03/13/2023 03:00 PM House TRIBAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB26 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 26 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
March 13, 2023
3:05 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative CJ McCormick, Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Sarah Vance
Representative Josiah Patkotak
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative Maxine Dibert
Representative Jennie Armstrong
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 26
"An Act renaming the Alaska Native Language Preservation and
Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native Languages; and
relating to the Council for Alaska Native Languages."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 26
SHORT TITLE: COUNCIL FOR ALASKA NATIVE LANGUAGES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STORY
01/19/23 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/23
01/19/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/19/23 (H) EDC, FIN
02/10/23 (H) TRB REPLACES EDC REFERRAL
02/10/23 (H) BILL REPRINTED
03/08/23 (H) TRB AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
03/08/23 (H) Heard & Held
03/08/23 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
03/13/23 (H) TRB AT 3:00 PM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As the prime sponsor, presented HB 26.
MIRANDA WORL, Staff
Representative Andi Story
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an explanation for a possible
amendment to HB 26 on behalf of Representative Story, prime
sponsor.
WALKIE CHARLES, Ph.D., Director
Alaska Native Language Center
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 26.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:05:45 PM
CHAIR CJ MCCORMICK called the House Special Committee on Tribal
Affairs meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. Representatives Vance,
Patkotak, Allard, Armstrong, and McCormick were present at the
call to order. Representatives Carpenter and Dibert arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
HB 26-COUNCIL FOR ALASKA NATIVE LANGUAGES
3:06:36 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 26, "An Act renaming the Alaska Native
Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for
Alaska Native Languages; and relating to the Council for Alaska
Native Languages."
3:06:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, stated HB 26 would do two things: change the name of
the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council to
the Council for Alaska Native Language; and add two non-voting
members to expand council membership from five to seven to
represent more languages within Alaska. She commented on a
question from a previous committee meeting about the fiscal note
for HB 26, stating that the addition of $10,000 for the
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
(DCCED) would cover travel costs for the council as required in
statute. She added that the staff for the council is employed
under DCCED, and there is only a single state employee, Roy
Mitchell, who is the research analyst.
3:09:11 PM
MIRANDA WORL, Staff, Representative Andi Story, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Story, prime sponsor of
_
HB 26, said the proposed amendment from X'unei Lance Twitchell
in the previous committee meeting would revise the official list
of languages under AS 44.12.310(a) from 20 to 23 officially
recognized languages. She stated the revision would add Wetal
and Cup'ig to the list of languages, and would divide Tanana
into Lower Tanana and Middle Tanana.
3:10:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD stated she would bring forward the
amendment on Wednesday.
3:10:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said Mr. Twitchell had also suggested to
increase the number of state positions from one to two. She
emphasized the council is concerned with the state of emergency
as Alaska Native languages are going dormant. She added that
the lack of funding is making it difficult for the council to
initiate and maintain contact with Alaska Native language
stakeholders, and that the single research analyst was managing
travel arrangements. She recommended to the committee to read
the executive summary of the council's report, and suggested it
could be appropriate to invite the council to discuss the state
of Alaska Native languages.
3:13:41 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK expressed interest in inviting the council to
speak to the committee.
3:13:58 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:13 p.m. to 3:14 p.m.
3:14:57 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK opened public testimony on HB 26.
3:15:46 PM
WALKIE CHARLES, Ph.D., Director, Alaska Native Language Center,
stated he is the first Alaska Native director of the Alaska
Native Language Center (ANLC), which was established in 1972 to
revitalize, promote, research, and document Alaska Native
languages. He said he is in support of HB 26 on behalf of ANLC
and the Indigenous people of Alaska, to change the name from
Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council to the
Council for Alaska Native Language to make a clear and
understandable title for the council.
3:18:44 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 26.
3:19:04 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:19 p.m.
3:19:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY emphasized as the liaison from the council
that the issue was important to the lives of all people, Native
and non-Native.
3:20:24 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK set the amendment deadline for HB 26 as March 16
at 5:00 p.m. and [announced HB 26 was held over.]
3:21:03 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Tribal Affairs meeting was adjourned at
3:21 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB0026A.PDF |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Sponsor Statement 03.01.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Sectional Analysis 03.01.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Fiscal Note 03.06.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 ANLPAC 2022 Report to the Governor and Legislature.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Indigenous Language List 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 ANLPAC 2022 Summary of Recommendations Sheet 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Invited Testimony 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/13/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |