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LR031

Resolve: LR031

Source Root: HCR011

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCR 11

Relating to substance abuse treatment for offenders in the criminal justice system.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS substance abuse, specifically the abuse of alcohol and illegal use of controlled substances, is a major contributing component in crimes in Alaska and the nation; and

WHEREAS substance abuse is a significant factor that interferes with the successful rehabilitation of persons convicted of crimes; and

WHEREAS lack of treatment of persons convicted of crimes results in an increased rate of recidivism with attending additional crimes and victims; and

WHEREAS repeat offenders place undue financial burden on the criminal justice system of the state;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the social and financial benefits that accrue to the state when persons convicted of crimes do not repeat those offenses; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes that a consistent response to substance abuse by the criminal justice system will result in a decreased rate of recidivism; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that Alaska may redirect and restructure resources to provide standardized screening and culturally appropriate substance abuse treatment in the corrections system; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Corrections and the Department of Law will provide sanctions for offenders who refuse to cooperate with and respond to court- ordered substance abuse treatment while such offenders are under the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Tony Knowles, Governor; the Honorable Bruce Botelho, Attorney General; the Honorable Margaret Pugh, Commissioner, Department of Corrections; and the Honorable Karen Perdue, Commissioner, Department of Health and Social Services.

LR032

Resolve: LR032

Source Root: HCR015

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCR 15(Title am)

Requesting the governor to proclaim March 2000 as Developmental Disability Awareness Month.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS nearly 12,000 Alaskans have developmental disabilities that are based on physical or mental impairments or a combination of physical and mental impairments; and

WHEREAS persons with developmental disabilities often have substantial functional limitations to being able to take care of themselves or to being economically self-sufficient; and

WHEREAS these limitations on major life activities are generally life-long and require a wide array of services and support systems; and

WHEREAS the individualized assistance offered to persons with developmental disabilities by the state is complemented by the effective advocacy of the caring people of various organizations that make up the Key Campaign, such as the Key Coalition, community providers, people with developmental disabilities and their families, and the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education; and

WHEREAS the legislature applauds the efforts of the Key Campaign in helping to ensure that more Alaskans with developmental disabilities and their families are able to participate in and contribute to their communities through integration and inclusion in the economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstreams; and

WHEREAS the legislature wishes to acknowledge the power of community that is exemplified by the Key Campaign; and

WHEREAS the legislature wishes to promote awareness of the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and the extent to which these persons can share in and contribute to the life of each community where they live;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the governor to proclaim March 2000 as Developmental Disability Awareness Month and urges schools, civic groups, and governmental agencies to observe the month by suitable activities.

LR033

Resolve: LR033

Source Root: HCR009

Year: 2000

Source Bill: CSHCR 9(RES) am

Relating to Take a Young Person Hunting Week.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS Alaska’s abundance and variety of natural resources are unmatched in the United States; and

WHEREAS many of our young people today lack the opportunity to go hunting; and

WHEREAS the age of the average hunter continues to rise, and we are experiencing poor recruitment of young people into our hunting community; and

WHEREAS many of our young people lack an understanding of the importance of hunting in wildlife conservation; and

WHEREAS we have an obligation to teach our young people about our hunting heritage; and

WHEREAS many of our young people are receiving very negative messages about the perceived evils of hunting and the dangers of using weapons; and

WHEREAS our young people need to be taught about gun safety, hunting skills, and hunting ethics; and

WHEREAS our young people need to have opportunities to hunt under the guidance and supervision of an experienced adult; and

WHEREAS experienced hunters need the opportunity to pass along revered traditions and respect for the resources to future generations;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor to proclaim the second week of September as Take a Young Person Hunting Week; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies and individuals to encourage the observation of Take a Young Person Hunting Week with appropriate activities that ensure the continuation of hunting.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to Laura Jane Wineinger, Alaska Field Representative, National Rifle Association; Tom Elias, Regional Vice President, Safari Club International; and Rod Arno, President, Alaska Outdoor Council.

LR034

Resolve: LR034

Source Root: HCR020

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCR 20

Authorizing a recess by the Senate and the House of Representatives for a period of more than three days.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS art. II, sec. 10, Constitution of the State of Alaska, provides that neither house may adjourn or recess for longer than three days unless the other house concurs; and

WHEREAS Rule 52, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, provides that adoption of a concurrent resolution by a majority vote of the full membership of each house constitutes concurrence;

BE IT RESOLVED by the Alaska State Legislature that the Senate and the House of Representatives may be in recess during March 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of 2000, and that each house concurs in this six-day recess by the other.

