00 Enrolled SCR 24 01 Establishing the Alaska Legislative Celebration Commission to organize events to 02 commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first convening of the legislative branch of 03 government in Alaska. 04 _______________ 05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 WHEREAS the United States of America acquired the Alaska territory from Russia 07 by the Treaty of Cession of March 30, 1867, for $7,200,000; and 08 WHEREAS local government was not officially instituted in the Alaska territory until 09 1884, when the United States Congress passed the Organic Act, "An act providing for a civil 10 government for Alaska"; and 11 WHEREAS the Organic Act redesignated Alaska as an incorporated but unorganized 12 territory renamed the District of Alaska and provided for a governor, a district court of 13 general jurisdiction, a district judge, and court officials, all appointed by the President of the 14 United States; and 15 WHEREAS, from 1884 to 1912, several efforts that were made to petition the United 16 States Congress for the institution of more representative government in the District of Alaska 01 and, specifically, for an elected legislative body, failed or were largely ignored; and 02 WHEREAS, following substantial grassroots efforts and the promotional work of 03 James Wickersham, the United States Congress approved the Second Organic Act on 04 August 24, 1912, making Alaska a territory of the United States and providing for an elected 05 legislative body vested with very limited powers; and 06 WHEREAS, following local elections in November 1912, the first legislative body of 07 the Territory of Alaska, consisting of eight senators and 16 representatives, was convened on 08 March 3, 1913, in Juneau, Alaska; and 09 WHEREAS March 3, 2013, will mark the 100thanniversary of the first convening of 10 Alaska's legislative branch of government; and 11 WHEREAS it is fitting that the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first 12 convening of Alaska's legislative branch be commensurate with Alaska's magnificent heritage 13 and celebrate the opportunities that 100 years of representative government have brought to 14 the state and its people; and 15 WHEREAS the organization of a statewide celebration to commemorate the occasion 16 properly will require advance research, planning, and other preparation; 17 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature establishes the Alaska 18 Legislative Celebration Commission, which may meet during the interim between legislative 19 sessions, to research, plan, and prepare for the 100th anniversary of the first convening of the 20 legislative branch of government in Alaska; and be it 21 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall consist of two members from the 22 house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, two 23 members from the senate appointed by the president of the senate, and three public members 24 appointed jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the 25 senate; and be it 26 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if a member of the commission resigns or is otherwise 27 unable to perform the duties of a member of the commission or if a legislative member of the 28 commission is no longer a member of the legislative body from which the member was 29 appointed, the officer responsible for appointing the member shall appoint a replacement 30 member as soon as is practicable; and be it 31 FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the members of the commission 01 constitutes a quorum; the commission may approve measures, make recommendations, and 02 take other action based on a vote of a majority of the quorum that is present; the members 03 shall elect from among the membership a chair and other officers as may be required to fulfill 04 the duties of the commission; and be it 05 FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the commission serve without 06 compensation but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and 07 commissions in statute; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that the staff of the legislative members of the commission 09 and staff of the Legislative Affairs Agency shall serve as staff for the commission; and be it 10 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall plan and administer activities 11 leading up to and relating to the official commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first 12 convening of the legislative branch of government in Alaska; and be it 13 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission may engage in joint projects with 14 municipalities, civic organizations, and other entities to help identify ways to commemorate 15 and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first convening of the legislative branch, and that 16 the commission shall be dissolved not later than March 3, 2014.