Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
03/08/2023 03:00 PM House TRIBAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB26 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 26 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 26 OFFICIAL LANG; COUNCIL FOR AK NATIVE LANG
3:08:50 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the only order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 26, "An Act renaming the Alaska Native
Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for
Alaska Native Languages; and relating to the Council for Alaska
Native Languages."
3:09:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, Alaska State Legislature, introduced
HB 26 to the committee, as the prime sponsor. She stated that
HB 26 would address two things that the Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council (ANLPAC) have requested:
shorten its name and expand its membership. She said ANLPAC
provides recommendations and advice to the legislature and the
governor on programs, policies, and projects, with the mission
to advocate for the survival and revitalization of Alaska Native
languages. She said that ANLPAC was formed in the 27th Alaska
State Legislature and is comprised of seven members: five voting
members appointed by the governor who are language experts and
representatives of regions in Alaska; one non-voting member
appointed by the Senate president; and one non-voting member
appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives. She
added that she is the House member appointed to the council.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said that HB 26 would simplify the name of
the council from "Alaska Native Language Preservation and
Advisory Council" to "Council for Alaska Native Languages." She
stated that it would also add two voting members to the council
to create more inclusivity of Alaska Native languages.
3:12:35 PM
MIRANDA WORL, Staff, Representative Andi Story, on behalf of
Representative Story, prime sponsor, presented the sectional
analysis for HB 26, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Section 1: Amends AS 44.33.520(a) to simplify the name
of the Council from "Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council" to "Council for
Alaska Native Languages."
Section 2: Amends AS 44.33.520(c) by changing voting
members from "five" to "seven."
MS. WORL added there is a fiscal note of $10,000 from the
Department of Community, Commerce, and Economic Development
(DCCED) to cover two trips per year to meet in person for the
additional committee members. She added that ANLPAC's 2022
Biennial Report to the Governor and the Legislature has been
sent to the committee, and this outlines ANLPAC's
recommendations.
3:14:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE pointed out that ANLPAC has existed for
several years, and she questioned the need for reorganization of
the programs.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY deferred the question to the invited
testifiers. In response to a follow-up question concerning how
the qualifications for a language expert would be determined,
she stated that an alternative certificate for a language expert
would need to be approved by local school boards.
3:16:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD expressed support for the expanded
membership. She requested an explanation of the areas
represented by each of the current five members and the proposed
two new members of the council.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY deferred the question to invited
testifiers.
3:17:57 PM
_
X'UNEI LANCE TWITCHELL, Chair, Alaska Native Language
Preservation and Advisory Council, Professor of Alaska Native
Languages, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), provided
invited testimony on HB 26. He stated that he would be
representing himself during the hearing. He stated that Alaska
is home to 23 known Indigenous languages and research from
ANLPAC shows none of these languages are safe. He explained
that since 2014 these languages have been designated the
official languages of Alaska, and HB 26 would be supportive of
the preservation, revitalization, and reclamation work towards
this. He stated that preservation would involve documentation
of current speakers, while revitalization would involve
protecting current speakers and making sure the languages have
power. He stated that reclamation would make sure the language
is used in a wide variety of social and physical spaces.
MR. TWITCHELL pointed out the banishment of Indigenous
languages, stating that because of this the languages are facing
"an unnecessary and often silent death march." He suggested
that the new name for the council would better fit the diverse
range of work the council is doing. He added that new members
would be needed because having 23 different languages require
more voting members. He also recommended revising the official
list of languages, which is in statute, to include three omitted
languages. He offered to supply supporting documents for this.
MR. TWITCHELL asserted that Indigenous language should be a high
priority for the state. He questioned whether significant
action has been taken since the 2014 state of emergency was
declared concerning the languages. He emphasized the priorities
given in the two-year report from ANLPAC, which include the
standardization of Native languages in the public education
system, with official pathways for teachers to become certified.
He added that all teachers in Alaska should have knowledge of
Native languages. He mentioned that shortly after the council
was established, the budget was cut in half. He pointed out
that this does not justify [Native languages] as a priority, as
this funding only supports a single staff member.
MR. TWITCHELL, addressing the previous question, pointed out
that representation of Native languages is missing from the
center of the map and the Interior of Alaska. He suggested that
people are needed who can work actively in these missing
languages. Addressing the question concerning the requirements
of a language expert, he stated that being a language expert
would not concern whether a teacher is certified.
3:23:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DIBERT spoke to her Native Alaska name and its
meaning. She expressed gratitude to learn about ANLPAC and
expressed support for the proposed legislation. She stated
that her family is from the Interior, and her father is one of
the last fluent speakers of Koyukon, but his ability to speak
the language has diminished. She stated that he has reinforced
to her the need for her to work at learning the language.
