Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
04/22/2021 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing|| Department of Public Safety, Commissioner | |
| HB63 | |
| HB123 | |
| HB148 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 63 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 148 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 123-STATE RECOGNITION OF TRIBES
4:12:10 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 123, "An Act providing for state
recognition of federally recognized tribes; and providing for an
effective date."
4:12:48 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony.
4:13:12 PM
JOEL JACKSON, President, Organized Village of Kake, stated his
support for HB 123. He asserted that Tribes had not been
recognized by the State of Alaska. He opined that the state
only recognized Tribes when it wanted to work with them;
further, he said the state had asked Tribes to relinquish part
of their sovereignty. He believed that was unacceptable. He
reported that there were 229 Tribes in Alaska that provided
services to all its Tribal citizens using millions of dollars
from the federal government. Those services would otherwise be
paid for by the state, he pointed out. He believed it was time
for the state to recognize and work with Tribes without asking
them to relinquish any sovereignty.
4:15:17 PM
DELORES LARSON, United Tribes of Bristol Bay (UTBB), expressed
support for HB 123, as it would take an overdue step towards the
state's formal recognition of Alaska's Tribal nation. She
believed that the Tribe's inherent sovereignty should be
recognized by the state because it would allow both governments
to work together to better serve its shared citizens. She
considered the many challenges in public safety, healthcare,
education, and housing, which would be better addressed through
cooperative work between governments, she said. She maintained
that a continued and intentional effort not to formally
recognize the 229 federally recognized Tribal governments would
be a tremendous disservice to all citizens of Alaska. She urged
the committee to support HB 123.
4:17:50 PM
COURTENAY CARTY, Tribal Administrator, Curyung Tribal Council,
relayed that Curyung Tribal Council was the federally recognized
Tribe of Dillingham and the largest Tribe in Bristol Bay. The
majority of its Tribal government services were provided through
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) compact with the Bristol Bay
Native Association. Additionally, she reported that the Curyung
Tribal Council regularly worked with the state and the city of
Dillingham on the justice system, education, transportation,
infrastructure, and natural resource management. Further, the
council operated an active Tribal court to protect its children.
She continued to explain that they partnered with their local
school district to incorporate cultural components into the
classrooms. This year alone, $311,000 was provided to GCSD for
educational needs related to COVID-19. She conveyed that the
council upheld its traditional role in the management of land,
water, fish, and wildlife by working with ADF&G and the
Department of Natural Resources to actively participate in
research and the regulatory processes that governed natural
resources. She concluded that all Tribes deserved to be heard
and recognized as equal governments by the state. She expressed
her appreciation for the opportunity to provide input and said
she was grateful that HB 123 was being heard in committee.
4:22:03 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS closed public testimony.
4:22:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR thanked the testifiers for sharing in the
significance of this legislation. She recalled her experience
on the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs (HTRB) and
believed that although recognition existed federally, there was
pain associated with this ongoing issue that the state had not
addressed. She said she was honored to have the opportunity to
right that wrong.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said her experience on HTRB was
educational, as there were less than 3 percent of Alaska Natives
living in her district. She explained that she gained a broader
understanding of the need for recognition and the tension that
existed between the state and Tribal governments. She believed
that the proposed legislation would be a brave step; however,
she admitted that it was still uncomfortable for her. She
recounted how a Tribal member helped her understand that Tribes
were inherently sovereign; further, she said [formal
recognition] would only improve the existing relationship
between the state and Tribal governments. She expressed her
hope that the proposed legislation would provide an opportunity
to move forward and "lay aside" the pain from the past. In
closing, she expressed her support for the passage of HB 123.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY thanked the bill sponsor for bringing
forward a bill that would formally recognize Tribal sovereignty.
She said she had the privilege of raising her family on ?ak'w
Kw?an land and believed that sovereign recognition would be a
step in the long journey of healing and restoration. She
expressed her hoped that the bill would be supported.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS stated his appreciation for the work by the
bill sponsor and the previous legislature on this issue, as it
was long overdue. He believed it was in incredibly important
statement of respect and partnership by the State of Alaska to
the Tribes. He shared a personal anecdote about the government-
to-government relationship in the community of Sitka.
4:27:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report HB 123 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. Without objection, HB 123 was moved from the House State
Affairs Standing Committee.