1998-07-20                     House Journal                      Page 4124
HB 2001                                                                      
HOUSE BILL NO. 2001 by the House Rules Committee by request of                 
the Governor, entitled:                                                        
                                                                               
"An Act authorizing the Alaska Legislative Council to sue on                  
behalf of the state concerning the validity of a rural subsistence             
priority conferred in federal statute; and providing for an effective          
date."                                                                         
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Rules Committee.                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
The following fiscal note applies:                                             
                                                                               
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Law, 7/20/98                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated July 20, 1998, appears below:          
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
The attached legislation was developed at the end of the last special          
session as part of a compromise approach to resolve the subsistence            
dilemma.  Along with a constitutional amendment, which I am also               
transmitting today, this compromise is the fundamental step in                 
regaining and retaining full state management of our fish and wildlife         
resources.                                                                     
                                                                               

1998-07-20                     House Journal                      Page 4125
HB 2001                                                                      
The bill grants the authority for the Alaska Legislative Council to            
pursue a constitutional challenge of Title VIII of ANILCA.  This will          
confer legal standing to the Council in its current lawsuit before the         
US District Court.  Although I personally do not support this suit, I          
will allow this bill to become law as part of the overall compromise           
approach to provide for subsistence under state management of fish             
and wildlife resources.                                                        
                                                                               
I urge the Legislature to take swift action on this and the constitutional     
amendment so we can allow the Alaskan voters to decide this long-              
standing issue once and for all.                                               
                                                                               
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor"