
reiterated his appreciation that Commissioner Designee Cockrell
was stepping up to lead the agency.
3:39:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN stated that the House State Affairs
Standing Committee has reviewed the qualifications of the
governor's appointees and recommends that the following name be
forwarded to a joint session for consideration: Commissioner
Designee James Cockrell, Department of Public Safety. He said
that signing the report regarding appointments to boards and
commissions in no way reflects an individual member's approval
or disapproval of the appointee, and the nomination is merely
forwarded to the full legislature for confirmation or rejection.
HB 63-ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY OPERATIONS BOARD
3:40:05 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 63, "An Act relating to the duties of
the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; renaming
the Alaska Marine Transportation Advisory Board the Alaska
Marine Highway Operations Board; relating to the membership and
duties of the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board; and
providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was
CSHB 63(TRA).]
3:40:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 63, labeled 32-LS0286\O, Fisher, 4/20/21,
as the working document.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:41:19 PM
JEFF STEPP, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, reviewed the changes proposed in the
CS, ("Version O"), which replaced CSHB 63(TRA). The changes
corresponded to amendments adopted by the committee during the
[4/15/21] hearing on HB 63.
3:47:17 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection. There being no
further objection, Version O was adopted as the working
document. He noted that there were four outstanding amendments
for the committee's consideration today, all of which had been
introduced and withdrawn during the hearing on 4/15/21.
3:48:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 63,
Version O, labeled 32-LS0286\O.4, Fisher, 4/21/21, which read:
Page 1, line 4, following "Board;":
Insert "and"
Page 1, line 5:
Delete "; and providing for an effective date"
Page 6, line 25:
Delete all material.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY explained that Amendment 1 would remove the
effective date of January 1, 2022, to allow the bill to take
effect 90 days after being signed into law.
3:49:16 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection. There being no
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
3:49:32 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 63,
Version O, labeled 32-LS0286\O.2, Fisher, 4/21/21, which read:
Page 2, line 23, following "system"
Insert "and a proposed strategic maintenance and
vessel replacement plan"
REPRESENTATIVE STORY objected for the purpose of discussion.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS relayed that Amendment 2 would include
strategic maintenance and vessel replacement as part of the
comprehensive plan, as discussed in the previous hearing.
3:50:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN questioned whether a strategic
maintenance and vessel replacement plan already existed within
DOT&PF's management of assets.
3:50:56 PM
ROB CARPENTER, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, offered his
understanding that the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) had
planned annual vessel overhauls and long-term maintenance
requirements; however, he was unsure whether those plans existed
in statute.
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN clarified that had asked whether such a
management plan already existed.
MR. CARPENTER confirmed that the process existed.
3:52:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked who in the department was responsible
for overseeing strategic maintenance and vessel replacement.
MR. CARPENTER answered Captain John Falvey, General Manager,
AMHS. He noted that a vessel construction manager assisted the
captain in that endeavor.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE questioned how a strategic maintenance and
vessel replacement plan would be communicated through the deputy
commissioner to the new board if the bill were to pass.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS clarified that Amendment 2 would make the
strategic maintenance and vessel replacement plan a component of
the comprehensive long-range plan.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked how it would be a joint effort
between AMHS, the department, and the new board.
MR. CARPENTER understood that the deputy commissioner of DOT&PF
would be working with the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board
("the board") on these strategic planning efforts. He added
that the general manager for AMHS reported to the deputy
commissioner, so communication would be ongoing. Furthermore,
he envisioned that the deputy commissioner would be a liaison
between the board and AMHS to ensure that communication was
clear in all strategic planning efforts.
3:54:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY removed her objection. There being no
further objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.
3:55:09 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS moved to adopt Amendment 3 to HB 63,
Version O, labeled 32-LS0286\O.7, Fisher, 4/22/21, which read:
Page 3, line 26:
Delete "three-year"
Insert "six-year [THREE-YEAR]"
Page 6, line 11:
Delete "one-year"
Insert "two-year"
Page 6, line 14:
Delete "one-year"
Insert "two-year"
Page 6, line 16:
Delete "two-year"
Insert "four-year"
Page 6, line 18:
Delete "three-year"
Insert "six-year"
REPRESENTATIVE STORY objected for the purpose of discussion.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS explained that the constitutional ability
to inhibit the governor's appointees from serving at the
pleasure of the governor was nonexistent for advisory boards;
therefore, Amendment 3 would implement a six-year term for the
board members [appointed by the governor].
