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Friday April 9th, 2021
Dear friends and neighbors,
I can certainly say time has been flying at the Capitol, as I write this to you on the 81st day of the legislative session.
Before breaking into this week's issues, I would like to remind you of your chance to call in tomorrow to testify on the operating budget for FY22. House Finance will be hearing testimony on Saturday the 10th from 10 a.m. until 2.p.m. Send written testimony to house.finance@akleg.gov or call in at 907-465-4648. |
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HB 10 Funter Bay Memorial.
This week the House heard and passed House Bill 10, “Funter Bay Marine Park: Unangan Cemetery” by a vote of 31-8. This legislation protects the cemetery in Funter Bay by expanding the park boundaries by 250 acres to include the cemetery and to honors its significance in Alaska’s history.
In 2017 I was honored to join many residents from St. Paul and St. George Islands in a day-long trip to Funter Bay to commemorate the 75 th anniversary of the bombing of Dutch Harbor in WWII. The trip was sponsored by the Friends of Admiralty Island. In one of the darkest hours of Alaskan history approximately 850 Unangax and Aleuts were evacuated against their will from the Pribilof Islands by the United States government, and then interned for the remainder of WWII in Southeast Alaska. They were held in “barely livable” conditions with insufficient supplies and facilities, many living in crowded tents in below freezing temperatures. On the 1,300-mile journey to the camp and during their time there, almost 10% of the detainees died due to the spartan conditions they were forced to endure. Many of the detainees asked to leave and offered to help the war effort, but their requests were denied.
I was able to hear many stories and witness first-hand the great pain experienced over the years as we walked throughout the cemetery. The bill serves also to acknowledges our past and honor those who have been wronged, and I believe that by including the cemetery in the nearby park, it will be preserved as an historic landmark site and place of great sanctity for the Aleut people. House Bill 10 has been transmitted to the Senate where hopefully, it will be heard soon.
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House Bill 10 Passes the House by a vote of 31-8.
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Representative Edgmon arguing in favor of HB 10.
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Tribal Victims of Crime Funding Opportunity
The Denali Commission and the Department of Justice is implementing a Micro-Grant Program for Tribal Victims of Crime. This offers funding for a variety of programs such as shelter services, training, campaigns, and infrastructure.
You can read more about the program Here.
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Dillingham Opposes Proposed Changes on the Regulated Use of ATVs and Snow Machines
The Governor recently proposed a change in regulations to allow ATVs and snow machines to drive on state roads with speed limits of 45 MPH. Mayor Alice Ruby of Dillingham and several other community leaders throughout the state called in to testify against the proposal in the House Transportation Committee meeting this past Thursday.
Speaking on behalf of the city of Dillingham, Mayor Ruby, noting the regulation has not yet been brought before the city council, explained that in the past residents have been very vocal about not allowing ATV’s and snowmobiles to drive on streets alongside cars and trucks. She said the topic has been considered on many occasions beforehand. The city recognizes the value of ATVs and snow machines as important modes of transportation and has done its best to accommodate users by allowing them to drive on shoulders and other areas adjacent to streets. Dillingham has longstanding regulations addressing the use of ATVs and snow machines, and the Governor’s proposal would make things more confusing while making driving conditions less safe for the general public.
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Applications are open for the Conference of Young Alaskans. Fifty-five emerging leaders will convene in Fairbanks this August 1-4 for the 2021 Conference of Young Alaskans (COYA). This year’s conference is hosted by the Alaska Municipal League and will focus on municipal government issues. Participants will have an opportunity to deliberate issues and draft proposals. The final report from the conference will then be presented to the Alaska Conference of Mayors and distributed to the Governor, as well as legislators, mayors, and our congressional delegation. If you know any youth leaders in our community, I strongly encourage you to pass this opportunity their way. Applications can be found here.
