Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205

04/26/2022 03:30 PM Senate 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.

Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ SB 220 STATE EMPLOYEES: STATE RESIDENCY TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+= SB 119 OATH OF OFFICE TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSSB 119(STA) Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
+= SB 195 PAY INCREASES FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                      SB 119-OATH OF OFFICE                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:07:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   SHOWER  reconvened   the   meeting   and  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."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
[CSSB 119(JUD) was before the committee.]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:08:33 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  REINBOLD, speaking  as sponsor,  summarized that  SB 119                                                               
will require elected  officials to sign a  statement, before they                                                               
take  the oath  of  office,  attesting that  they  have read  the                                                               
Constitution of  the United  States and  the Constitution  of the                                                               
State of Alaska.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HOLLAND  said he heard  the bill in a  previous committee                                                               
of  referral and  would hold  his questions  until the  amendment                                                               
process.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER asked the sponsor to offer the first amendment.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:10:11 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD moved Amendment 1, work order 32-LS0163\W.1                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                 32-LS0163\W.1                                                                  
                                                         Marx                                                                   
                                                      4/13/22                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                  BY SENATOR REINBOLD                                                                 
     TO:  CSSB 119(JUD)                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "constitution":                                                                                
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 6, following "Alaska":                                                                                    
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 1, following "Alaska":                                                                                    
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 5, following "Alaska":                                                                                    
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 11, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 16, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 22, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 31, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 6, following "Alaska":                                                                                    
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 13, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 19, following "Alaska":                                                                                   
          Insert ", the Declaration of Independence,"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD explained that  Amendment 1 adds the Declaration                                                               
of Independence to the documents  that elected officials would be                                                               
required to  read before taking  the oath  of office. This  is in                                                               
keeping with the  original intent of the  legislation because the                                                               
documents are inseparable.  This document is the  charter and the                                                               
constitution lays out the bylaws.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER  advised that  the amendment did  not have  a fiscal                                                               
impact.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:11:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HOLLAND  observed that  the sponsor  did not  mention the                                                               
Declaration of Independence in her  opening remarks. As important                                                               
as that  document is,  he didn't  believe that  elected officials                                                               
were  required  to  take an  oath  to  it  like  they do  to  the                                                               
Constitution  of  the  State  of Alaska  and  the  United  States                                                               
Constitution. He asked if that was correct.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD responded  that the only reason  that she didn't                                                               
mention the  Declaration of Independence  in her  opening remarks                                                               
was because that requirement was  removed in a previous committee                                                               
and she was speaking to the current version.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:12:24 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:13:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  SHOWER reconvened  the  meeting. He  asked  if there  were                                                               
additional questions on Amendment 1.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HOLLAND advised  that he would not  support the amendment                                                               
because he  had voted  to remove that  requirement when  he heard                                                               
the bill in an earlier committee.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD  shared that when  she reads the  Declaration of                                                               
Independence  she thinks  about  the conditions  in the  Colonies                                                               
because of King  George' actions and is reminded  of reasons that                                                               
the rights outlined in the constitution are so valuable.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HOLLAND  said he  was trying to  find an  analogy between                                                               
King  George as  an unresponsive  dictator and  this requirement.                                                               
There is no law that requires  anybody to read the Declaration of                                                               
Independence and  for that reason  he had trouble  supporting the                                                               
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:15:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER removed his objection.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:15:23 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HOLLAND objected.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:15:39 PM                                                                                                                    
A  roll call  vote  was taken.  Senators  Reinbold Kawasaki,  and                                                               
Shower  voted in  favor  of Amendment  1 to  SB  119 and  Senator                                                               
Holland, voted  against it.  Therefore, Amendment  1 passed  on a                                                               
3:1 vote.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER  announced that Amendment  1 passed with  three yeas                                                               
and 1 nay.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  REINBOLD moved  Amendment 2  to SB  119, work  order 32-                                                               
LS0163\W.2.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                 32-LS0163\W.2                                                                  
                                                         Marx                                                                   
                                                      4/13/22                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 2                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                  BY SENATOR REINBOLD                                                                 
     TO:  CSSB 119(JUD)                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 7:                                                                                                            
          Delete "take and sign"                                                                                                
          Insert "shall take, [AND] sign, and file with the                                                         
     applicable school board"                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 1, following "take":                                                                                          
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible   for   state  libraries,   archives,   and                                                                
     museums"                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 6:                                                                                                            
          Delete "and subscribe to"                                                                                             
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible for state  libraries, archives, and museums                                                                
