txt

SCS CSHJR 22(JUD): Relating to the USA PATRIOT Act, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution of the State of Alaska, and the civil liberties, peace, and security of the citizens of our country.

00 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22(JUD) 01 Relating to the USA PATRIOT Act, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution of the State of 02 Alaska, and the civil liberties, peace, and security of the citizens of our country. 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS the State of Alaska recognizes the Constitution of the United States as 05 our charter of liberty, and that the Bill of Rights enshrines the fundamental and inalienable 06 rights of Americans, including the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and privacy; and 07 WHEREAS each of Alaska's duly elected public servants has sworn to defend and 08 uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Alaska; and 09 WHEREAS the State of Alaska denounces and condemns all acts of terrorism, 10 wherever occurring; and 11 WHEREAS attacks against Americans such as those that occurred on September 11, 12 2001, have necessitated the crafting of effective laws to protect the public from terrorist 13 attacks; and 14 WHEREAS any new security measures of federal, state, and local governments 15 should be carefully designed and employed to enhance public safety without infringing on the 16 civil liberties and rights of innocent citizens of the State of Alaska and the nation; and

01 WHEREAS certain provisions of the "Uniting and Strengthening America by 02 Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001", also 03 known as the USA PATRIOT Act, allow the federal government more liberally to detain and 04 investigate citizens and engage in surveillance activities that may violate or offend the rights 05 and liberties guaranteed by our state and federal constitutions; 06 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the government of the 07 United States of America in its campaign against terrorism, and affirms its commitment that 08 the campaign not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties of citizens of 09 this country contained in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights; and be it 10 FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the policy of the State of Alaska to oppose any 11 portion of the USA PATRIOT Act that would violate the rights and liberties guaranteed 12 equally under the state and federal constitutions; and be it 13 FURTHER RESOLVED that, in accordance with Alaska state policy, an agency or 14 instrumentality of the State of Alaska, in the absence of reasonable suspicion of criminal 15 activity under Alaska State law, may not 16 (1) initiate, participate in, or assist or cooperate with an inquiry, investigation, 17 surveillance, or detention; 18 (2) record, file, or share intelligence information concerning a person or 19 organization, including library lending and research records, book and video store sales and 20 rental records, medical records, financial records, student records, and other personal data, 21 even if authorized under the USA PATRIOT Act; 22 (3) retain such intelligence information; the state Attorney General shall 23 review the intelligence information currently held by the state for its legality and 24 appropriateness under the United States and Alaska Constitutions and permanently dispose of 25 it if there is no reasonable suspicion of criminal activity; and be it 26 FURTHER RESOLVED that an agency or instrumentality of the state may not, 27 (1) use state resources or institutions for the enforcement of federal 28 immigration matters, which are the responsibility of the federal government; 29 (2) collect or maintain information about the political, religious, or social 30 views, associations, or activities of any individual, group, association, organization, 31 corporation, business, or partnership, unless the information directly relates to an

01 investigation of criminal activities and there are reasonable grounds to suspect the subject of 02 the information is or may be involved in criminal conduct; 03 (3) engage in racial profiling; law enforcement agencies may not use race, 04 religion, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in selecting individuals to subject to 05 investigatory activities except when seeking to apprehend a specific suspect whose race, 06 religion, ethnicity, or national origin is part of the description of the suspect; and be it; 07 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature implores the United States 08 Congress to correct provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act and other measures that infringe on 09 civil liberties, and opposes any pending and future federal legislation to the extent that it 10 infringes on Americans' civil rights and liberties. 11 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable George W. Bush, President 12 of the United States; the Honorable John Ashcroft, Attorney General of the United States; the 13 Honorable Frank Murkowski, Governor of Alaska; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the 14 Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. 15 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.