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE sought to clarify whether the board members
appointed by the governor and presiding officers would require
confirmation by the legislature.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS deferred the question to Mr. Crocker.
3:58:07 PM
KERRY CROCKER, Staff, Representative Louise Stutes, on behalf of
Representative Stutes, prime sponsor of HB 63, explained that
the proposed legislation utilized existing statutory language
for the Marine Transportation Advisory Board (MTAB), which did
not require its members to be confirmed by the legislature.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR understood that legislative confirmation
would require inserting the language "subject to confirmation by
the legislature."
3:58:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY removed her objection. There being no
further objection, Amendment 3 was adopted.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS explained that the following amendment,
Amendment 4, provided that AMHS's performance measures should be
communicated to the public and the media in an easily available
manner.
4:00:11 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS moved to adopt Amendment 4 to HB 63,
Version O, labeled 32-LS0286\O.6, Fisher, 4/22/21, which read:
Page 2, line 8, following "AS 19.65.110":
Insert ";
(9) report, in a manner that is easily
available to the public and the media, including on
the department's Internet website, on the progress of
the Alaska marine highway system in meeting the
performance goals established by the Alaska Marine
Highway Operations Board under AS 19.65.180(i);"
Page 5, following line 15:
Insert a new subsection to read:
"(i) The board shall identify performance
measures and set corresponding annual performance
goals for the Alaska marine highway system. These
goals may include fare box recovery, on-time
performance, and percentage of administrative
overhead. In this subsection, "fare box recovery"
means the fraction of the Alaska marine highway
system's operating expenses that are met by the fares
paid by passengers."
REPRESENTATIVE TARR objected for the purpose of discussion.
4:00:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR sought to confirm that the board would
identify performance measures, which would be prepared and
reported on an annual basis.
4:01:24 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 4:01 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.
4:05:40 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS explained that during the at-ease, he had
taken the opportunity to assess the intersection of Amendment 4
and Version O and consider Representative Tarr's question.
4:06:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN suggested utilizing the intent section of
the CS.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS conveyed that per Amendment 4, AMHS would
report to the public on its execution of the performance
measures that were identified in the short-term and long-term
plans. He indicated that the goal was to establish
accountability to the public and the media in terms of how AMHS
was functioning. He further noted that the performance measures
would be identified by the board.
4:07:29 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS moved to adopt a Conceptual Amendment 1 to
Amendment 4, which would delete lines 8-15 and change the
statutory citation on line 6 from AS 19.65.180(i) to AS
19.65.011. There being no objection, the Conceptual Amendment 1
to Amendment 4 was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR removed her objection to Amendment 4, as
amended. There being no further objection, Amendment 4, as
amended, was adopted.
4:09:16 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS invited additional comments from committee
members on HB 63, Version O, as amended.
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN thanked the chair for his extensive work
with the bill sponsor and members of the committee.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked the committee for its work on the
current version of HB 63. She believed the legislation would
help with oversight and awareness and ensure that AMHS was well-
functioning.
4:10:19 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS expressed his appreciation for all the
conversations, work, and contributions from the committee on
this piece of legislation. Additionally, he stated his
appreciation for the leadership at DOT&PF. He opined that the
bill spoke to coastal Alaska's desire for more involvement,
oversight, direction, and a sense of equity for the future of
AMHS. He said he was excited that the bill was moving forward
and expressed his hope that it would be a stepping stone toward
further exploration of a public corporation model.
4:11:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report CSHB 63, Version 32-
LS0286\O, Fisher, 4/20/21, as amended, out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, CSHB 63(STA) was reported out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
4:11:51 PM
MR. CROCKER thanked the committee members on behalf of the bill
sponsor, Representative Stutes, for all their time and effort.
HB 123-STATE RECOGNITION OF TRIBES
4:12:10 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 123, "An Act providing for state
recognition of federally recognized tribes; and providing for an
effective date."
4:12:48 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on HB 123.
