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.