HCR 19-GOVERNOR: ALASKA NATIVE LANGUAGES EMERGENCY  3:40:24 PM CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 19 (HCR 19). 3:42:05 PM At ease. 3:42:51 PM CHAIR MEYER called the committee back to order. 3:42:55 PM SENATOR GIESSEL moved to adopt the Senate committee substitute (CS) for CSHCR 19, version 30-LS1402\T, as the working document. 3:43:08 PM CHAIR MEYER announced hearing no objection, the Senate CS was before the committee. He asked Ms. Marasigan to explain the changes. 3:43:18 PM CHRISTINE MARASIGAN, Staff, Senator Meyer, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the following overview of the Senate CS for CSHJR 19: After the meeting on Tuesday, I consulted with Senator Coghill's office, Senator Giessel's office, and Representative Ortiz's staff and the following changes were made: On page 1, line 2 and on page 2, line 24 the following language was added: the urgent need for language revitalization efforts. CHAIR MEYER noted that he meant to object to hear the changes. He asked if there were other changes in the bill. MS. MARASIGAN answered no, just at the beginning and end of the bill. 3:44:25 PM CHAIR MEYER removed his objection and announced that the Senate CS was before the committee. He asked Representative Ortiz if he was satisfied with the changes. 3:44:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HCR 19, replied as follows: I'm not going to oppose the CS that was put before you for HCR 19; with that said, language loss is a serious problem in the communities I represent and beyond. The district I represent is home to three of the state's Native languages: Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian; two of these languages, Haida and Tsimshian have fewer than 10 fluent speakers left in the state, Tlingit has less than 100 speakers. We recognize the people carrying the languages and thank them for their hard work. If the CS brings us to a step closer to revitalizing these languages, then I fully support the CS. 3:46:18 PM CHAIR MEYER announced that the committee will hear invited testimony. He noted that the testifiers were chosen on behalf of the individuals attending the committee meeting. 3:46:50 PM XH'UNEI LANCE TWITCHELL, representing self, Juneau Alaska, testified in support of HCR 19. He disclosed that he is the Assistant Professor-Alaska Native Languages for the University of Alaska Southeast. He disclosed that he speaks and teaches the Tlingit language. He said he has spent a good portion of his life studying the root causes of language death in Alaska as well as effective measures of language revitalization. He noted that Sarah Dybdahl, Director for the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska's Cultural Heritage & Education program, suggested in October to the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council that the governor declare a state of emergency for native languages. He asserted that Alaska natives that work on Alaska native languages daily understand what is going on. He said he has seen Alaska native languages creep closer and closer to language death. He recounted the historical decline in Alaska Native speakers. He said he questioned the use of "urgency" rather than "emergency" in the resolution. He continued as follows: We are asking you to move this forward. If changing a word and saying, "Well, it's not quite an emergency," if that's your stance, then that is fine. MR. TWITCHELL said there was no need to debate and asked legislators to, "talk to them." 3:55:09 PM CHAIR MEYER commented that committee members were very respectful in what the testifiers were hoping to do. He said he guessed that the bill would move out of committee. 3:56:27 PM DAVID ROBERT BOXLEY, representing self, Metlakatla, Alaska, testified in support of HCR 19. He revealed that he was 36 years old and when he was born there were 150 fluent speakers of his language in his village and currently there were 5 fluent speakers. He said the efforts to revive his language has been met with modern-world problems that are not of Alaska natives' choosing. He noted that he is part of a non-profit organization in Metlakatla to revive the Tsimshian language. He continued as follows: Whether we argue about the semantics of a couple of words at this moment is not going to benefit our hopes, but I do want to reiterate that if there was ever a reason to call something an emergency, I can't think of a better reason. 4:00:11 PM PAULETTE MARY MORENO, Grand Vice President, Alaska Native Sisterhood Grand Camp, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of HCR 19. She emphasized that words are important and asked that the resolution be passed because Alaska natives have everything to lose. 4:05:07 PM At ease. 4:08:02 PM CHAIR MEYER called the committee to order. 4:09:08 PM SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report SCS CSHCR 19(STA), version 30- LS1402\T from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. 4:09:22 PM CHAIR MEYER announced that being no objection the motion carried.