LR035

Resolve: LR035

Source Root: SCR012

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCR 12

Relating to declaring March 2000 as Sobriety Awareness Month.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS it is the policy of the State of Alaska, under AS 47.37.010 , "to recognize, appreciate, and reinforce the example set by its citizens who lead, believe in, and support a life of sobriety"; and

WHEREAS sobriety has been defined to mean "a positive, healthy, and productive way of life, free from the devastating effects of alcohol and drugs" by more than 50 profit and nonprofit organizations, community groups, and student governments throughout the state; and

WHEREAS these organizations, community groups, and student governments constitute what is commonly referred to as a growing "sobriety movement"; and

WHEREAS the "sobriety movement" is interpreted as "The collective effort on the part of individuals, families and communities, and public and private agencies, affected by, concerned with, and working toward the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, who by example encourage and support others in leading a life of sobriety"; and

WHEREAS the practice and benefits of leading a life of sobriety to Alaska's citizens are threefold:

(1) improvement in the quality of life and health of individuals, families, and communities;

(2) reduction in the incidence of alcohol and drug related crimes;

(3) reduction in the burden on government by not having to exhaust its resources to pay for the pervasive problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse; and

WHEREAS March has been designated "Sobriety Awareness Month" by the Alaska State Legislature and Governor Knowles every year since 1995 to recognize, appreciate, and reinforce the example set by citizens who lead, believe in, and support a life of sobriety;

BE IT RESOLVED that the month of March 2000 should be proclaimed as Sobriety Awareness Month; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that Governor Tony Knowles proclaim the same and have copies of the proclamation sent to all the respective departments and departmental agencies within the administration that fund or have contact with youth, schools, family services, or provide rehabilitation or correctional services; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that all Alaska citizens who lead, believe in, or support a life of sobriety indicate so by wearing a white ribbon of their choosing so that they may be readily recognized and appreciated during Sobriety Awareness Month 2000.

LR036

Resolve: LR036

Source Root: SJR018

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCS CSSJR 18 am H

Requesting Exxon Mobil Corporation to pay claimants for court-ordered damages resulting from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS, on March 24, 1989, at 12:04 a.m., the oil tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound resulting in a spill of 11,000,000 gallons of North Slope crude oil along Alaska’s shoreline; and

WHEREAS, immediately following the spill, executives of Exxon Corporation promised the residents of the state that they would make Alaska whole again; and

WHEREAS the oil spill killed or affected seabirds, sea otters, harbor seals, bald eagles, killer whales, salmon and herring eggs, and many tidal plants and animals, and has caused long-term damage to the environment of Prince William Sound; and

WHEREAS the oil spill affected many communities; commercial, subsistence, and sport fishermen; tourism operators; subsistence gatherers; large and small businesses; and others in the area; and

WHEREAS, on September 16, 1994, an Alaska jury in the federal district court returned verdicts against Exxon Corporation to help compensate those affected by the spill; the verdicts provided for payment of damages in the amount of nearly $5,300,000,000, of which $5,000,000,000 represents an award of punitive damages; and

WHEREAS, between 1994 and 1996, the federal district court judge denied numerous motions by Exxon Corporation to overturn or adjust the verdicts, and the corporation continues to file motions that delay settlement of the case; and

WHEREAS, between 1996 and today, Exxon Corporation filed two motions for new trials that were denied by the federal court; and

WHEREAS oral arguments were held on May 3, 1999, on Exxon Corporation’s appeal of the denial for its second motion for a new trial and, pending the outcome of this appeal, the company may file a petition for further review to the United States Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS Exxon Corporation has prospered financially in the 11 years since the oil spill and has merged with Mobil Corporation to create the largest corporation in the world; and

WHEREAS, 11 years after the oil spill and five years after the damage judgment, 40,000 claimants are still waiting for payment of compensatory and punitive damages; 500 claimants have died since 1989; and

WHEREAS the majority of the claimants who are owed compensatory and punitive damages are working men and women with families, homes, mortgages, and financial obligations; and

WHEREAS the petroleum industry plays a vital role in providing revenue, employment, and economic stability for the state; and

WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature has encouraged development of the petroleum industry through incentives and partnerships; and

WHEREAS, in order to foster partnerships between Exxon Mobil Corporation and the people of Alaska, Exxon Mobil Corporation must make good on its promise to make Alaska whole again, and pay its debt to the people of Alaska as prescribed by the court.

