Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
04/28/2021 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB119 | |
| SB34 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 34 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 119 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 119-OATH OF OFFICE
9:04:07 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 119
"An Act relating to oaths of office; and requiring public
officers to read the state constitution, the Declaration of
Independence, and the United States Constitution."
[SB 119 was previously heard on 4/23/2021.]
9:04:35 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony on SB 119.
9:04:40 AM
STUART THOMPSON, representing self, Wasilla, Alaska, read his
testimony, which read as follows:
[Original punctuation provided.]
This bill is a good idea---being constitutionally and
philosophically justified. It fixes the problem of
politicians being---so sorry to say this---the
foremost hypocrites about education in our society.
All major professions in America insist on continuing
education to maintain professional standing---except
the profession of elected political official.
Apparently whatever elected politicians think they
know or are told by lobbyists is enough to wield power
over their fellow citizens. Not good.
I recommend certain additions to this bill to
effectively educate elected public officials on how to
honor their oaths of office. Remember. Truly educated
people can reason. People indoctrinated by others who
think for them cannot. 1. Alaska Constitutional
Convention Minutes---so lawmakers better understand
the rationale and compromises behind Alaska
Constitution construction.
2. "The Federalist Papers" and "The Anti-federalist
Papers"----so lawmakers better understand the
rationale and compromises behind US Constitution
construction
3. John Locke's "Two Treatises on Government"
(particularly the second) and Charles Montesquieu's
"The Spirit of Laws"---two references that US Founding
Fathers used to educate themselves about
representative government and constitutions, and
referenced in debates.
9:06:52 AM
MR. THOMPSON continued to read the following written testimony:
In case anybody needs more ideas on the value of
education to address keeping the Alaska government's
Oath of Office, here's some more points:
1. If given more time and a good setting, I can
empirically prove that the modern definition used by
elected public officials for the word "represent" is
NOT the one used by our Founding Fathers. This miss-
education sabotages the application of our
Constitution's Article 1 Section 2 SOURCE OF
GOVERNMENT.
2. Here's an excerpt from my Dereliction of Duty
Complaint, presented to the Legislature's Rules
committees, that applies: " Infraction #1: In the
voting for the extension of the COVID Disaster
Declaration, offending legislators demonstrate
repudiation of our Constitution's Article 2 by
refusing to wield legislative power---pursuant to the
constitutional limitations and requirements of the
Alaska Disaster Act. Instead of using Article 2 power
to rationally and scientifically reduce or minimize
the waning threat of COVID using far-sighted law,
offending members are thrusting their duties &
responsibilities onto the Governor. While this
constitutional perversion could reasonably be laid at
the door of systemic ignorance, it does not excuse
legislators from competently knowing how to honor
their oaths of office."
9:08:29 AM
MR. THOMPSON continued to read the following written testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
3. It is a shame that for all Alaska Government's
pontificating and pumping money out to educate our
Youth; elected officials don't help realize quality
education by applying the most powerful social tool
there is---leading by example. Leading by example
would show our Youth the true objective of public
education: that acquiring second hand knowledge;
practicing what's learned so as to successfully apply
it; and seeking new knowledge to make life glorious is
a lifetime effort that they have only just begun.
Thank you.
9:09:22 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND determined no one wished to comment and closed
public testimony on SB 119.
9:09:36 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND advised members that the Boards and Commissions
responded to his inquiry whether boards also included
commissions and it does. He asked Ms. Teshner to discuss the
impact SB 119 would have on the State Libraries, Archives, and
Museums (SLAM).
9:10:20 AM
HEIDI TESHNER, Director, Finance and Support Services,
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau,
Alaska, stated the state archives is located in the Division of
Libraries, Archives, and Museum. Currently, the state archives
do not collect oaths of office. Instead, the departments and
boards retain the oaths of office within individual offices of
the executive branch. For example, the Department of
Administration, Division of Personnel retains the oaths of
office for all executive branch employees. The Office of the
Governor, Boards and Commissions retains oaths of office for
board members. As the bill currently reads, this current
practice will continue. Thus, the oaths of office won't be
stored at the state archives.
9:11:30 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND related that this means that SB 119 will not have
a fiscal impact from SLAM for costs to store oaths of office
since those documents are not and will not be stored by the
SLAM.
9:11:52 AM
SENATOR HUGHES moved to adopt Amendment 1, work order 32-
LS0163\A.1:
AMENDMENT 1
32-LS0163\A.1
Marx
4/27/21
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR HUGHES
TO: SB 119
Page 3, following line 7:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 8. AS 29.20.600 is amended to read:
Sec. 29.20.600. Oaths of office. Before taking
office a municipal official shall, after reading the
Constitution of the State of Alaska, the Declaration
of Independence, and the Constitution of the United
States, affirm in writing that the duties of the
office will be honestly, faithfully, and impartially
performed by the official. The oath is filed with the
municipal clerk."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
9:11:58 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for discussion purposes.
9:11:59 AM
SENATOR HUGHES explained that Amendment 1 makes it clear that
local city councils and assemblies are held to the same standard
as the local school boards and avoids any double standards at
the local level. She said sometimes decisions made at the local
level can have a greater "real life" impact on citizens than
those made at the state or federal level. Thus, ensuring that
the elected officials at the local level had that as a
foundation seemed appropriate.
9:13:19 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND removed his objection.
CHAIR HOLLAND found no further objection and Amendment 1 was
adopted.
He solicited closing remarks from Senator Reinbold.
9:13:45 AM
SENATOR LORA REINBOLD, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,
sponsor of SB 119, said reading the Declaration of Independence
is important since it highlights the grievances the colonies had
with England. It reminds people the founding fathers added the
Bill of Rights due to the egregious violations of civil
liberties and for protections against federal overreach. She
encouraged people to go back and read foundational documents
including the Alaska Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
9:15:45 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND asked for the will of the committee.
9:15:50 AM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to report SB 119, work order 32-LS0163\A
as amended, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached fiscal note(s).
CHAIR HOLLAND found no objections and CSSB 119(EDC) was reported
from the Senate Education Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A.1.pdf |
SEDC 4/28/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 119 |
| SB119 TESTIMONY FOR SENATE ED COMM.pdf |
SEDC 4/28/2021 9:00:00 AM SJUD 1/31/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 119 |