SCR 4: Establishing a legislative commission to review and make recommendations to the legislature relating to the official state seal and motto.
00 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4 01 Establishing a legislative commission to review and make recommendations to the 02 legislature relating to the official state seal and motto. 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS, following the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, the first governor 05 of the District of Alaska designated an official seal for the district featuring icebergs, northern 06 lights, igloos, and ice fishing; and 07 WHEREAS, in 1910, the seal was redesigned, and the new seal was retained through 08 Alaska's territorial days up to statehood, when it became the official state seal; and 09 WHEREAS the state seal reflects Alaska at one point in time and places significant 10 emphasis on western exploration, resource extraction, and agricultural activity while 11 excluding other values held by many in the state today; and 12 WHEREAS review and reconsideration of the state seal and motto to adequately 13 reflect the state's original inhabitants, Alaska Native cultures, and contemporary themes 14 serves an important public purpose; and 15 WHEREAS it is timely and appropriate to reimagine the symbols that represent the 16 state values of justice and perseverance in a manner that honors the shared heritage of the
01 people of the state and respects the Native people of Alaska; 02 BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Legislative Commission 03 to Review the State Seal of Alaska is established as a joint commission of the Alaska State 04 Legislature for the purposes of 05 (1) evaluating the current official seal and motto of the state, including those 06 features that may be harmful to or misunderstood by residents of the state and citizens of the 07 world; 08 (2) recommending changes to the official seal and motto of the state, including 09 preparing draft legislation necessary to carry out the recommendations of the commission, so 10 that the official seal and motto might better represent the historical and contemporary 11 commitment of the people of the state to peace, justice, liberty, and equality; 12 (3) making recommendations to the legislature relating to the design and 13 content of an educational program concerned with the history and meaning of the official seal 14 and motto of the state; 15 (4) submitting recommendations and accompanying materials to the 16 legislature in a report to the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of 17 representatives on or before February 15, 2022, along with a summary of the commission's 18 work, findings, and recommendations, and notifying the members of the legislature that the 19 report is available; and 20 (5) making its report available to the public on the legislature's Internet 21 website; and be it 22 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission consists of 14 members who, except 23 for those in (1) - (3) of this clause, shall be appointed jointly on the basis of their cultural and 24 historical expertise by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 25 representatives, as follows: 26 (1) three members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of 27 the house of representatives, including one member of the minority organizational caucus; 28 (2) three members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, 29 including one member of the minority organizational caucus; 30 (3) the lieutenant governor or the lieutenant governor's designee; 31 (4) one member representing the Alaska State Council on the Arts;
01 (5) one member representing the Alaska Humanities Forum; 02 (6) one member representing the Alaska Historical Society; 03 (7) one member representing the University of Alaska; 04 (8) one member representing the Rasmussen Foundation; 05 (9) one member representing the First Alaskans Institute; 06 (10) one student enrolled in good standing at a public high school who will be 07 in the student's senior year on the date of the first meeting of the commission; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that 09 (1) the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate 10 shall jointly appoint the chair of the commission from among the legislative members of the 11 commission; 12 (2) commission members shall be appointed not later than 30 days after the 13 effective date of this resolution; 14 (3) the commission shall meet at the call of the chair; 15 (4) a majority of the commission constitutes a quorum; 16 (5) the commission may meet and vote telephonically and by videoconference; 17 (6) if meeting in person, the commission shall observe all applicable pandemic 18 protocols; 19 (7) a vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the 20 original selection or appointment; 21 (8) the commission may request data and other information from state and 22 legislative agencies; and be it 23 FURTHER RESOLVED that the staff of the legislator who chairs the commission 24 shall provide administrative and other support to the commission; and be it 25 FURTHER RESOLVED that, to fund its work, the commission 26 (1) shall seek, accept, and use grants or gifts of money and professional, 27 consulting, clerical, or other services and supplies from the federal government and other 28 public and private sources; and 29 (2) may accept appropriations from the legislature; and be it 30 FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the commission serve without 31 compensation but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses; and be it
01 FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission expires on March 15, 2022, unless 02 two-thirds of the members vote that an extension is necessary to complete the work of the 03 commission, in which case, the commission expires upon completion of its work or on 04 June 30, 2022, whichever occurs first.