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Exxon Mobil Corporation to immediately pay the compensatory damages awarded in the court-ordered judgment, and to pay the punitive damages, if affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, without further delay or appeal.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States; the Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; Robert Pitofsky, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Richard G. Parker, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission; the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress; and Lee R. Raymond, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

LR037

Resolve: LR037

Source Root: HJR054

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HJR 54

Relating to urging the exclusion of national forests in Alaska from President Clinton’s proposal for withdrawal of roadless areas in the national forest system.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the forest products industry has been and continues to be an important economic sector in Alaska that contributes significant employment income to the economy of the state, and, through purchases of timber from National Forest System lands, contributes significant revenue to local communities through the 25 percent revenue sharing provisions of federal law; and

WHEREAS application of President Clinton’s proposed roadless policy to the Tongass and Chugach National Forests would designate significant additional acreage as administrative, de facto wilderness areas within Alaska; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s proposed roadless policy in Alaska would be contrary to sec. 708(b)(4), Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which specifically prohibits another roadless area review and evaluation (RARE) on national forest lands in Alaska for the purpose of setting aside commercial forest land as wilderness; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s proposed roadless policy in Alaska would be contrary to sec. 1326(a) of ANILCA, which prohibits the withdrawal of more than 5,000 acres, in the aggregate, of public lands within Alaska without the consent of the Congress; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s proposed roadless policy in Alaska would be contrary to sec. 1326(b) of ANILCA, which expressly prohibits studies of public lands for the purpose of considering the establishment of new conservation system units, recreation areas, national conservation areas, or for related or similar purposes; and

WHEREAS the Tongass Timber Reform Act of 1990 and other Congressional and administrative actions have withdrawn more than 90 percent of the Tongass National Forest from availability for timber harvest and other resource development opportunities; and

WHEREAS the 1997 and 1999 revisions of the Tongass Land Management Plan (TLMP) further reduced the available commercial forest lands in the Tongass to 576,000 acres out of nearly 6,000,000 suitable acres across the forest; and

WHEREAS the available commercial forest lands remaining after the 1999 TLMP amendments are insufficient to satisfy the raw material needs of Southeast Alaska’s forest products manufacturing industry given the plan’s maximum annual economic offering level of 153,000,000 board feet; and

WHEREAS, should the President’s roadless policy be applied to the Tongass, it would further reduce the available commercial forest lands in the Tongass to less than half the currently available acreage and could reduce the maximum annual offering level to as low as 30,000,000 board feet; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s proposed roadless policy to the Tongass, together with Under Secretary Lyons’ 1999 unilateral TLMP amendment, would nullify the results of the United States Forest Service’s 1986-1997 planning process in the Tongass, which cost the taxpayers more than $13,000,000; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s proposed roadless policy to the Tongass, together with Under Secretary Lyons’ 1999 unilateral TLMP amendment, would further destabilize the already unstable timber-based economy of Southeast Alaska by forcing the closure of most of the remaining forest products manufacturing facilities, resulting in loss of employment and associated negative socioeconomic impacts within timber-dependent communities and the Southeast Alaska region; and

WHEREAS the Chugach National Forest has spent three years and several million dollars conducting a revision to its land management plan and is within a few months of issuing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for that plan; and

WHEREAS a wide range of interests from the Alaska public has been involved in the Chugach land management planning process, working to develop a range of plan alternatives that respond to the public’s interests, needs, and concerns, and the President’s roadless policy would render that involvement and expense pointless and undermine public confidence in the planning process; and

WHEREAS the public, through the Chugach Land Management Plan revision scoping process, has expressed deep concern that the approximately 130,000 acres of the Chugach National Forest suffering from spruce bark beetle damage must be managed for the restoration of a green, healthy forest, and the application of the President’s roadless policy will prevent the access required by land managers to accomplish that restoration work; and

