ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  March 28, 2017 3:32 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Mike Dunleavy, Chair Senator David Wilson Senator Cathy Giessel Senator John Coghill Senator Dennis Egan MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  CONFIRMATION HEARING Alaska Police Standards Council Wendi Shackelford - CONFIRMATION ADVANCED SENATE BILL NO. 8 "An Act allowing federally recognized tribal governments to receive contributions from permanent fund dividends." - HEARD & HELD HOUSE BILL NO. 78 "An Act establishing the second Monday of October of each year as Indigenous Peoples Day." - HEARD & HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 8 SHORT TITLE: PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEVENS 01/09/17 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/17 01/18/17 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/18/17 (S) STA, FIN 03/23/17 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 03/23/17 (S) Bill Hearing Postponed to 3/28/17 03/28/17 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 BILL: HB 78 SHORT TITLE: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) WESTLAKE 01/25/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/25/17 (H) CRA 01/31/17 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124 01/31/17 (H) Moved HB 78 Out of Committee 01/31/17 (H) MINUTE(CRA) 02/01/17 (H) CRA RPT 4DP 2NR 02/01/17 (H) DP: WESTLAKE, DRUMMOND, FANSLER, PARISH 02/01/17 (H) NR: TALERICO, RAUSCHER 02/03/17 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) 02/03/17 (H) VERSION: HB 78 02/06/17 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/06/17 (S) CRA, STA 02/21/17 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 02/21/17 (S) Scheduled but Not Heard 02/23/17 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 02/23/17 (S) Heard & Held 02/23/17 (S) MINUTE(CRA) 02/28/17 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 02/28/17 (S) Moved HB 78 Out of Committee 02/28/17 (S) MINUTE(CRA) 03/01/17 (S) CRA RPT 4DP 03/01/17 (S) DP: BISHOP, HOFFMAN, GARDNER, MACKINNON 03/23/17 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 03/23/17 (S) Bill Hearing Postponed to 3/28/17 03/28/17 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER WENDI SHACKELFORD, Appointee Alaska Police Standards Council Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as the public-member appointee to the Alaska Police Standards Council. DOUG LETCH, Staff Senator Gary Stevens Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of SB 8. SENATOR GARY STEVENS Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 8. REPRESENTATIVE DEAN WESTLAKE Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 78. ELIZABETH MEDICINE CROW, President/CEO First Alaskans Institute Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. CONSTANCE MUNRO, Advocate Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. KATHERINE HOPE, Advocate Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. ANNE FULLER, Advocate Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 10 Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. E.J. DAVID, representing self Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. SHAWN ARNOLD, Superintendent Nome Public Schools Nome, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. YATIBAEY EVANS, Native Education Director Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Fairbanks, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 78. ACTION NARRATIVE 3:32:31 PM CHAIR MIKE DUNLEAVY called the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Wilson, Egan, and Chair Dunleavy. ^Confirmation Hearing: Alaska Police Standards Council CONFIRMATION HEARING    Alaska Police Standards Council  3:33:08 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced that the committee would hear from Wendi Shakelford, the governor's public-member appointee for the Alaska Police Standards Council. He explained that the council's mission is to produce and maintain a highly trained and positively motivated professional, capable of meeting contemporary law enforcement standards of performance. He detailed that Ms. Shackelford was first appointed to the council as a public member on July 27, 2016 and reappointed on March 1, 2017. He disclosed that Ms. Shackelford's term will expire on March 1, 2021. 3:33:49 PM WENDI SHACKELFORD, Appointee, Alaska Police Standards Council, Anchorage, Alaska, provided her background information to the committee members as follows: I am a retired police officer with the Anchorage Police Department where I served for 20 years. My specialty during that time was crisis intervention with folks experiencing significant mental-health issues. I have been pretty involved in the ongoing training of police officers during my 20-year career and now that I'm retired I have continued to do that sort of support work training police officers with mental-health-crisis intervention as well as peer support and self-care. 3:33:54 PM SENATOR GIESSEL joined the committee meeting. 3:34:54 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY opened and closed public testimony. CHAIR DUNLEAVY read the following statement regarding committee appointment recommendations: In accordance with AS 39.05.080, the Senate State Affairs Committee reviewed the following and recommends the appointment be forwarded to a joint session for consideration: Wendi Shackelford for the Police Standards Council. This does not reflect an intent by any of the members to vote for or against the confirmation of the individual during any further sessions. 3:35:38 PM At ease. SB 8-PFD CONTRIBUTIONS TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS  3:36:22 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY called the committee back to order. He announced the consideration of SB 8. 3:36:41 PM DOUG LETCH, Staff, Senator Gary Stevens, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that SB 8 is straight- forward legislation which will allow the federally recognized tribal governments in Alaska to receive contributions from the permanent fund's dividends through the popular "Pick.Click.Give." program. He detailed that Senator Stevens' office was approached by the Kodiak tribal organizations for the "Pick.Click.Give." idea a few years ago and other organizations around the state have provided additional support as well. He noted that nobody has testified in opposition to the bill. He disclosed that Alaska has more than 200-federally-recognized- tribal governments that provide a variety of cultural, charitable and social services to their members and communities throughout the state. He said like many nonprofits, financial donations are a key component to the tribal organizations' budgets. He summarized that the addition of tribal organizations to the "Pick.Click.Give." program will allow them the same opportunities that Alaska's charitable organizations and nonprofits enjoy by being a part of the program. He detailed that SB 8 will allow the Alaska Department of Revenue to add the state's federally-recognized governments to the "Pick.Click.Give." program. He noted that the federally- recognized governments will be subjected to the same "Pick.Click.Give." regulations and the $250 application fee that is currently applied to program participants. He added that SB 8 has a zero-fiscal note because the program's cost is borne by the people that will take part in the program. He noted that since 2009, "Pick.Click.Give." has made it easier for Alaskans to help hundreds of nonprofits fulfill their missions through direct contributions through the permanent fund dividend (PFD). He set forth that SB 8 will help tribal entities continue their work in a new manner. 