4:13:12 PM
JOEL JACKSON, President, Organized Village of Kake, stated his
support for HB 123. He asserted that tribes had not been
recognized by the State of Alaska. He opined that the state
recognized tribes only when it wanted to work with them;
further, he said the state had asked tribes to relinquish part
of their sovereignty. He believed that was unacceptable. He
reported that there were 229 tribes in Alaska that provided
services to all their tribal citizens using millions of dollars
from the federal government. Those services would otherwise be
paid for by the state, he pointed out. He believed it was time
for the state to recognize and work with tribes without asking
them to relinquish any sovereignty.
4:15:17 PM
DELORES LARSON, United Tribes of Bristol Bay (UTBB), expressed
support for HB 123, as it would take an overdue step toward the
state's formal recognition of Alaska's tribal nation. She
believed that the tribes' inherent sovereignty should be
recognized by the state because it would allow both governments
to work together to better serve its shared citizens. She
opined that the many challenges in public safety, healthcare,
education, and housing, would be better addressed through
cooperative work between governments. She maintained that a
continued and intentional effort not to formally recognize the
229 federally recognized tribal governments would be a
tremendous disservice to all citizens of Alaska. She urged the
committee to support HB 123.
4:17:50 PM
COURTENAY CARTY, Tribal Administrator, Curyung Tribal Council,
relayed that Curyung Tribal Council was the federally recognized
tribe of Dillingham and the largest tribe in Bristol Bay. The
majority of its tribal government services were provided through
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) compact with the Bristol Bay
Native Association. Additionally, she reported that the Curyung
Tribal Council regularly worked with the state and the City of
Dillingham on the justice system, education, transportation,
infrastructure, and natural resource management. Further, the
council operated an active tribal court to protect its children.
She explained that Curyung Tribal Council partnered with the
local school district to incorporate cultural components into
the classrooms. This year alone, $311,000 was provided to the
district for educational needs related to COVID-19. She
conveyed that the council upheld its traditional role in the
management of land, water, fish, and wildlife by working with
ADF&G and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to actively
participate in research and the regulatory processes that
governed natural resources. She concluded that all tribes
deserved to be heard and recognized as equal governments by the
state. She expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to
provide input and said she was grateful that HB 123 was being
heard in committee.
4:22:03 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining there was no one else
that wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 123.
4:22:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR thanked the testifiers for sharing in the
significance of this legislation. She recalled her experience
on the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs and believed
that although recognition existed federally, there was pain
associated with this ongoing issue that the state had not
addressed. She said she was honored to have the opportunity to
right that wrong.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said her experience on the House Special
Committee on Tribal Affairs was educational, as there were less
than 3 percent of Alaska Natives living in her district. She
explained that she gained a broader understanding of the need
for recognition and the tension that existed between the state
and tribal governments. She believed that the proposed
legislation would be a brave step; however, she admitted that it
was still uncomfortable for her. She recounted how a tribal
member helped her understand that tribes were inherently
sovereign; further, she said [formal recognition] would only
improve the existing relationship between the state and Tribal
governments. She expressed her hope that the proposed
legislation would provide an opportunity to move forward and
"lay aside" the pain from the past. In closing, she expressed
her support for the passage of HB 123.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked the bill sponsor for bringing
forward a bill that would formally recognize tribal sovereignty.
She said she had the privilege of raising her family on Áak'w
Kwáan land and believed that sovereign recognition would be a
step in the long journey of healing and restoration. She
expressed her hoped that the bill would be supported.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS stated his appreciation for the work by the
bill sponsor and the previous legislature on this issue, as it
was long overdue. He believed it was in incredibly important
statement of respect and partnership by the State of Alaska to
the tribes. He shared a personal anecdote about the government-
to-government relationship in the community of Sitka.
4:27:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report HB 123 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HB 123 was reported out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
HB 148-ALASKA COORDINATE SYSTEM OF 2022
4:28:23 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 148, "An Act relating to the Alaska
Coordinate System of 2022."
4:28:39 PM
REECE WILLIAMS, Staff, Representative Laddie Shaw, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Shaw, prime sponsor,
thanked the committee for hearing HB 148, as well as Laura Ogan
from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for her
assistance.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on HB 148. After
ascertaining that no one wished to testify, he closed public
testimony.
4:29:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report HB 148 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, HB 148 was reported out of the
House State Affairs Standing Committee.
4:29:37 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS provided closing remarks and reviewed the
upcoming schedule.
4:32:00 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 4:32
p.m.