WHEREAS application of the President’s roadless policy will render it virtually impossible for inholders and adjacent landowners, particularly families and small business owners, to obtain the access to their property that was promised them in ANILCA;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes any application of President Clinton’s proposed roadless policy to national forests in Alaska and urges the President to obey the requirements of ANILCA and to respect the National Forest Management Act planning process by refraining from including the Tongass and Chugach National Forests in the proposed policy; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the efforts of Governor Tony Knowles, U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski, and U.S. Congressman Don Young in opposing the application to Alaska of the President’s proposed roadless policy and urges them to maintain their objections and to continue to press for the exclusion of Alaska’s forests; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Governor to determine what legal action may be available under ANILCA to enjoin the application of the roadless policy to Alaska and to file the proper legal action when this issue becomes ripe if the President elects to apply the policy to Alaska.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Dan Glickman, United States Secretary of Agriculture; Mike Dombeck, Chief of the United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.

LR038

Resolve: LR038

Source Root: SJR039

Year: 2000

Source Bill: CSSJR 39(RES) am H

Encouraging the United States Congress to pass S. 2214, a bill opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to responsible exploration, development, and production of its oil and gas resources.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS, in 1973, during the Arab oil embargo, the United States was 36 percent dependent on foreign supplies, while today the United States relies on imports to supply over 56 percent of its energy consumption; and

WHEREAS, in the last eight years, the nation’s demand for petroleum products has grown by 14 percent while domestic production has declined by 17 percent; and

WHEREAS, by 2020, the United States expects to be 64 percent dependent on other countries to fuel its industry, transportation, and homes; and

WHEREAS United States consumers are paying the price, with home heating oil costs in the Northeastern states surpassing $1.70 a gallon, while gasoline prices have climbed to $2 a gallon for mid-range gasoline in California; and

WHEREAS some airplane passengers are currently paying a $20 fuel surcharge on tickets; and

WHEREAS the nation’s growing reliance on foreign oil is strengthening the aggressive pricing policies of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); and

WHEREAS the United States is currently receiving 44 percent of its imported oil from OPEC countries, including 1,400,000 barrels a day from Saudi Arabia and 700,000 barrels a day from Iraq; and

WHEREAS Iraq has emerged as the fastest growing source of United States oil imports; and

WHEREAS the United States is spending $300,000,000 a day on foreign oil, accounting for one-third of the entire trade deficit; and

WHEREAS the United States Secretary of Energy recently visited the OPEC countries of Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait and non-OPEC member Mexico to urge increased production, but did not visit Alaska; and

WHEREAS it will take 10,000 dockings of foreign supertankers carrying 500,000 barrels of oil each to provide 65 percent of the nation’s oil needs in 2020; and

WHEREAS, if the United States is going to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, it must look toward domestic sources, including Alaska’s Arctic; and

WHEREAS federal legislation has been introduced by Senator Murkowski calling for the opening of the 1,500,000-acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to environmentally sound exploration, development, and production of oil and gas resources; and

WHEREAS the coastal plain is America’s best possibility for the discovery of another giant, Prudhoe Bay-sized oil and gas discovery in North America; and

WHEREAS, in 1998, a three-year study by the United States Geological Survey estimated the recoverable oil potential of the coastal plain to be as high as 16,000,000,000 barrels of oil, which could replace Saudi oil imports to the United States for 30 years; and

WHEREAS the vast majority of Alaskans, including the Native residents of Kaktovik, the only community located in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, supports coastal plain development; and

WHEREAS the state will ensure the continued health and productivity of the Porcupine Caribou herd and the protection of land, water, and wildlife resources during the exploration and development of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and

WHEREAS coastal plain development could provide hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in government revenue, and could contribute billions of dollars to the nation’s economy; and

WHEREAS many national groups may argue against the development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge gas reserves because there is no vehicle to bring the gas to market;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska Legislature supports Alaska’s role in providing this nation with a major portion of its domestic oil and encourages the United States Congress to pass S. 2214, a bill opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to responsible exploration, development, and production of its oil and gas resources; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that oil exploration and development activity be conducted in a manner that protects the wildlife and the environment and utilizes the state’s work force to the maximum extent possible; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska Legislature opposes any efforts to declare the coastal plain a national monument; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska Legislature urges the current leaseholders on the North Slope to make every effort to promptly build a natural gas pipeline to bring Alaska's natural gas to market and thereby avoiding resistance by national organizations that the gas resources in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge would be stranded.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Bruce Babbitt, United States Secretary of the Interior; the Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Trent Lott, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress; and to all other members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives serving in the 106th United States Congress.

