Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 106
03/22/2016 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB299 | |
| HB275 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 299 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 275 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 275-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY
9:07:15 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 275, "An Act establishing the second Monday of
October of each year as Indigenous Peoples Day."
9:07:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIET DRUMMOND, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor of HB 275, stated that at a time when Alaska is
facing an unprecedented economic crisis, "let's remember those
who have gone before us and who faced far greater challenges
than we do, and who adapted, and engineered, and created, and
survived." She said that "indigenous people have ties to the
landscape that are immeasurable and are reflected in their
spirituality, culture, and life." Representative Drummond said
that Alaska's indigenous people include the Dena'ina and
Kenaitze of Southcentral Alaska, the Chugachmuit, Eyak, and
Alutiiq people of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island, the
many Athabascan tribes of the Interior, the Inupiaq of the
Northwest Arctic and North Slope, the Yupik and Chupik people of
Western Alaska, the Aleut people of the Aleutian chain and the
Pribilofs, and the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast
Alaska. She continued as follows:
Our history as Americans is one of interactions
between peoples of many cultures: some of these
interactions have been violent; some interactions have
been borne of mutual misunderstanding; and some have
given birth to the cultural, societal, and civic ties
that we share as Americans and as Alaskans.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND went on to say that America was built by
indigenous people, explorers, pioneers, settlers, and
immigrants, whose descendants live in the world their ancestors
made. She said the celebration of Columbus Day recognizes "just
one shared piece of our shared story." The proposed legislation
would broaden recognition to also include "the indigenous people
of North America and around the world who have weathered great
indignities and dire circumstances and have emerged as key
leaders, role models, and partners around the globe and here in
Alaska."
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated that HB 275 would establish
Indigenous Peoples Day "to remember, not just our debt to and
respect for Alaska's first people, but to acknowledge our shared
destiny as we confront our challenges today." She mentioned
that Governor Walker proclaimed the second Monday in October as
Indigenous Peoples Day for 2015, and the proposed legislation
would establish Indigenous Peoples Day as a yearly tradition.
9:11:15 AM
ELIZABETH MEDICINE CROW, President/CEO, First Alaskans
Institute, testified in support of HB 275 on behalf of the First
Alaskans Institute. She thanked Representative Drummond and her
staff for their work on the proposed legislation. She stated
her belief that establishing Indigenous Peoples Day would
commemorate the legacy of the indigenous people in Alaska
throughout their 10,000-year history. She maintained that
Alaska is home to the largest population of indigenous people in
the United States; indigenous people make up almost 20 percent
of the state's population. She suggested that HB 275 would have
importance nationally, as well as, in Alaska. She reiterated
Representative Drummond's claim that "the indigenous peoples
across the world have played significant roles in shaping the
landscape and the destiny of their land, and in Alaska,
embracing the indigenous peoples and the history and the legacy
that we have here is an embracing of not just our past but also
our future."
9:14:04 AM
MS. MEDICINE CROW, in response to Chair Lynn, stated that the
First Alaskans Institute is a nonprofit organization that
represents Alaska Natives and is involved in leadership
development, policy, and community engagement.
9:14:58 AM
CONNIE MUNRO, Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2, stated that
she was testifying in support of HB 275 on behalf of the ANS
Camp 2 legislative committee. She emphasized the importance of
HB 275 to the Tlingit community and the non-Tlingit community as
ANS and Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) are open to anyone. She
maintained the importance of recognizing Alaska Natives as
partners in life. She lamented that the second verse of the
Alaska Flag song, recognizing Alaska Natives, was never made
official by the governor. She emphasized the importance of
Indigenous Peoples Day, especially in October when it could be
recognized in the schools. She urged full support from the
House of Representatives and the Senate for HB 275.
9:19:24 AM
KATHERINE HOPE, Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2, stated
that she supports HB 275 and wants her children and
grandchildren to be recognized on Indigenous Peoples Day and be
proud of who they are. She said that she was taught respect for
all Native clans at Sheldon Jackson High School. She also said
that she is a lead host for Mount Roberts Tramway and promotes
indigenous people of Alaska to tourists from all over the world.
9:21:35 AM
JUNE DEGNAN, Chair, Haven House, stated that Haven House, in
Juneau, Alaska, is a transitional home for women. She opined
that it is important for people to recognize that Alaska is the
home of Alaska Natives. She went on to say that her father,
Frank A. Degnan, was the co-founder of Alaska Federation of
Natives (AFN) and the first Yupik elected to the territorial
legislature. She expressed her belief that the indigenous
people are in the background in Alaska. She cited the role of
AFN in securing title to 44 million acres of land for 12 Native
corporations and 200 tribes. She emphasized the importance of
the state recognizing the partnership with Alaska Natives,
especially in light of the budget deficit. She claimed that as
a teacher and professor, she was unable to be hired in Alaska
due to racism. She urged the state to engage all Alaskans as
equal partners and stated her belief that recognizing a day
honoring indigenous peoples will help toward that end. She
cited the high incarceration rates of Alaska Natives - 48
percent of the incarcerated population - to explain her motive
for forming her own 501(c)(3) to start Haven House.
9:25:44 AM
MS. DEGNAN, in response to Chair Lynn, reaffirmed that she was
unable to secure a job with the state and stated that she has
Master's degrees both in library information science and public
administration.
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining no one wished to testify, closed
public testimony on HB 275.
9:27:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to adopt Amendment 1, which read as
follows:
Page 1, line 1:
Delete "the second Monday of October of each year
as"
Page 1, line 6:
Delete "second Monday"
Insert "18th day"
Page 1, line 6, following "year":
Insert ", also known as Alaska Day"
CHAIR LYNN objected for purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER expressed his recognition of the pain and
frustration of indigenous people. He conceded that Alaska
Natives have had a tremendous influence on shaping Alaska. He
noted his positive interactions with Alaska Natives during the
summers he spent in communities in the North Slope Borough. He
mentioned specific Alaska Native individuals who shaped Alaska,
including Walter Sobeloff and Samuel Simmonds. Representative
Keller explained that the proposed amendment would change the
title of HB 275 and the day of recognition for Indigenous
Peoples Day to the 18th day of October, which is also known as
Alaska Day.
9:33:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES stated her support for the date change and
expressed her belief that HB 275 would give significant
recognition to Native people and their contributions. She
related the experiences of her grandparents as teachers in
Native communities in Alaska in the '20s.
9:35:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS asked if the sponsor of HB 275 had
thoughts on Amendment 1.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND offered her support for the date change
in the proposed amendment.
CHAIR LYNN removed his objection to Amendment 1. There being no
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 275, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 275(STA) was
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.