     [AND SUBSCRIBE TO]"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 12:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and subscribe to"                                                                                             
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible for state  libraries, archives, and museums                                                                
     [AND SUBSCRIBE TO]"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 17:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and subscribe to"                                                                                             
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible for state  libraries, archives, and museums                                                                
     [AND SUBSCRIBE TO]"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 23:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and subscribe to"                                                                                             
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible for state  libraries, archives, and museums                                                                
     [AND SUBSCRIBE TO]"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 1, following "take":                                                                                          
          Insert ", sign, and file with the division in the                                                                 
     Department   of   Education   and   Early   Development                                                                
     responsible   for   state  libraries,   archives,   and                                                                
     museums"                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 14, following "file":                                                                                         
          Insert "with the division in the Department of                                                                    
     Education and  Early Development responsible  for state                                                                
     libraries, archives, and museums"                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 19:                                                                                                           
          Delete "and sign"                                                                                                     
          Insert ", [AND] sign, and file with the division                                                              
     in the  Department of  Education and  Early Development                                                                
     responsible   for   state  libraries,   archives,   and                                                                
     museums"                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:16:22 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  REINBOLD explained  that Amendment  2 establishes  where                                                               
the signed  oaths will be  housed. Oaths of school  board members                                                               
will be  filed with  the appropriate school  board and  the oaths                                                               
for all other elected officials,  judges, and magistrates will be                                                               
filed with the division in  the Department of Education and Early                                                               
Development  (DEED) responsible  for  state libraries,  archives,                                                               
and museums.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:17:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HOLLAND noted  that he was surprised  that this direction                                                               
was missing  in the original  legislation and he did  support the                                                               
addition.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  REINBOLD offered  her belief  that  the amendment  would                                                               
have no fiscal impact.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER thanked her for the clarification.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:19:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked if she  knew where the lieutenant governor                                                               
files the  oaths that legislators  sign when they are  sworn into                                                               
office.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD answered no.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked if she had  spoken to any school boards or                                                               
districts about filing  these oaths for school  board members and                                                               
whether it would be easy to do.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD answered no but  her belief was that the details                                                               
about where oaths  for school board members would  be filed could                                                               
be  addressed through  regulation. She  highlighted that  she had                                                               
received no opposition to the bill.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KAWASAKI  asked if DEED  would be responsible  for filing                                                               
the  oaths from  a  Regional Educational  Attendance Area  (REAA)                                                               
since they have no school board.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD surmised that would be the case.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:21:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KAWASAKI asked  if her  office had  contacted the  State                                                               
Libraries, Archives,  and Museums  (SLAM) to  ask whether  or not                                                               
filing and storing these oaths would have a fiscal impact.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  REINBOLD  acknowledged  that  she  couldn't  answer  the                                                               
question with certainty  but her personal opinion  was that these                                                               
few filings would not result in a fiscal note.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SHOWER offered  his recollection  that the  bill initially                                                               
had a finance  referral that was subsequently  removed. He didn't                                                               
recall the details.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:23:15 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD  offered her understanding that  the referral to                                                               
finance was removed because the bill doesnt  have a fiscal note.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER recalled  that there were five zero  fiscal notes on                                                               
BASIS initially.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:24:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER  removed his  objection to  Amendment 2;  finding no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 2 passed.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:24:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER opened public testimony on SB 119.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:24:49 PM                                                                                                                    
PHILLIP MOSER, representing self,  Juneau, Alaska, stated support                                                               
for  SB 119.  He  opined the  Declaration  of Independence  helps                                                               
bring up some  of the hard issues related to  the creation of the                                                               
United States.  This document lists  grievances with the  King of                                                               
England, the  issues the  founding of  America had  with slavery,                                                               
and  the extermination  of native  American  people. He  restated                                                               
that  he  fully  supports  requiring everyone  who  takes  public                                                               
office to read and thus be aware of these things.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:27:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER closed public testimony on SB 119.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD thanked the committee  and stated that it was an                                                               
honor to have the opportunity to present the bill.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SHOWER  commented  that he  agreed  with  the  foundation.                                                               
Finding no further  questions or comments, he  solicited the will                                                               
of the committee.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:28:41 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:28:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER reconvened the meeting.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:29:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HOLLAND moved  to report SB 119,  work order 32-LS0163\W,                                                               
as amended,  from committee  with individual  recommendations and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER  found no objection  and CSSB 119(STA)  was reported                                                               
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                               

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SB 220 Version I (SB0220A).PDF SSTA 4/26/2022 3:30:00 PM
SB 220
SB 220 Sponsor Statement - SSTA 4.26.22.pdf SSTA 4/26/2022 3:30:00 PM
SB 220
SB 220 Sectional Analysis - SSTA 4.26.22.pdf SSTA 4/26/2022 3:30:00 PM
SB 220