LR039

Resolve: LR039

Source Root: SCR015

Year: 2000

Source Bill: CSSCR 15(RLS)

Relating to Alcohol-Related Birth Defects Awareness Weeks.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects, which are birth defects related to alcohol consumption by pregnant women, can be prevented if pregnant women and women who plan to become pregnant abstain from alcohol consumption; and

WHEREAS fetal alcohol syndrome results in permanent growth retardation, physical malformations, and permanent central nervous system damage, including developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, and is most often accompanied by mental retardation; and

WHEREAS pregnant women who consume alcohol also risk having children with fetal alcohol effects, which most often include permanent developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems; and

WHEREAS fetal alcohol syndrome is the number one identifiable cause in the United States of birth defects accompanied by mental retardation and the only preventable one; and

WHEREAS alcohol-related birth defects have only recently been discovered to be a major health problem, and many questions regarding them remain unanswered; and

WHEREAS research shows that children with fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects are often unable to live totally independent lives; and

WHEREAS research has also shown that additional children of a woman who has previously given birth to a child with an alcohol-related birth defect are most often born with alcohol-related birth defects in successively severe degrees if the woman continues to drink during her pregnancies; and

WHEREAS, without exception, mothers of infants born with fetal alcohol syndrome consumed alcohol during pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, in the case of substance-abusing women of childbearing age, treatment before conception is an effective method of preventing alcohol-related and other drug-related birth defects; and

WHEREAS the Surgeon General has issued an advisory that pregnant women and women who plan to become pregnant should not consume alcohol; and

WHEREAS the division of alcohol and drug abuse, Department of Health and Social Services, will be conducting a campaign designed to increase awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome during the week of May 14 - 20, 2000; and

WHEREAS the legislature recognizes that the sobriety of fathers is also important to the well-being of their children and the healthy functioning of their families; and

WHEREAS the legislature wishes to acknowledge RurAL CAP's statewide activities against irresponsible use of alcohol during pregnancy;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor to proclaim both the week of Mother's Day, May 14 - 20, 2000, and the week of Father's Day, June 18 - 24, 2000, as Alcohol-Related Birth Defects Awareness Weeks and urges schools, health care organizations and practitioners, and other public and private agencies and individuals observe the weeks with appropriate activities.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the governing body of each school district, the State Medical Board, the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives, the Board of Nursing, RurAL CAP, and the chief executive officer of each hospital and health clinic in the state.

LR040

Resolve: LR040

Source Root: HJR048

Year: 2000

Source Bill: CSHJR 48(RLS)

Relating to the free flow of people and the fair trade of goods and services across the border between the United States and Canada.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS, in 1997, the International Committee and Governing Board of the Council of State Governments adopted a resolution urging the United States Congress to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to exempt Canadians from coverage under sec. 110 of that Act; and

WHEREAS the United States and Canada share the longest undefended border in the world; and

WHEREAS the United States and Canada have the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world, exceeding $1,000,000,000 every day and supporting more than 2,000,000 jobs; and

WHEREAS sec. 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires the United States Attorney General to develop an automated entry and exit control system to record the entry into and departure from the United States of all "aliens"; and

WHEREAS sec. 110 of the Act uses the word "alien" without any qualification and will apply to millions of Canadian citizens who enter the United States every year and have traditionally enjoyed the longstanding reciprocal privilege of summary inspection; and

WHEREAS implementation of this control system has been delayed, but will go into effect on March 31, 2001, imposing an unmanageable requirement on border crossing services and resulting in gridlock at crucial border crossings between the United States and Canada; and

WHEREAS the United States and Canada continue to pursue joint policies to facilitate the movement of people and the fair trade of goods and services across the border, including the 1995 Shared Border Accord and the Open Skies Agreement; and

WHEREAS, on October 8, 1999, the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Canada agreed to create the Canada-U.S. Partnership Forum (CUSP) intended to help streamline border policies and management and increase efficiencies in customs, immigration, and law enforcement;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature calls on the United States Congress to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to exempt from the requirements of sec. 110 of that Act Canadian citizens who enter at land border crossing stations along the border between the United States and Canada; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature requests the United States Congress to provide additional resources to adequately facilitate the free flow of people and the fair trade of goods and services across the border between the United States and Canada; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the President of the United States to make this issue an administrative priority and to urge the United States Congress to exempt from sec. 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 Canadian citizens who enter at land border crossing stations along the border between the United States and Canada; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages all state legislatures to pass resolutions urging the President of the United States, the leadership of the United States Congress, and the state’s congressional members to exempt from sec. 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 Canadian citizens who enter at land border crossing stations along the border between the United States and Canada.

