04/09/2012 09:00 AM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 130(STA)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          "An  Act establishing  the Alaska  Native Language                                                                    
          Preservation and Advisory  Council and relating to                                                                    
          the preservation,  restoration, and revitalization                                                                    
          of Alaska Native languages."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze  turned  over   the  gavel  to  Vice-chair                                                                    
Fairclough.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson  MOVED  to ADOPT  proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute (CS)  for CSSB  130(FIN) Work  Draft 27-LS0779\R,                                                                    
(Mischel, 4/9/12) as a working document.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Doogan OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
JOE    MICHEL,   STAFF,    REPRESENTATIVE   BILL    STOLTZE,                                                                    
communicated that  the only  change included  in the  CS was                                                                    
the addition  of Section (f) on  page 2, line 26,  that read                                                                    
"the  department shall  provide staff  as needed  to support                                                                    
the  council; the  staff must  demonstrate competency  in an                                                                    
Alaska Native language."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Doogan WITHDREW  his objection.  There being                                                                    
NO further OBJECTION, the CS was ADOPTED.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair   Fairclough  read   the  bill   title  for   the                                                                    
committee. She OPENED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
DAISY-MAY BARRERA,  UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA  FAIRBANKS STUDENT,                                                                    
BETHEL (via  teleconference), provided opening  testimony in                                                                    
her native  Yupik language. She  voiced her support  for the                                                                    
bill. She  believed the bill  was very important  for future                                                                    
generations. She recommended the  appointment of an elder to                                                                    
the  council;  elders  were viewed  as  the  foundation  and                                                                    
backbone of  their cultural ideas and  traditions. The elder                                                                    
would serve as a guide and  mentor in the establishment of a                                                                    
very  important  program.   Additionally,  she  advised  the                                                                    
appointment of a  young person to serve on the  council as a                                                                    
role model for Alaskan  youths. She believed the appointment                                                                    
would  send a  powerful  message  that indigenous  languages                                                                    
were part of  Alaska's heritage and needed  to be protected.                                                                    
She believed that the involvement  of multiple parties would                                                                    
help  to  rebuild  relationships  and  to  repair  differing                                                                    
worlds. The  leadership of the legislature  joining with the                                                                    
12  regions   would  develop  the  healthiest   approach  to                                                                    
identify the need  of each language to be  protected for the                                                                    
future. She  closed her testimony  in Yupik and  thanked the                                                                    
committee for its time.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
UKALLAYSAAQ  OKLEASIK, PLANNING  DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST  ARCTIC                                                                    
BOROUGH,   KOTZEBUE  (via   teleconference),  testified   in                                                                    
support  of  the  bill. The  borough  supported  the  Alaska                                                                    
Native Language  Advisory Council  and believed it  was long                                                                    
overdue. He encouraged  the passage of the bill  in order to                                                                    
preserve and  advance the  state's proud  cultural heritage.                                                                    
Linguists   around  the   world  considered   Alaska  Native                                                                    
languages   to   be   endangered.   He   stated   that   the                                                                    
disappearance of the languages  had huge social implications                                                                    
that  included depression,  self-destructive behaviors,  and                                                                    
community  shame.  The  council  would be  a  positive  step                                                                    
towards  putting  healthy  communities forward.  Within  the                                                                    
Northwest Arctic region the Inupaiq  language was in serious                                                                    
decline.  Studies  indicated that  only  18  percent of  the                                                                    
population  could  understand  the   language  and  only  14                                                                    
percent could speak it fluently.  He stressed that immediate                                                                    
action  was needed  in order  to  strengthen the  languages.                                                                    
Borough   resolutions  had   been  passed   recognizing  the                                                                    
importance  of  the  native  language;  the  language  could                                                                    
increase    cultural     heritage,    support    sustainable                                                                    
communities, and encourage  collaboration among generations.                                                                    
He reiterated the borough's support of the bill.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CRYSTAL  ROGERS,  UNIVERSITY  OF ALASKA  SOUTHEAST  STUDENT,                                                                    
JUNEAU  (via teleconference),  offered a  younger generation                                                                    
perspective.  She   began  her   testimony  in   her  native                                                                    
language. She highlighted that there  were more young people                                                                    
studying their  native languages  than may be  realized. She                                                                    
stated  that there  were many  youths committed  to learning                                                                    
their native  languages and  that help  was needed  from the                                                                    
legislature and  the governor. She supported  the passage of                                                                    
the bill and thanked the committee for its time.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:39:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair Fairclough CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  reviewed the Department  of Commerce,                                                                    
Community and Economic Development  fiscal note. The request                                                                    
was $240,200 for FY 13  and $216,200 for outlying years from                                                                    
FY 14  through FY 18.  Funding would  pay for two  new full-                                                                    
time positions.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg  asked  whether  there  were  any                                                                    
amendments. Vice-chair Fairclough  replied that an amendment                                                                    
by Co-Chair Thomas had been rolled into the CS.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson asked for  verification that there was                                                                    
only one fiscal note.  Vice-chair Fairclough answered in the                                                                    
affirmative.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:41:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Doogan  expressed  strong  support  for  the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Joule  MOVED to report HCS  for CSSB 130(FIN)                                                                    
out  of committee  with individual  recommendations and  the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HCS CSSB 130(FIN)  was REPORTED out of committee  with a "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendation and  with previously  published fiscal                                                                    
impact note: FN2 (CED).