05/01/2025 08:00 AM House TRIBAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB59 | |
| HB126 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 59 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 126 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
May 1, 2025
8:03 a.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Maxine Dibert, Chair
Representative Ashley Carrick
Representative Robyn Niayuq Burke
Representative Andi Story
Representative Rebecca Schwanke
Representative Jubilee Underwood
Representative Elexie Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 59
"An Act relating to demonstration state-tribal education
compacts; relating to demonstration state-tribal education
compact schools; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 59(TRB) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 126
"An Act relating to the reinstatement of Native corporations;
and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 59
SHORT TITLE: STATE-TRIBAL EDUCATION COMPACTS
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
01/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/25 (H) TRB, EDC
02/11/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
02/11/25 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
02/13/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
02/13/25 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
02/18/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
02/18/25 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
03/13/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
03/13/25 (H) Heard & Held
03/13/25 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
04/08/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/08/25 (H) Heard & Held
04/08/25 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
04/24/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
04/24/25 (H) Heard & Held
04/24/25 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
05/01/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
BILL: HB 126
SHORT TITLE: REINSTATEMENT OF NATIVE CORPS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) FOSTER
03/05/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/05/25 (H) TRB, CRA
05/01/25 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM DAVIS 106
WITNESS REGISTER
JOEL ISAAK, PhD
Compacting Consultant
Department of Education and Early Development
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of the sponsor, House Rules by
request of the governor, gave comments on Amendment 1 to HB 59.
DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of the sponsor, House Rules by
request of the governor, gave comments on Amendment 1 to HB 59.
PAUL LABOLLE, Staff
Representative Neal Foster
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of the prime sponsor,
Representative Foster, presented CSHB 126.
ROBERT SCHMIDT, Director
Division of Banking and Securities
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on CHHB 126.
SYLVAN ROBB, Director
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on CHHB 126.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:03:37 AM
CHAIR MAXINE DIBERT called the House Special Committee on Tribal
Affairs meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Representatives Schwanke,
Story, Carrick, and Dibert were present at the call to order.
Representatives Moore, Underwood, and Burke arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
HB 59-STATE-TRIBAL EDUCATION COMPACTS
8:04:32 AM
CHAIR DIBERT announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 59, "An Act relating to demonstration state-
tribal education compacts; relating to demonstration state-
tribal education compact schools; and providing for an effective
date."
8:05:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY noted that the next committee of referral
for HB 59 would be the House Education Standing Committee, of
which she is a member. She commented on discussion plans that
this committee has for HB 59.
CHAIR DIBERT expressed agreement that the proposed bill has
brought up some good discussion. She expressed appreciation to
the tribes and their work on the bill.
8:07:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY observed that she missed the amendment
deadline, and she noted her plans to introduce an amendment
during the next committee of referral. She explained that the
amendment would request that the Department of Education and
Early Development compile a list of curricula and lessons
recommended by Tribal Compacted Public Schools (TCPS). She
expressed the importance of this concerning school districts and
students across the state.
8:10:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE moved to adopt Amendment 1, 34-
GH1518\A.1 to HB 59, Bergerud, 4/30/25, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 9:
Delete "seven"
Insert "five"
Page 6, line 15:
Delete "2033"
Insert "2031"
Page 6, line 21:
Delete "2032"
Insert "2030"
8:10:21 AM
CHAIR DIBERT objected for the purpose of discussion.
8:10:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE explained that there are many moving
pieces in tribal compacting, and with the advancement of TCPS,
she expressed the understanding that issues would arise. She
stated that the proposed amendment would change the reevaluation
period for TCPS from seven to five years. She argued that a
review after five years would allow discussion and insights on
the compacting progress before the five-year contracts end and
the renewal process begins. She suggested that this timeline
adjustment would better serve the stakeholders.
8:12:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY questioned whether the amendment had been
discussed with the sponsor of the proposed legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE responded in the negative.
8:13:05 AM
JOEL ISAAK, PhD, Compacting Consultant, Department of Education
and Early Development (DEED), stated that the seven-year period
was used to give tribes enough time to start and operate the
TCPS program. He expressed the understanding that the change in
Amendment 1 would still give tribes time to do this. Concerning
the timeframe for submitting the report on TCPS back to the
legislature, he pointed out that the current version of the
proposed legislation would give DEED a flexible timeline;
therefore, the amendment would align with the intent of the
proposed bill. He expressed the understanding that the tribes
would be appreciative of coming back before the legislature
"sooner rather than later."
