SCS CSHB 26(FIN): "An Act relating to the official languages of the State of Alaska; renaming the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native Languages; relating to the transfer of the Council for Alaska Native Languages from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early Development; and relating to the Council for Alaska Native Languages."
00 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 26(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to the official languages of the State of Alaska; renaming the Alaska 02 Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native 03 Languages; relating to the transfer of the Council for Alaska Native Languages from the 04 Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department 05 of Education and Early Development; and relating to the Council for Alaska Native 06 Languages." 07 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 08 * Section 1. AS 14.07 is amended by adding a new section to read: 09 Sec. 14.07.200. Council for Alaska Native Languages. (a) The Council for 10 Alaska Native Languages is established in the department for the purpose of 11 recommending the establishment or reorganization of programs to support the 12 preservation, restoration, and revitalization of Alaska Native languages. 13 (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.