HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE March 28, 2000 8:10 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative John Harris, Co-Chairman Representative Carl Morgan, Co-Chairman Representative Andrew Halcro Representative Fred Dyson Representative Reggie Joule Representative Albert Kookesh MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Lisa Murkowski COMMITTEE CALENDAR HOUSE BILL NO. 437 "An Act relating to the reinstatement of Native corporations; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED HB 437 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: HB 437 SHORT TITLE: NATIVE VILLAGE CORPORATIONS Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action 3/20/00 2612 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 3/20/00 2612 (H) CRA 3/20/00 2612 (H) REFERRED TO CRA 3/28/00 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 124 WITNESS REGISTER NICK ISAAC Ohogamiut Traditional Council PO Box 49 Marshall, Alaska 99585 POSITION STATEMENT: Described HB 437 as very helpful. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 00-22, SIDE A Number 0001 CO-CHAIRMAN MORGAN called the House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:10 a.m. Members present at the call to order were Representatives Harris, Morgan, Halcro, Dyson and Joule. Representative Kookesh arrived as the meeting was in progress. Representative Murkowski was not in attendance. HB 437-NATIVE VILLAGE CORPORATIONS CO-CHAIRMAN MORGAN announced the first order of business before the committee would be HOUSE BILL NO. 437, "An Act relating to the reinstatement of Native corporations; and providing for an effective date." Number 0086 CO-CHAIRMAN MORGAN, speaking as the sponsor of HB 437, read the following sponsor statement: This legislation extends the date to December 31, 2000, that Native village corporations may be reinstated in accordance with state law. In order to be reinstated, a corporation dissolved under the criteria specified in AS 10.06.633(a)(1-7) must correct all deficiencies, for example back taxes or deficient [delinquent] annual reports. AS 10.06.633(e) allows any corporation that has been involuntarily dissolved for two years or less to correct deficiencies and be reinstated. Existing law, AS 10.06.960(k), offered a window of opportunity for Native village corporations involuntarily dissolved for greater than two years to apply for reinstatement, but the opportunity expired in December 31, 1998. In summary, this legislation would therefore provide several Native village corporations who have been involuntarily dissolved a short window of opportunity to take care of corporate business matters and once again be viable entities. Number 0291 NICK ISAAC, Ohogamiut Traditional Council, testified via teleconference from Marshall. He informed the committee that he belonged to a small village corporation that had dissolved involuntarily. He remarked that HB 437 would be helpful not only for himself but also to shareholders and the children. With HB 437, there will be the opportunity to provide more jobs for young people. CO-CHAIRMAN HARRIS asked whether Co-Chairman Morgan had a number of [Native] village corporations contact him in regard to this legislation. CO-CHAIRMAN MORGAN replied yes and noted that Mr. Isaac had contacted him in second-class to reinstating a Native village corporation. He also noted that the bill packet should contain a letter from Mr. Isaac. Number 0447 CO-CHAIRMAN HARRIS moved that the committee report HB 437 from committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so ordered and HB 437 was reported from the House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee. CO-CHAIRMAN MORGAN announced that the committee would take a brief at-ease in order to prepare for the overview from the Rural Governance Council. [Information pertaining to the overview of the Rural Governance Council can be found in the minutes for 8:20 a.m. on March 28, 2000.]