Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
03/08/2007 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB93 | |
SB97 | |
SB101 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ | SB 101 | TELECONFERENCED | |
*+ | SB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
= | SB 93 | ||
SB 97-ALASKA NATIVE ART IDENTIFICATION SEALS 1:35:14 PM CHAIR ELLIS announced the consideration of SB 97. TIM LAMKIN, staff to Senator Gary Stevens, said that the senator introduced SB 97 on behalf of the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Despite its existence for decades, many Alaskans don't recognize the emblem called the silver hand. It is a marketing tool that represents a piece of art made by an Alaskan Native. Its origins date back until at least the 1930s when demand for Alaskan art was increasing. There has been an ongoing effort to bring credibility to the silver hand program in honor of Native Alaskan artists. The effort has been thwarted by fraud, he stated. SB 97 is a housekeeping bill with no motivation except to modernize the statutes and rejuvenate the program. He said he is in the tourism business and gets requests daily for authentic Alaskan art, so he believes the bill could make it a more recognized emblem to the public and a beacon of help and inspiration for artists in Alaska. 1:37:35 PM SAUNDERS MCNEILL, Director, Community and Native Arts Program, Alaska State Council on the Arts, said the silver hand program is the only Native arts authentication program in the state and the nation. The program serves people from 143 communities and includes all Alaska Native groups. The proposed changes embodied in SB 97 represent decades of feedback offered and gathered from a multitude of Native artists and Alaska businesses. The changes will accomplish the following: retire the agent arm of the permit program; remove reference to blood quantum and replace it with federally-recognized Alaska Native tribes; add civil penalties for the misuse of the silver hand; link the consumer protection fair-trade statutes and silver hand statutes; include Alaska Native artists producing contemporary work; expand allowable materials for artists; expand the definition section; and define eligible art mediums. The council is in full support of the bill, she concluded. 1:40:27 PM CHARLOTTE FOX, Executive Director, Alaska State Council on the Arts, said the previous comments cover her testimony. SVEN HAAKANSON, Executive Director, Alutiiq Museum and Chair of the Alaska Council on the Arts, said he was on the task force and has no further testimony. SENATOR DAVIS asked about page 2, line 8. There is a significant change from "Native arts" to "Alaska arts", she noted. MR. LAMKIN said the new language shall read: identification seals for authentic Alaska Native art created or crafted. 1:43:30 PM SB 97 was held over.
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