LR041

Resolve: LR041

Source Root: SJR038

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SJR 38 am H

Expressing support for a cooperative United States-Canada feasibility study on extending the North American rail system through British Columbia and the Yukon Territory to Alaska.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS rail transportation is the most cost-effective long distance method of overland transportation; and

WHEREAS rail transportation is an essential component of the North American inter- modal transportation system; and

WHEREAS rail transportation is energy efficient, capable of moving goods three to nine times farther per unit of fuel than highway transportation; and

WHEREAS rail transportation emits lower levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds per ton of freight moved than other modes of freight transportation; and

WHEREAS rail transportation systems allow controlled access to and reduced overall effects on environmentally sensitive regions; and

WHEREAS rail transportation remains an important component of national and continental defense planning; and

WHEREAS the North American rail transportation system will not be complete until it extends to all states, provinces, and territories on the continent; and

WHEREAS the State of Alaska recently enacted legislation to reauthorize the delineation and acquisition of a rail transportation corridor from the present terminus of the Alaska Railroad to the border between Alaska and the Yukon Territory; and

WHEREAS Senator Frank Murkowski, United States Senator for Alaska, has introduced S. 2253, Rails to Resources Act of 2000, to establish a joint United States-Canada commission to study the feasibility of connecting the rail system in Alaska to the continental rail system of North America; and

WHEREAS Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and British Columbia contain extensive oil and gas, mineral, and timber resource reserves that currently are inaccessible, and bilateral cooperation in the development of a freight transportation infrastructure would facilitate the utilization of these resources for the benefit of the United States and Canada; and

WHEREAS a northern rail system may significantly benefit the visitor industry by facilitating the comfortable movement of passengers over long distances while minimizing the effect of such movement on the surrounding environment; and

WHEREAS ongoing research and advancements in rail technology continue to increase the efficiency of rail transportation and ensure rail safety and decrease the effect of rail transportation on the environment;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the government of the United States and the government of Canada to engage in a cooperative feasibility study to examine the costs and benefits of constructing a rail connection to link Alaska and the Yukon Territory by way of northern British Columbia with the existing North American rail transportation system; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the government of the United States and the government of Canada to establish a bilateral commission representing local governments, business interests, and aboriginal stakeholders to define the goals and objectives for the cooperative feasibility study and to report the results of the study to the appropriate governmental entities of the United States and Canada; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests that funding for operation of the bilateral commission and for the conduct of the cooperative feasibility study be considered a priority for the governments of the United States, Canada, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and the State of Alaska.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada; the Honorable David Collenette, Minister of Transport, Transport Canada; the Honorable Dan Miller, Premier of the Province of British Columbia; the Honorable Piers McDonald, Government Leader, Yukon Territory; the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States; the Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, United States Secretary of State; the Honorable Rodney E. Slater, United States Secretary of Transportation; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Jesse Helms, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable John McCain, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman, Chair of the Committee on International Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives; the Honorable Bud Shuster, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.

LR042

Resolve: LR042

Source Root: SCR016

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCR 16

Relating to Avalanche Awareness Month.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS Alaskans live, work, and play in and on the edge of the wilderness; and

WHEREAS the abundance and variety of the state’s winter recreational opportunities are unmatched in the United States; and

WHEREAS many of the state’s popular winter recreation areas are subject to avalanche danger; and

WHEREAS some Alaskans are not properly educated or equipped to recognize and respond to avalanches; and

WHEREAS a number of Alaskans are killed each year by avalanches; and

WHEREAS education on the recognition of avalanche risks, response to avalanches, and the use of appropriate equipment could reduce avalanche-related fatalities;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the governor to proclaim the month of November 2000, as Avalanche Awareness Month; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies and individuals to observe Avalanche Awareness Month with appropriate activities that increase the public's awareness of avalanche dangers, how to respond to avalanches, and the use of appropriate equipment in avalanche areas.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to Aidene Arthur, Backcountry Avalanche Awareness and Response Team; to Doug Fesler and Jill Fredston, co-directors, The Alaska Mountain Safety Center, Inc.; to Bill Glude, Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center; and to Colonel Glenn G. Godfrey, Director, Division of Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Department of Public Safety.

