00 Enrolled HB 26                                                                                                          
01 Relating to the official languages of the State of Alaska; renaming the Alaska Native                                   
02 Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native Languages;                                  
03 relating to the transfer of the Council for Alaska Native Languages from the Department of                              
04 Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and                                        
05 Early Development; and relating to the Council for Alaska Native Languages.                                             
06                           _______________                                                                               
07    * Section 1. AS 14.07 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                    
08            Sec. 14.07.200. Council for Alaska Native Languages. (a) The Council for                                     
09       Alaska Native Languages is established in the department for the purpose of                                       
10       recommending the establishment or reorganization of programs to support the                                       
11       preservation, restoration, and revitalization of Alaska Native languages.                                         
12            (b)  The council established under this section shall                                                        
01                 (1)  advise both the governor and legislature on programs, policies, and                                
02       projects to provide for the cost-effective preservation, restoration, and revitalization of                       
03       Alaska Native languages in the state;                                                                             
04                 (2)  meet at least twice a year to carry out the purposes of the council;                               
05       members may participate in meetings telephonically; and                                                           
06                 (3)  prepare reports of its findings and recommendations for the                                        
07       governor's and the legislature's consideration on or before January 1 of each even-                               
08       numbered year.                                                                                                    
09            (c)  The governor shall appoint to the council established in this section seven                             
10 voting members who are professional language experts and who represent diverse                                          
11 regions of the state. In addition, one member of the senate appointed by the president                                  
12 of the senate and one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker                                   
13 of the house of representatives shall serve on the council as nonvoting members. In                                     
14 appointing the nonvoting members of the council, the president of the senate and the                                    
15 speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint a member of the bush caucus, if a                                 
16 bush caucus exists. In this subsection, "bush caucus" means a group of legislators that                                 
17       represents rural areas of the state.                                                                              
18 (d)  The members appointed by the governor shall serve at the pleasure of the                                           
19       governor.                                                                                                         
20 (e)  Members of the council shall serve without compensation but are entitled                                           
21       to per diem and travel expenses as provided under AS 39.20.180.                                                   
22 (f)  The department shall provide staff as needed to support the council; the                                           
23       staff must demonstrate competency in an Alaska Native language.                                                   
24    * Sec. 2. AS 44.12.310(a) is amended to read:                                                                        
25 (a)  The English, Inupiaq, Siberian Yupik, Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Cup'ig,                                            
26 Alutiiq, Unanga/Cx, Dena'ina, Deg Xinag, Holikachuk, Koyukon, Upper Kuskokwim,                                          
27 Gwich'in, [TANANA,] Upper Tanana, Sahcheeg xut'een xneege' (Middle Tanana),                                           
28 Benhti Kokhwt'ana Kenaga' (Lower Tanana), Tanacross, Hän, Ahtna, Wetal                                              
29 (Ts'etsa'ut), Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian languages are the official languages                                
30       of the State of Alaska.                                                                                           
31    * Sec. 3. AS 44.12.320 is amended to read:                                                                           
01 Sec. 44.12.320. Scope. [THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS THE LANGUAGE                                                            
02 TO BE USED BY ALL PUBLIC AGENCIES IN ALL GOVERNMENT                                                                     
03 FUNCTIONS AND ACTIONS.] The English language shall be used in the                                                       
04 preparation of all official public documents and records, including all documents                                       
05       officially compiled, published, or recorded by the government.                                                  
06    * Sec. 4. AS 44.33.520 is repealed.                                                                                  
07    * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                            
08 read:                                                                                                                   
09       TRANSITION. (a) The employees of the Department of Commerce, Community, and                                       
10 Economic Development who, on the day before the effective date of this Act, provide services                            
11 to the Council for Alaska Native Languages under former AS 44.33.520, repealed by sec. 4 of                             
12 this Act, do not become employees of the Department of Education and Early Development as                               
13 a result of the transfer of the Council for Alaska Native Languages from the Department of                              
14 Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and                                        
15 Early Development under AS 14.07.200, added by sec. 1 of this Act.                                                      
16 (b)  Orders and regulations issued or adopted under authority of a law amended or                                       
17 repealed by this Act remain in effect for the term issued, or until revoked, vacated, or                                
18 otherwise modified under the provisions of this Act. All contracts, rights, liabilities, and                            
19 obligations created by or under a law amended or repealed by this Act and in effect on the                              
20 effective date of this Act remain in effect notwithstanding this Act's taking effect. Records,                          
21 reports, equipment, and other property of the Council for Alaska Native Languages whose                                 
22 functions are transferred under this Act shall be transferred to implement the provisions of                            
23 this Act.                                                                                                               
24 (c)  A council member serving on the Council for Alaska Native Languages on the day                                     
25 before the effective date of this Act shall continue to serve as a council member of the                                
26 Council for Alaska Native Languages, transferred from the Department of Commerce,                                       
27 Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early                                            
28 Development under AS 14.07.200, added by sec. 1 of this Act, to the same extent that the                                
29 council member would have remained a member if the council had not been transferred.                                    
30 (d)  As soon as practicable after the effective date of AS 14.07.200(c), added by sec. 1                                
31 of this Act, the governor shall appoint to the Council for Alaska Native Languages the two                              
01 additional voting members created by AS 14.07.200(c), added by sec. 1 of this Act.