HB 275-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY  9:07:15 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 275, "An Act establishing the second Monday of October of each year as Indigenous Peoples Day." 9:07:18 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIET DRUMMOND, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 275, stated that at a time when Alaska is facing an unprecedented economic crisis, "let's remember those who have gone before us and who faced far greater challenges than we do, and who adapted, and engineered, and created, and survived." She said that "indigenous people have ties to the landscape that are immeasurable and are reflected in their spirituality, culture, and life." Representative Drummond said that Alaska's indigenous people include the Dena'ina and Kenaitze of Southcentral Alaska, the Chugachmuit, Eyak, and Alutiiq people of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island, the many Athabascan tribes of the Interior, the Inupiaq of the Northwest Arctic and North Slope, the Yupik and Chupik people of Western Alaska, the Aleut people of the Aleutian chain and the Pribilofs, and the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska. She continued as follows: Our history as Americans is one of interactions between peoples of many cultures: some of these interactions have been violent; some interactions have been borne of mutual misunderstanding; and some have given birth to the cultural, societal, and civic ties that we share as Americans and as Alaskans. REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND went on to say that America was built by indigenous people, explorers, pioneers, settlers, and immigrants, whose descendants live in the world their ancestors made. She said the celebration of Columbus Day recognizes "just one shared piece of our shared story." The proposed legislation would broaden recognition to also include "the indigenous people of North America and around the world who have weathered great indignities and dire circumstances and have emerged as key leaders, role models, and partners around the globe and here in Alaska." REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated that HB 275 would establish Indigenous Peoples Day "to remember, not just our debt to and respect for Alaska's first people, but to acknowledge our shared destiny as we confront our challenges today." She mentioned that Governor Walker proclaimed the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day for 2015, and the proposed legislation would establish Indigenous Peoples Day as a yearly tradition. 9:11:15 AM ELIZABETH MEDICINE CROW, President/CEO, First Alaskans Institute, testified in support of HB 275 on behalf of the First Alaskans Institute. She thanked Representative Drummond and her staff for their work on the proposed legislation. She stated her belief that establishing Indigenous Peoples Day would commemorate the legacy of the indigenous people in Alaska throughout their 10,000-year history. She maintained that Alaska is home to the largest population of indigenous people in the United States; indigenous people make up almost 20 percent of the state's population. She suggested that HB 275 would have importance nationally, as well as, in Alaska. She reiterated Representative Drummond's claim that "the indigenous peoples across the world have played significant roles in shaping the landscape and the destiny of their land, and in Alaska, embracing the indigenous peoples and the history and the legacy that we have here is an embracing of not just our past but also our future." 9:14:04 AM MS. MEDICINE CROW, in response to Chair Lynn, stated that the First Alaskans Institute is a nonprofit organization that represents Alaska Natives and is involved in leadership development, policy, and community engagement. 9:14:58 AM CONNIE MUNRO, Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2, stated that she was testifying in support of HB 275 on behalf of the ANS Camp 2 legislative committee. She emphasized the importance of HB 275 to the Tlingit community and the non-Tlingit community as ANS and Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) are open to anyone. She maintained the importance of recognizing Alaska Natives as partners in life. She lamented that the second verse of the Alaska Flag song, recognizing Alaska Natives, was never made official by the governor. She emphasized the importance of Indigenous Peoples Day, especially in October when it could be recognized in the schools. She urged full support from the House of Representatives and the Senate for HB 275. 9:19:24 AM KATHERINE HOPE, Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS) Camp 2, stated that she supports HB 275 and wants her children and grandchildren to be recognized on Indigenous Peoples Day and be proud of who they are. She said that she was taught respect for all Native clans at Sheldon Jackson High School. She also said that she is a lead host for Mount Roberts Tramway and promotes indigenous people of Alaska to tourists from all over the world. 9:21:35 AM JUNE DEGNAN, Chair, Haven House, stated that Haven House, in Juneau, Alaska, is a transitional home for women. She opined that it is important for people to recognize that Alaska is the home of Alaska Natives. She went on to say that her father, Frank A. Degnan, was the co-founder of Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) and the first Yupik elected to the territorial legislature. She expressed her belief that the indigenous people are in the background in Alaska. She cited the role of AFN in securing title to 44 million acres of land for 12 Native corporations and 200 tribes. She emphasized the importance of the state recognizing the partnership with Alaska Natives, especially in light of the budget deficit. She claimed that as a teacher and professor, she was unable to be hired in Alaska due to racism. She urged the state to engage all Alaskans as equal partners and stated her belief that recognizing a day honoring indigenous peoples will help toward that end. She cited the high incarceration rates of Alaska Natives - 48 percent of the incarcerated population - to explain her motive for forming her own 501(c)(3) to start Haven House. 9:25:44 AM MS. DEGNAN, in response to Chair Lynn, reaffirmed that she was unable to secure a job with the state and stated that she has Master's degrees both in library information science and public administration. CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 275. 9:27:08 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to adopt Amendment 1, which read as follows: Page 1, line 1: Delete "the second Monday of October of each year  as" Page 1, line 6: Delete "second Monday" Insert "18th day" Page 1, line 6, following "year": Insert ", also known as Alaska Day" CHAIR LYNN objected for purpose of discussion. REPRESENTATIVE KELLER expressed his recognition of the pain and frustration of indigenous people. He conceded that Alaska Natives have had a tremendous influence on shaping Alaska. He noted his positive interactions with Alaska Natives during the summers he spent in communities in the North Slope Borough. He mentioned specific Alaska Native individuals who shaped Alaska, including Walter Sobeloff and Samuel Simmonds. Representative Keller explained that the proposed amendment would change the title of HB 275 and the day of recognition for Indigenous Peoples Day to the 18th day of October, which is also known as Alaska Day. 9:33:20 AM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES stated her support for the date change and expressed her belief that HB 275 would give significant recognition to Native people and their contributions. She related the experiences of her grandparents as teachers in Native communities in Alaska in the '20s. 9:35:26 AM REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS asked if the sponsor of HB 275 had thoughts on Amendment 1. REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND offered her support for the date change in the proposed amendment. CHAIR LYNN removed his objection to Amendment 1. There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report HB 275, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 275(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.