SB 119-OATH OF OFFICE                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:50:46 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.]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:51:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  LORA REINBOLD,  speaking as  sponsor of  SB 119,  stated                                                               
that  this  legislation requires  anyone  who  takes an  oath  of                                                               
office in the  state of Alaska to read and  attest that they read                                                               
the Declaration of Independence,  the United States Constitution,                                                               
and the  Constitution of the  State of Alaska before  being sworn                                                               
in. The signed statements of  individuals who have fulfilled this                                                               
requirement  will  be  filed with  the  municipality,  the  court                                                               
clerk's  office,  or the  Alaska  State  Libraries, Archives  and                                                               
Museums  after taking  the oath  of  office. She  noted that  the                                                               
requirement to  read the Declaration of  Independence was removed                                                               
in the  Judiciary Committee  and her  hope was  that it  would be                                                               
added back as the bill goes through the process.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COSTELLO asked which version of the bill was under                                                                      
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER replied the [Judiciary] committee substitute,                                                                      
version W, was the working document.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:53:45 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:54:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER reconvened the meeting and asked Ms. Toth to walk                                                                  
through the sectional analysis and fiscal notes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:54:32 PM                                                                                                                    
KELLI TOTH, Staff, Senator Lora Reinbold, Alaska State                                                                          
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis                                                                   
for SB 119, version W.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1. AS  14.12.090 is  amended to  require every                                                                  
     school board  member before taking  office to  read the                                                                    
     Constitution   of  the   State   of   Alaska  and   the                                                                    
     Constitution of  the United States,  and take  and sign                                                                    
     an oath of affirmation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2. AS  18.65.010 (c)  applies the  reading and                                                                  
     attestation   requirement   in   Section   1   to   law                                                                    
     enforcement officers  under the commissioner  of public                                                                    
     safety.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3.  AS  22.05.090   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement  in Section  1 to  each Supreme                                                                    
     Court justice                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  4.  AS  22.07.050   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement  in Section 1 to  each judge of                                                                    
     the court of appeals.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  5.  AS  22.10.110   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement  in Section 1 to  each superior                                                                    
     court judge.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section  6.  AS  22.15.180   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement  in Section 1 to  each district                                                                    
     judge and magistrate.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  7.  AS  24.05.060   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement in Section  1 to each member of                                                                    
     the legislature.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section  8.  AS  29.20.600   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation  requirement  in  Section  1  to  municipal                                                                    
     officials.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section  9.  AS  39.05.040   applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation requirement in Section  1 to each principal                                                                    
     executive officer of each department  and the member of                                                                    
     each board within the state government.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section  10.  AS  39.05.045  applies  the  reading  and                                                                  
     attestation  requirement in  Section 1  to each  public                                                                    
     officer or employee of the state.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER found no questions and  asked Ms. Toth to review the                                                               
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:56:31 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. TOTH advised that the fiscal notes were all zero.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  HOLLAND asked  if  the bill  documents  the process  for                                                               
filing the  sworn oaths  or affirmations  with the  state library                                                               
system.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. TOTH  said she would follow  up with the answer.  She offered                                                               
her understanding that the bill  stipulates that these oaths will                                                               
be held in the state library archives.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HOLLAND  said he would continue  to look for that  in the                                                               
bill while other members ask questions.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:58:49 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  COSTELLO commented  that she  didn't see  that provision                                                               
either.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER held SB 119 in committee.