01/28/2013 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

           SJR  2-LIMIT FEDERAL INTERVENTION IN STATE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:37:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  JOHN COGHILL  announced the  consideration of  SJR 2,  and                                                               
stated that he did not intend to move the resolution today.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:38:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR FRED DYSON,  Alaska State Legislature, sponsor  of SJR 2,                                                               
introduced  the  resolution  speaking to  the  following  sponsor                                                               
statement:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The State  of Alaska's future prosperity  hinges on the                                                                    
     responsible   development  of   its  abundant   natural                                                                    
     resources. Unfortunately,  Alaska has entered  a period                                                                    
     of  extraordinary efforts  by certain  federal agencies                                                                    
     and   environmental   groups   to  lock   up   Alaska's                                                                    
     resources.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     SJR 2 affirms  the broad support of  Alaskans and their                                                                    
     elected  representatives for  the strategy  and efforts                                                                    
     of the  Governor, attorney general and  commissioner of                                                                    
     natural resources to  protect Alaska's economic freedom                                                                    
     from federal government overreach  in the management of                                                                    
     state resources;  and urges Congress and  the President                                                                    
     of the  United States to restrain  federal intervention                                                                    
     into  state  resource  management  that  threatens  our                                                                    
     security and prosperity.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON  informed the committee of  Commissioner Sullivan's                                                               
belief that expressions  of the legislature can be  of value when                                                               
an issue goes  to court, because it demonstrates  that the people                                                               
of  Alaska support  the  decisions of  the  executive branch.  He                                                               
relayed  that during  the  statehood  debate Congress  recognized                                                               
that the best hope that Alaska  had to support itself was to have                                                               
control  over its  natural resources.  As a  result, 100  million                                                               
acres were  committed to Alaska  at statehood. He noted  that the                                                               
packets  contained expressions  of support  from a  consortium of                                                               
Alaska Native corporation executives.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:43:15 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COGHILL  questioned  whether  the  resolution  might  have                                                               
greater  impact  if  it  identified  a  particular  congressional                                                               
committee in the "copies" section.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MCGUIRE suggested adding  the energy and lands committees                                                               
to  the "copies"  section, and  incorporating  a statement  about                                                               
control  over  natural resources  being  a  premise for  granting                                                               
statehood.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   COGHILL   recommended   including  a   "resolve"   that                                                               
highlighted the  times that the  state had supported  the federal                                                               
government.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:47:15 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  DYSON  opined  that  it would  add  credibility  to  the                                                               
state's efforts. He offered to  prepare a committee substitute or                                                               
switch to a committee resolution.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL  said he didn't  have a preference and  didn't mind                                                               
acknowledging the sometimes  cooperative and helpful relationship                                                               
between the state and federal  government. He opined that a focus                                                               
of the  28th Legislature  would probably  be how  to work  in the                                                               
federal system.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[SJR 2 was held in committee.]