SB 53: "An Act reestablishing the Alaska Commission on the Status of Women; and relating to the purpose and powers of the Alaska Human Relations Commission."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 53 01 "An Act reestablishing the Alaska Commission on the Status of Women; and relating to 02 the purpose and powers of the Alaska Human Relations Commission." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 44.19 is amended by adding new sections to read: 05 Article 6. Alaska Commission on the Status of Women. 06 Sec. 44.19.628. Creation and membership of commission. (a) The Alaska 07 Commission on the Status of Women is established in the Office of the Governor. 08 (b) The commission consists of two members of the executive branch and 09 seven public members, appointed by the governor, who serve at the pleasure of the 10 governor. All members shall be residents of the state. At least one public member shall 11 be a person who manages a household that includes the person's spouse and at least 12 one child and who is not otherwise employed. 13 (c) The governor shall appoint members on a nonpartisan and 14 nondiscriminatory basis. In making the appointments, the governor shall consider
01 (1) recommendations made by civic organizations, women's 02 organizations, educational and vocational groups, employer groups, labor unions, 03 church groups, homemakers' clubs and organizations, and other groups having an 04 interest in the welfare and status of women; 05 (2) the statewide geographical representation of the commission; 06 (3) minority and low-income representation; 07 (4) the representation of senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and 08 persons from a variety of occupational categories; and 09 (5) the representation of persons with different marital statuses and 10 persons with various numbers of children. 11 (d) The commission shall elect one of its members as chair. The chair may 12 appoint other officers as necessary. 13 Sec. 44.19.629. Terms of office; compensation. (a) The term of office of a 14 member of the commission is three years. Terms shall be staggered. A member may 15 not serve more than six consecutive years. 16 (b) A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 17 A person appointed to a vacancy serves for the unexpired portion of a term. 18 (c) Public members of the commission do not receive compensation for their 19 services but are entitled to per diem and travel allowances authorized by law for other 20 boards and commissions. 21 Sec. 44.19.630. Meetings. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for 22 conducting business and exercising the powers of the commission. The commission 23 shall meet at the call of the chair, at the request of the majority of the members, or at a 24 regularly scheduled time as determined by a majority of the members. 25 Sec. 44.19.631. Powers and duties of the commission. (a) The purpose of the 26 commission is to improve the status of women in the state by conducting research, by 27 serving as a referral service for information and education to help women avail 28 themselves of existing resources to meet their needs, and by making and implementing 29 recommendations on the opportunities, needs, problems, and contributions of women 30 in the state, including 31 (1) education;
01 (2) homemaking; 02 (3) civil and legal rights; and 03 (4) labor and employment. 04 (b) To accomplish this purpose, the commission may 05 (1) act as a clearinghouse and coordinating body for governmental and 06 nongovernmental information relating to the status of women; 07 (2) cooperate with public and private agencies in joint efforts to study 08 and resolve problems relating to the status of women in the state; 09 (3) accumulate and compile information concerning discrimination 10 against women; 11 (4) disseminate the results of research and compilation of data acquired 12 under (3) of this subsection by publication and other methods, such as public hearings, 13 conferences, and seminars; 14 (5) study and analyze all facts relating to Alaska laws, regulations, and 15 guidelines with respect to equal protection for women under the state constitution; 16 (6) recommend legislative and administrative action on equal treatment 17 and opportunities for women; 18 (7) encourage women to use their capabilities and to assume leadership 19 roles; 20 (8) encourage the development of regional and municipal women's 21 councils or commissions; and 22 (9) accept, on behalf of the state, contributions of services, materials, 23 or money to assist in meeting the cost of carrying out AS 44.19.628 - 44.19.631. 24 (c) When conducting research, acting as a referral service, serving as a forum 25 for ideas, or developing recommendations related to the welfare of women, the 26 commission shall solicit and consider information and views from a variety of 27 constituencies to represent the broad spectrum of diversity that exists with respect to 28 possible approaches for meeting the needs of women in the state. 29 (d) On the request of the commission, an executive branch department shall 30 cooperate with the commission in the performance of its duties under this section. The 31 commission may use legal, technical, secretarial, and administrative services as may
01 be provided by the governor. 02 (e) The commission shall prepare and publish an annual report on the status of 03 women in the state, the commission's proceedings for the previous calendar year, and 04 its recommendations and proposals for change. The commission shall provide the 05 governor and legislature with copies of the report by the 15th day of each regular 06 legislative session. 07 * Sec. 2. AS 44.19.608 is repealed. 08 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 09 read: 10 MEMBERS OF THE ALASKA COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN; 11 STAGGERED TERMS. Notwithstanding AS 44.19.629, added by sec. 1 of this Act, the 12 terms of the initially appointed members of the Alaska Commission on the Status of Women, 13 established under AS 44.19.628, enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, shall be set in the manner 14 provided by AS 39.05.055(7).