MR. TWITCHELL advised that the council sees the need for a more
substantial analysis of the health of Native languages; however,
more staff is needed. He suggested that partnerships could
help.
3:25:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE questioned the meaning of the word
"reorganization" in the proposed legislation.
MR. TWITCHELL stated that he was not present for the crafting of
the bill; however, he recognized that sometimes new language
programs are needed, and sometimes existing programs would need
reorganization. He pointed out that this could be because
programs or languages have been dormant. He suggested that this
word was used to honor that programs do exist by addressing
their approach and structure.
3:26:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE questioned the activity of ANLPAC and how
it interfaces with the education communities. She mentioned
other dormant languages worldwide and pointed out Hebrew was
dormant for a very long time. She stated that now it is taught
in school and very alive. She questioned what the council is
doing to make sure the languages do not die.
MR. TWITCHELL pointed out that the work of the language scholar,
Joshua Fishman, has been replicated around the world. He
suggested that of the 7,000 languages around the world there
will be only 50 in 100 years. He expressed the opinion that,
unless things change, only 2 or 3 of Alaska Native languages
could survive in the next 100 years. He stated that the
council's 5 volunteers and 1 employee can analyze the situation
and have widely publicized public meetings to share ideas and
determine needs and convey these recommendations to the
legislature or to the governor; however, he warned that without
a substantial shift, at this rate 1 Native language will be lost
every 5 to 10 years. He added that this is a path to language
destruction. He stated that there are now conversations on what
including Native languages "naturally" would look like, because
now schools operate with "natural" omission of the languages.
He expressed the opinion that there should be an Indigenous
language learning requirement to graduate from high school. He
stated that ANLPAC's primary focus is creating the biennial
report [which contains the summary of recommendations] and
making sure the legislature knows this document; because he
suggested that the status of Native languages could easily be
overlooked. He continued that part of the role of ANLPAC is to
advocate for this. He suggested that if every high school
graduate in the state is required to take one semester of Native
language, there would be a positive shift.
3:31:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether the council has given
recommendations for families, such as languages spoken at home,
as this is what "sticks." She suggested that in the past Native
Elders were encouraged not to speak their language. She
questioned whether this has changed.
MR. TWITCHELL shared the story of a 92-year-old woman in Juneau
who was told she could not speak Tlingit at school. He stated
that at that time all the Tlingit children spoke the Tlingit
language, and when she spoke that language at school, she was
physically and mentally abused. He pointed out that this level
of suppression is "unbelievable," and it has been under
analyzed. He discussed his study at the College of Hawaiian
Languages where he learned when the children are taught to speak
[the Native language], this would ease trauma and nervousness at
home. He stated that Hawaii's models of language "nests" and
early education programs are being used in parts of Alaska. He
suggested that education in the state does not have to be just
one model, and there could be language and cultural immersion
programs, which would introduce teaching through the language,
not about it. He suggested that an Alaskan Native language
school consortium be formed, as this would be a school board for
the Native languages, and it would create unity. He pointed out
that under the current system there is competition and
dependence on "soft" money. He noted that education has been
the destruction of Native language; however, it could be
reformed with pathways to bring the languages back into the
homes, because there it is safe. He stated that the council is
also addressing how to help individuals recover from the trauma
of language "genocide."
3:37:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG requested an explanation of the summary
of recommendations from ANLPAC.
MR. TWITCHELL stated that the priorities were arranged to not
overwhelm people with a huge list. He listed that the first
priority would be a commitment to language equity, restoration,
and use. To do this, one recommendation is that an annual day
be acknowledged for Alaska Native languages, as this would
emphasize the declared state of emergency of Native languages.
He also suggested that funding to the council be restored for
more staff and travel for outreach to more villages. He stated
that the second priority would recognize that Alaska Native
people have the right to be educated in their languages, so that
education in Alaska would be decolonized. A recommendation
concerning this priority would be to create an Alaska Native
teacher's certification, but without it being considered
"alternative." He reiterated the recommendation of an Alaska
Native school consortium, along with the inclusion of state
standards for Native languages. He continued that there is a
zero-credit, zero-dollar method for Native language learners at
UAS. He stated that other recommendations include the creation
of statewide language immersion programs, a funded annual
language-teacher conference, and the clarification of the
ANLPAC's governing statute.
