HJR 26-STATEHOOD/ANCSA LAND SURVEY FUNDING 1:03:04 PM CO-CHAIR JOHNSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 26, Urging the United States Congress to adequately fund land surveys in Alaska in order to issue patents to the State of Alaska and Alaska Native corporations. CRYSTAL KOENEMAN, Staff, Representative Anna Fairclough, Alaska State Legislature, presented HJR 26 on behalf of Representative Fairclough, sponsor. She explained that HJR 26 urges the United States Congress to adequately fund land surveys in Alaska in order to issue patents to the State of Alaska and Alaska Native corporations. Currently, the U.S. Congress is not sufficiently budgeting funds to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management which is preventing the timely completion of land surveys for lands that were promised to Alaska Natives and the State of Alaska. 1:04:08 PM CO-CHAIR NEUMAN noted that the R.S. 2477 issue is also important to the state and that he has talked to Representative Fairclough's aide about adding this issue to HJR 26. CO-CHAIR JOHNSON explained that R.S. 2477 is the traditional right-of-ways to which, in theory, the state has access. However, there has been difficulty in proving what traditional is; thus, there has been an ongoing battle between the state and the federal government. He agreed that it would be appropriate to include this issue in HJR 26. CO-CHAIR JOHNSON closed public testimony after ascertaining that no one wished to testify, then opened committee discussion. 1:05:37 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON inquired whether Co-Chair Johnson intended to put forth a conceptual amendment [regarding R.S. 2477]. CO-CHAIR JOHNSON answered that he does not intend to do so, but that Co-Chair Neuman might like to. CO-CHAIR NEUMAN stated that he is confident the sponsor and her staff will do all they can to include R.S. 2477 as the resolution moves forward. He asked for Ms. Koeneman's suggestion in this regard. MS. KOENEMAN replied that she will talk with Representative Fairclough about adding R.S. 2477 either in the House Rules Standing Committee or on the Senate side. 1:06:49 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON pointed out that if a conceptual amendment is adopted by the committee now, it will be incorporated, but if this is not done there would have to be a hearing in the House Rules Standing Committee or an amendment on the floor. He asked whether it is important enough to the co-chair to have this incorporated now. CO-CHAIR NEUMAN responded that he considers this to be a suggestion to the sponsor for inclusion further down the road; therefore he does not intend to offer a conceptual amendment right now. He said he is making the sponsor aware that R.S. 2477 is a critical issue that is very close to the land survey and patent issue. CO-CHAIR NEUMAN moved to report HJR 26 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HJR 26 was reported from the House Resources Standing Committee.