LR043

Resolve: LR043

Source Root: HJR060

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCS HJR 60(RES) am S

Opposing the designation of millions of acres of Alaska as critical habitat for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller’s Eider.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

WHEREAS the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Spectacled Eider as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in May 1993; and

WHEREAS the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Steller's Eider as a threatened species under the ESA in June 1997; and

WHEREAS, in response to a lawsuit, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service published proposed regulations on March 13 and February 8, 2000, to designate large marine and terrestrial areas of Alaska as critical habitat for both species; and

WHEREAS a lawsuit does not constitute "new information" for purposes of determining whether a critical habitat designation is warranted, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has not presented any other new information that justifies making a critical habitat designation; and

WHEREAS the proposed regulations would designate over 50,000,000 marine and terrestrial acres, as well as numerous miles of coastline between Bristol Bay and Cook Inlet, as critical habitat for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller's Eider; and

WHEREAS the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has not adequately justified the need for the overly expansive designations of critical habitat for both species; and

WHEREAS up to 65 percent of the area designated as critical breeding habitat on the Y-K Delta is already within federal wildlife refuges; and

WHEREAS the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is purposely distorting the original intent of the ESA to limit critical habitat areas to those areas most crucial to the survival of endangered and threatened species rather than to designate overly broad, expansive, and unjustified areas where the species may not even exist as critical habitat; and

WHEREAS the overly broad identification of vast marine and terrestrial areas as critical habitat for endangered or threatened species could have an unnecessary negative economic effect on reasonable and critically needed programs to develop resources of Alaska; and

WHEREAS the overly broad identification of large expanses of marine areas as critical habitat could have an unnecessary negative effect on important subsistence and commercial fishing activities in rural Alaska;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature strongly opposes the designation of overly large areas of Alaska as critical habitat for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller's Eider; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges Governor Tony Knowles to pursue legal action against the United States Fish and Wildlife Service if the agency continues with the final adoption of regulations to designate critical habitat for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller's Eider; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the members of the Alaska delegation in Congress to assist by whatever means available to block the adoption of final regulations establishing critical habitat areas for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller's Eider; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to adopt final regulations that do not designate new critical habitat areas for the Spectacled Eider and the Steller’s Eider in Alaska; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider negotiating reasonable purchases of private property within proposed Critical Habitat on the Y-K Delta rather than preclude responsible economic uses of these lands through agency regulatory actions.

COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.

LR044

Resolve: LR044

Source Root: SCR017

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCR 17

Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 130, relating to the practice of architecture, engineering, land surveying, and landscape architecture.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

That under Rule 54, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, the provisions of

Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, regarding changes to the title of a bill, are suspended in consideration of House Bill No. 130, relating to the practice of architecture, engineering, land surveying, and landscape architecture.

LR045

Resolve: LR045

Source Root: SCR020

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCR 20

Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 163, relating to qualifications of voters; relating to the registration of voters; relating to election districts and officials; relating to election procedures and ballots; relating to special procedures for elections; relating to nomination of candidates; relating to national elections; relating to special elections and appointments; relating to constitutional amendments; relating to election offenses and corrupt practices; relating to election pamphlets; relating to the deferral of jury service for certain election officials; relating to an exemption from the State Procurement Code regarding election ballots; relating to the provision and use of mailing addresses on permanent fund dividend applications for election purposes; relating to the inclusion of voter registration forms with permanent fund dividend applications; relating to financial statements by public officials and candidates for public office; making conforming amendments in references to "election district," "chairman," and similar terms; relating to initiative, referendum, and recall petitions.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

