03/03/2020 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

               HB 221-STATE RECOGNITION OF TRIBES                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:14:55 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  DRUMMOND announced  that  the final  order of  business                                                               
would  be  HOUSE  BILL  NO.  221, "An  Act  providing  for  state                                                               
recognition of federally recognized  tribes; and providing for an                                                               
effective date."  [Before the committee was CSHB 221(TRB).]                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:15:11 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on CSHB 221(TRB).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:15:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KENDRA  KLOSTER,  Executive  Director,  Native  People's  Action,                                                               
testified in support of HB 221.  She said:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska  Native people  have lived  on  these lands  for                                                                    
     thousands  of  years.   Our  cultures  are deep  within                                                                    
     Alaska history.   Tribal governments have  held special                                                                    
     recognition   and   place   in  Alaska   as   sovereign                                                                    
     governments providing  important services  and support,                                                                    
     including  public  safety,  economic  development,  and                                                                    
     protecting  our land  and waters.   This  bill will  be                                                                    
     good  for  not only  tribal  citizens  but for  all  of                                                                    
     Alaskans.   Alaska's home  to 229  federally recognized                                                                    
     tribes.  This formal  relationship was established with                                                                    
     the federal  government; however,  we have not  had any                                                                    
     formal recognition by the State  of Alaska.  We have to                                                                    
     recognize  that in  Alaska there  is no  Alaska without                                                                    
     the  indigenous people,  and it's  time, finally,  that                                                                    
     our state  government in Alaska formally  recognize the                                                                    
     First People of Alaska.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. KLOSTER  concluded her testimony by  stating her appreciation                                                               
of the  bill sponsor,  Representative Kopp,  for bringing  HB 221                                                               
forward and  expressing hope that  the legislature  would support                                                               
and pass the proposed legislation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:17:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KELSEY WALLACE, Communications  Director, Native People's Action,                                                               
testified  in support  of  HB 221.   She  indicated  that she  is                                                               
testifying  as a  tribal citizen.   She  said Native  people have                                                               
stewarded the  land and waters  [that make up Alaska]  since time                                                               
immemorial.    Today,  tribes   provide  essential  services  and                                                               
programs,  including  public  safety, economic  development,  and                                                               
education,  as well  as employment  opportunities  for people  in                                                               
rural areas.  She opined that HB  221 is long overdue.  She added                                                               
that  she says  that  "with  a smile."    She  said the  proposed                                                               
legislation would "open  up silos that have  been created between                                                               
tribal governments  and the State of  Alaska."  She said  it will                                                               
benefit Alaska as a whole.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:19:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RONALD   LEIGHTON,  President,   Organized  Village   of  Kaasan,                                                               
testified in support of HB 221.   Concurred that it is about time                                                               
this  legislation  took  place.     Tribal,  state,  and  federal                                                               
government is  beneficial; it brings  in federal funds.   He said                                                               
he  thinks tribes  working together  benefit from  pooling funds.                                                               
He  congratulated  the  state  "on  new  reform  with  this"  and                                                               
anticipated "better things  to come in the state  because of this                                                               
- both for tribes and the State of Alaska."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:23:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JUDITH  JAMES testified  in support  of HB  221.   She said  as a                                                               
student  at  the  University  of  Alaska,  she  did  a  practicum                                                               
regarding "the  language of the land."   She said every  tribe in                                                               
Alaska is  working on healing  from historical trauma.   She said                                                               
she  was a  drug and  alcohol  counselor for  7 years.   She  has                                                               
spoken about  historical trauma.   She  said she  grew up  in the                                                               
'60s where  in her community "the  lights went out at  10 o'clock                                                               
and we brought  out our oil lamps."   She said she  tries to give                                                               
back to  any community in  which she has lived.   She has  been a                                                               
member   of   the   Alaska   Native   Sisterhood,   among   other                                                               
organizations.   She  said she  believes that  tribal sovereignty                                                               
and the State  of Alaska go hand  in hand.  The state  is rich in                                                               
culture.  She thanked the committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:25:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARINA ANDERSON, Administrator/Vice  President, Organized Village                                                               
of Kasaan, offered an introduction  in her Native language.  Then                                                               
she  stated, "The  tribes  in  Alaska operate  a  very heavy  and                                                               
sustainable economic base for the  small areas that surround us."                                                               
She  indicated  that  tribal  citizens  and  non-tribal  citizens                                                               
benefit from "our  growing economy."  She stated  that she thinks                                                               
it is important  to pass HB 221.   She said she  thinks there are                                                               
opportunities  for  [tribes and  the  State  of Alaska]  to  work                                                               
together in areas  such as natural resources,  tribal courts, law                                                               
enforcement, education, and the economy.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:28:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND closed public testimony on CSHB 221(TRB).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:28:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HANNAN  moved to report  CSHB 221(TRB) out  of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.  There  being no objection, CSHB 221(TRB)  was reported out                                                               
of the House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.