3:37:14 PM SENATOR COGHILL joined the committee meeting. 3:39:35 PM SENATOR GARY STEVENS, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 8, reiterated that the bill was submitted at the request of native corporations to allow them to participate in the "Pick.Click.Give." program. SENATOR WILSON stated that he has a general concern or question regarding the bill. He asserted that he is fine with the many people that like to give their PFD to charities and the act is a wonderful thing to do. He noted that depending on how the tribal courts are set up, he is concerned with children's rights. He asked if there is a clause that does not allow a child's custodian to give the child's PFD to a tribal organization. MR. LETCH replied that he will get back to Senator Wilson with additional information. 3:40:57 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced that SB 8 will be held in committee for future consideration. 3:41:06 PM At ease. HB 78-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY  3:41:34 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY called the committee back to order and announced the consideration of HB 78. 3:41:53 PM REPRESENTATIVE DEAN WESTLAKE, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HB 78, specified that the bill establishes the second Monday of October each year as "Indigenous Peoples Day," the day that also recognizes "Columbus Day." He noted that the bill earlier addressed by the committee pointed out that there are over 220 tribes in Alaska and HB 78 recognizes those native cultures and their rich history of working with everyone. He mentioned that Governor Walker has proclaimed Indigenous Peoples Day the second Monday of October over the past two years and the intent of the bill is to continue its observance. 3:42:56 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY opened public and invited testimony on HB 78. 3:43:23 PM ELIZABETH MEDICINE CROW, President/CEO, First Alaskans Institute, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. She thanked Representative Westlake and Elizabeth Rexford for putting forward HB 78 in support of Indigenous Peoples Day. She disclosed that for the past few years there has been a grassroots effort around the state to recognize the amazing contributions of Alaska's diverse indigenous people. She disclosed that both the governor of Alaska and the mayor of Anchorage have recognized Indigenous Peoples Day over the past several years and noted that the proclamations occurred with great fanfare at the First Alaskans Institute Elders and Youth Conference. She set forth that HB 78 is incredibly important as a way for people to feel a connection between Alaska and Alaska's native people. 3:46:41 PM CONSTANCE MUNRO, Advocate, Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. She said HB 78 will recognize the thousands of years of native Alaskans' culture, history and contributions that they gave to all the people. 3:50:15 PM KATHERINE HOPE, Advocate, Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. She shared stories of her Tlingit heritage and noted their emphasis in treating people equally. 3:52:19 PM ANNE FULLER, Advocate, Alaska Native Sisterhood - Glacier Valley Camp 70, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. She said through history the original people of Alaska have welcomed newcomers and HB 78 offers the state and current residents an opportunity to honor native Alaskan people. 3:53:01 PM E.J. DAVID, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. He asserted that Indigenous Peoples Day should have been done a long time ago out of respect to the indigenous peoples of Alaska. 3:55:41 PM SHAWN ARNOLD, Superintendent, Nome Public Schools, Nome, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. He set forth that Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes and celebrates the heritage of indigenous peoples throughout the Americas as well as the history and contribution of Alaska natives. He asserted that recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day is a matter of respect. He remarked that recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day in October of 2015 made sense to the Nome Public Schools because over 80 percent of its students are of Alaska native heritage. He disclosed that the Nome Public Schools was the second school district to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day after Fairbanks. He opined that changing the second Monday in October from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day would better reflect the state's communities and a true, accurate account of the history of indigenous people beginning long before Christopher Columbus sailed, which is necessary to set the historical record straight and to respect the traditional cultures and languages of Alaska's indigenous people. 3:57:32 PM YATIBAEY EVANS, Alaska Native Education Director, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support of HB 78. She disclosed that an Indigenous Peoples Day resolution was first passed in 2015 by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. She said the school district's resolution began its process through a group of concerned Alaskan-native parents that recognized a need for students and the community to have a positive attribute to look up to and to see all the contributions of the people that represent Alaska over thousands of years. She set forth that Alaska's indigenous people have contributed to the state's culture, structure, economy, and society. She asserted that by acknowledging the indigenous people, Alaska will create a positive precedence which will further enhance multi-cultural connections and help propel the state's communities forward. 3:59:18 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced that invited testimony is concluded for the day. He asked Representative Westlake if HB 78 would replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. REPRESENTATIVE WESTLAKE answered that Indigenous Peoples Day would be inclusive of Columbus Day. He asserted that Alaska's native people have never been exclusive, and their tradition will proudly continue. CHAIR DUNLEAVY thanked Representative Westlake and noted that his previous comment essentially says there is room enough on the specified day in October for indigenous people. REPRESENTATIVE WESTLAKE asserted that there is room, "For all of us." 4:00:14 PM CHAIR DUNLEAVY held HB 78 in committee for future consideration. 4:00:39 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Dunleavy adjourned the Senate State Affairs Committee at 4:00 p.m.