MR. TWITCHELL stated that the third priority is to normalize
Native languages in physical and social spaces. He stated that
the recommendations to do this would include restoring Alaska
Native place names, having Alaska Native languages in state
offices by creating signage, and having Native languages in
workplace documents. He added that another recommendation would
be to increase the use of languages in the public media. He
stated that the fourth priority would be to address language
suppression and intergenerational trauma. The recommendations
for this priority would be to survey the health of Alaska Native
languages to help inform policy and planning. He stated that
another recommendation would be to create a series of language
listening sessions to document the historical traumas, offer an
apology for past suppression, and commit to overcoming
historical traumas from forced assimilation.
3:41:24 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK thanked the testifier and recognized the
critical work being done.
3:41:56 PM
YAAYUK BERNADETTE ALVANNA-STIMPFLE, Director, Eskimo Heritage
Program, Kawerak, Inc., provided invited testimony on HB 26.
She highlighted the council's recommendations of focusing on
preservation, restoration, and revitalization. She shared that
she has been an Alaska Native educator for 23 years. She stated
that she began her career as an Inupiaq language and culture
teacher, and then she became an English as a second language
teacher. She shared that when she began school, she did not
know English and her mother did not know English. She stated
that her mother would not enter the school because she did not
know English. She expressed difficulty in learning English, as
it was not the language, she used in the other parts of her
life. She emphasized that children learn quickly, and this
understanding, along with her childhood experiences, led her to
her profession. She expressed understanding at how children
feel when having to learn different languages.
MS. ALVANNA-STIMPFLE addressed preservation. [Testimony was
undiscernible.] She noted that in Nome there are three
different languages, and it has been difficult to obtain
teaching materials on all of these. She stated that people have
shared what works in their communities and this is part of
establishing programs. She expressed the opinion that learning
how to speak Native languages in communities would create
wellness for adults and help them let go of the past treatment
in learning how to speak, as this has created post-traumatic
disorder for the next generation. She noted that young people
have been looking for information on traditional dancing and
interviewing Elders who speak Yupik. She stated that cultural
activities are more understood once the youth learn the
language, as there is meaning behind the activities. She
addressed restoration of Native languages, which allows the
people to reclaim who they are from thousands of years of
surviving and thriving the harsh environments, as the language
comes from the land, the sea, and its resources. She continued
that now is the time for rebirth and renaissance of Alaska
Native languages. She commented that ANLPAC is helping to
normalize these languages throughout the state; however, while
travelling to many villages for work, she stated that she does
not hear Native languages being spoken in many of the public
places. She observed that while traveling in Native communities
in Canada, she did hear many different Native languages being
spoken.
3:49:44 PM
MS. ALVANNA-STIMPFLE, addressing revitalization, stated that
Indigenous identity can be built by being surrounded by the
Native language. She observed that learning in the language
would reinforce where Native Alaskans come from and how they
live, creating the ultimate result of cultural wellness. She
stated that she has seen young people's identity change in this
process. She described that initially she taught with just one
"little" Native word a day, as she did not have time to teach
more. She stated that when the students brought the one word
into their homes, this inspired the Native Elders to want to
hear more. In regard to the proposed addition of more members
to the council, she advised that people need to hear from a
wider section of the Native people, as advocates make for a
stronger network.
3:52:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY referred to the ANLPAC's 2022 Biennial
Report to the Governor and the Legislature, as [it was sent
digitally to committee members]. She pointed out that on page 7
through 9 are the recommendations discussed by the testifiers.
She reiterated the proposed legislation's focus, as seen in the
report. She suggested there be an amendment to HB 26 to add
three Native languages that were not initially included. She
suggested that the committee members read the report, as there
are many things to learn. She pointed out the letter from the
council to the governor and the legislature concerning the loss
of Indigenous Elders and language speakers to the Covid-19
pandemic.
3:54:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE, looking at the fiscal note, pointed out
that it is modest, and it asks for two additional members from
the legislature. She expressed the understanding that the
funding would be from the general fund and DCCED. She
questioned why this is not coming from the legislative budget,
since this would involve members of the legislature.
3:55:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY stated that as a council member, there are
no funds available for her to travel to meetings. She noted
that the council has not been able to travel for a few years,
and the fiscal note would only be the cost to add new people to
the council. She stated that the funding is under DCCED because
the proposed legislation would be considered community
development.
3:56:54 PM
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that HB 26 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 26 ANLPAC 2022 Report to the Governor and Legislature.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Sectional Analysis 03.01.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Sponsor Statement 03.01.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM SFIN 1/30/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB0026A.PDF |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Fiscal Note 03.06.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB26 Indigenous Language List 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Invited Testimony-Bernadette Alvanna-Stimpfle 03.08.23.docx |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 ANLPAC 2022 Summary of Recommendations Sheet 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Invited Testimony 03.08.23.pdf |
HTRB 3/8/2023 3:00:00 PM |
HB 26 |