02/26/2003 01:35 PM Senate CRA

              HB  58-REINSTATEMENT OF NATIVE CORPS                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
LARRY  LABOLLE, staff  to  Representative  Foster, explained  the                                                               
bill provides  a window of  opportunity for the  reinstatement of                                                               
village corporations  that have been involuntarily  dissolved. In                                                               
many villages, when they are  notified their incorporation is due                                                               
to  expire, they  don't know  to make  a renewal  application and                                                               
once the  grace period passes,  the corporation  is involuntarily                                                               
dissolved. Creating  new corporations is problematic  because the                                                               
new corporation wouldn't have the  same assets or the same status                                                               
as before. The cleanest way to  address the difficulty is to open                                                               
a one  time opportunity for  reinstatement. Creating  a permanent                                                               
stipulation  in  statute  isn't the  answer  because  this  would                                                               
tamper with the corporate laws of the State of Alaska.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Currently  the Savoonga,  the Paimiut  and the  Tununrimiut Rinit                                                               
Native Corporations, have been involuntarily dissolved.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TAYLOR commented this was a continuing problem.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. LABOLLE  said, "The good news  is the list gets  shorter each                                                               
time."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked if  the three organizations were small                                                               
and probably without ready access to counsel.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LABOLLE said that was true.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TAYLOR  made a motion to  move HB 58 and  attached fiscal                                                               
note from committee with individual recommendations.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, it was so ordered.