LR046

Resolve: LR046

Source Root: SCR021

Year: 2000

Source Bill: SCR 21

Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 335, relating to information contained in retirement system records; relating to retirement boards; relating to procedures and hearings under state retirement systems; relating to benefits for reemployed retired members of retirement systems; relating to eligibility for normal retirement for members of the teachers’ retirement system who have Alaska BIA credited service; relating to disability benefits for members of state retirement systems; relating to deduction of premiums from retirement benefits; relating to protection of, and assignment and transfer of, amounts held in retirement systems; relating to retirement benefits for certain employees earning high salaries; relating to qualified domestic relations orders in state retirement systems; relating to the definition of "retirement fund" in the teachers’ retirement system; relating to membership of state employees in the teachers’ retirement system; relating to refund of contributions made to the judicial retirement system or to the former elected public officers retirement system and repayment of refunded contributions in those systems; relating to self- insurance and excess loss insurance for persons receiving benefits from a state retirement system; relating to participation of elected officials in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to the level income option benefit under the public employees’ retirement system; relating to participation of employees of political subdivisions and public organizations in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to crimes for defrauding a state retirement system; relating to the definition of "pension fund" in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to calculation of years of service and of benefits under the public employees’ retirement system for noncertificated employees of certain educational employers; and relating to individual accounts maintained for members of the former elected public officers retirement system.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

That under Rule 54, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, the provisions of Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, regarding changes to the title of a bill, are suspended in consideration of House Bill No. 335, relating to retirement boards; relating to procedures and hearings under state retirement systems; relating to benefits for reemployed retired members of retirement systems; relating to eligibility for normal retirement for members of the teachers’ retirement system who have Alaska BIA credited service; relating to disability benefits for members of state retirement systems; relating to deduction of premiums from retirement benefits; relating to protection of, and assignment and transfer of, amounts held in retirement systems; relating to retirement benefits for certain employees earning high salaries; relating to qualified domestic relations orders in state retirement systems; relating to the definition of "retirement fund" in the teachers’ retirement system; relating to membership of state employees in the teachers’ retirement system; relating to refund of contributions made to the judicial retirement system or to the former elected public officers retirement system and repayment of refunded contributions in those systems; relating to self-insurance and excess loss insurance for persons receiving benefits from a state retirement system; relating to participation of elected officials in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to the level income option benefit under the public employees’ retirement system; relating to participation of employees of political subdivisions and public organizations in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to crimes for defrauding a state retirement system; relating to the definition of "pension fund" in the public employees’ retirement system; relating to calculation of years of service and of benefits under the public employees’ retirement system for noncertificated employees of certain educational employers; and relating to individual accounts maintained for members of the former elected public officers retirement system.

LR047

Resolve: LR047

Source Root: SJR027

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCS SJR 27(FIN) am H

Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to amendments to the state constitution and providing that a court may not change language of a proposed constitutional amendment or revision.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

* Section 1. Article XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:

Section 1. Amendments. Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature. The lieutenant governor shall prepare a ballot title and proposition summarizing each proposed amendment, and shall place them on the ballot for the next general election. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition favor the amendment, it shall be adopted. Unless otherwise provided in the amendment, it becomes effective thirty days after the certification of the election returns by the lieutenant governor. An amendment is a change that is limited to one subject and may affect more than one constitutional provision.

* Sec. 2. Article XIII, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended by adding a new section to read:

Section 5. Changing Constitutional Proposal Prohibited. A court may not alter or change the language of an amendment to this constitution proposed by the legislature, or of an amendment or revision to this constitution proposed by a constitutional convention.

* Sec. 3. The amendments proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.

LR048

Resolve: LR048

Source Root: HJR056

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HJR 56

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska prohibiting certain initiatives relating to wildlife.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

* Section 1. Article XI, sec. 7, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:

Section 7. Restrictions. The initiative shall not be used to dedicate revenues, make or repeal appropriations, create courts, define the jurisdiction of courts or prescribe their rules, permit, regulate, or prohibit the taking or transportation of wildlife, prescribe seasons or methods for the taking of wildlife, or enact local or special legislation. The referendum shall not be applied to dedications of revenue, to appropriations, to local or special legislation, or to laws necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.

* Sec. 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.

LR049

Resolve: LR049

Source Root: HCR023

Year: 2000

Source Bill: HCR 23

Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning Senate Joint Resolution No. 27, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska concerning revisions of the state constitution and a court’s power with respect to constitutional amendments and revisions.

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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

That under Rule 54, Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, the provisions of Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, regarding changes to the title of a bill, are suspended in consideration of Senate Joint Resolution No. 27, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska concerning revisions of the state constitution and a court’s power with respect to constitutional amendments and revisions.