8:14:37 AM
DEENA BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Education and Early
Development, expressed support for Amendment 1. She expressed
the understanding that this could help tribal compacting move
forward into the five-year process sooner. She stated that DEED
is "eagerly awaiting" approval so the TCPS program could begin.
8:15:25 AM
CHAIR DIBERT removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
8:16:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to report CSHB 59, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 59(TRB) was
reported out of the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs.
8:16:31 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:16 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.
8:20:33 AM
HB 126-REINSTATEMENT OF NATIVE CORPS
CHAIR DIBERT announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 126, "An Act relating to the reinstatement of
Native corporations; and providing for an effective date."
8:21:24 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:21 a.m. to 8:22 a.m.
8:22:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt the committee substitute
(CS) for HB 126, Version 34-LS0099/I, Gunther, 3/25/25,
("Version I") as a working document.
CHAIR DIBERT objected for the purpose of discussion.
8:22:36 AM
PAUL LABOLLE, Staff, Representative Neal Foster, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of the prime sponsor, Representative
Foster, presented CSHB 126. He explained that the proposed
legislation would allow Native corporations to reincorporate
after they have been involuntarily dissolved. He stated that
the original version of the proposed legislation would give a
corporation a two-year window to reincorporate as the same
entity that had been listed under the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (ANCSA), with the same rights and assets as
established under the federal law. He explained that when a
corporation in Alaska is involuntarily dissolved, it currently
cannot reincorporate as the same entity; rather, the assets must
be redistributed to the shareholders and a new corporation would
have to be created. He added that the corporation could retain
the same name, but it would not be considered the same entity.
He stated that the proposed legislation would help maintain
consistency with ANCSA. He discussed previous attempts at
passing similar legislation.
8:25:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK expressed the understanding that the
proposed CS would make the reinstatement permanent. She
requested clarification on any other changes made.
MR. LABOLLE replied that a slight technical change would be made
in the language on page 1, line 5 through line 7, and line 8
through 11. Per Legislative Legal Services, he expressed the
understanding that this had been done so the language would be
more specific. He stated that the "main meat" of the proposed
legislation has not been changed.
8:27:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE UNDERWOOD questioned the meaning of "involuntary
dissolution."
MR. LABOLLE explained that an involuntary dissolution of a
corporation in Alaska could happen for many different reasons.
He described some Native corporations as "very small
organizations" with a board, but no employees; therefore, in
some situations, such as people passing away or moving out of
town, paperwork filings could be overlooked.
8:27:44 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MOORE questioned the process of verifying that a
dissolved Native corporation had resolved its issue.
MR. LABOLLE referred to the Department of Commerce, Community
and Economic Development (DCED).
8:28:12 AM
ROBERT SCHMIDT Director, Division of Banking and Securities,
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development,
explained that the Division of Banking and Securities would have
a limited role in overseeing this, and he deferred the question
to the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional
Licensing.
8:29:15 AM
SYLVAN ROBB, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development, explained that the verification process to
be reincorporated would be the same for all corporations in the
state, and any dissolved Native corporation would need to submit
the necessary paperwork to the division, along with the required
fees. He said that at this point the corporation could be
reinstated.
8:30:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked how many corporations have been
involuntarily dissolved.
MR. LABOLLE expressed uncertainty on the current number, but in
2018, there were 19 corporations between 2010 and 2018.
8:30:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MOORE questioned the process of corporations
being dissolved on an involuntary basis.
MR. LABOLLE responded that if paperwork for the corporation has
not been filed on time, there would be a two-year waiting
period. If the error has not been corrected after this, DCED
would dissolve the corporation. He reiterated that this is the
same for all corporations.
8:32:01 AM
CHAIR DIBERT removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Version I was before the committee.
8:32:38 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
8:32:55 AM
CHAIR DIBERT opened public testimony on HB 126. After
ascertaining that there was no one who wished to testify, she
closed public testimony.
8:33:36 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:33 a.m. to 8:36 a.m.
8:36:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to report CSHB 126 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, CSHB 126(TRB) was reported out
of the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs.
8:37:01 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Tribal Affairs meeting was adjourned at
8:37 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 126 version N.pdf |
HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Sponsor Statement version N.pdf |
HCRA 5/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Hearing Request version N.pdf |
HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Draft CS Version I.pdf |
HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Letter requesting reinstatment.pdf |
HCRA 5/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Fiscal Note DCCED.pdf |
HCRA 5/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |
| HB 126 Fiscal Note DCCED2.pdf |
HCRA 5/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HTRB 5/1/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 126 |