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Governor Sues for Removal of Forever Chemicals Contaminating our State
On April 7th, the Department of Law announced that they have filed a lawsuit against dozens of manufacturers of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals. Often referred to as ‘forever chemicals,’ these compounds may take hundreds, or even thousands, of years to break down in the environment and can also persist in the human body, potentially causing health problems. Over 100 contaminated sites have been identified across the state, 6 of which are in Southwest Alaska. I appreciate the State’s efforts to hold the manufacturers of these chemicals responsible for what will be a prolonged and expensive cleanup process. I’d also like to highlight that there is significant funding in the recently passed American Rescue Plan that could be used to address this contamination in our district. Please feel free to reach out to my office if you have questions about this funding and how we can ensure that we’re accessing all available resources to address the public health harms that result from these pollutants.
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Scam Alert
I received a call this morning from a phone scammer attempting to steal money by posing as a law enforcement officer. The caller identified themselves as a Deputy U.S. Marshal and tried to convince me to pay a fine to resolve a phony arrest warrant (I assure you that there is no warrant out for my arrest 😊). There has been a significant uptick in these sorts of attempted thefts across the state recently. Please DO NOT ever provide personal or financial information over the phone to anyone if you’re not 100% certain who they are. The U.S. Marshal’s service is encouraging anyone who receives these fraudulent calls to report them to local law enforcement or the Alaska State Troopers.
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Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any issues or concerns and remember, I work for you.
All the best,
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Office Phone: (907) 465-4451
Toll free: (800) 898-445
Contact my staff:
Amory: amory.lelake@akleg.gov
Seth: seth.whitten@akleg.gov
Ariel: ariel.svetlik@akleg.gov
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Follow the link for help signing up for your COVID-19 vaccine. Alaska is leading the nation in vaccinations, thanks in large part to the efforts of tribal health organizations. I encourage you to do your part in helping to keep our communities safe and our economy open for business!
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Saturday April 10
House Finance 10:00 a.m.
HB 69 -- Approp: Operating Budget/Loans/Funds
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit 2 Minutes> --
HB 71 -- Approp: Mental Health Budget
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit 2 Minutes> --
10:00 am - 2:00 pm: Off Nets
- Please call 30 min. early for sign-in process
- All Off Net callers must hang up immediately after testifying to keep lines open
- Continue to access meeting through http://akleg.gov
- The hearing may be televised on Gavel to Gavel, please check listings
- Select a spokesperson if you are part of a group with the same message
- Send written testimony to house.finance@akleg.gov
Joint House Resources and House Fisheries 1:00 p.m.
+Consideration of Governor's Appointees:
- Fisherman's Fund Advisory Board & Appeals Council: Marilyn Charles & Renee Weddle Alward
- Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission: Melvin Smith
- Board of Fisheries: John Jensen, Mackenzie Mitchell, Marit Carlson-Van Dort, Abe Williams, & John Wood
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
Monday April 12
House Education 8 a.m.
+Presentation: Alaska Performance Scholarship, Program Review, & Recommendations by McKinley Research Group (Formerly McDowell Group)
HB 48 – AK Performance Scholarship; Eligibility
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
HB 25 – Public Schools: Social/Emotional Learning
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
House Judiciary 1:00 p.m.
+Consideration of Governor's Appointees:
- Alaska Police Standards Council: Joseph White
-- Public Testimony --
HB 116 – Juveniles: Justice, Facilities, Treatment
<Pending Referral>
-- Public Testimony --
HB 66 – Elections, Voting, Ballots
<Pending Referral>
-- Public Testimony --
House Resources 1:00 p.m.
SJR 8 – Completion of University Land Grant
HB 156 – Industrial Hemp Program; Manufacturing
Tuesday April 13
House Community & Regional Affairs 8 a.m.
HB 137 - Motor Vehicle Offices
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
HB 163 – Form of Signature on Vehicle
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
House Tribal Affairs 8:00 a.m.
+Presentation: REAL ID Implementation in Rural Alaska
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
House Finance 9 a.m.
HB 79 – Saltwater Sportfishing Operators/Guides
HB 80 – Spt Fsh Hatchery Facil Acct; Surcharge
House and Senate Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics 9:00 a.m.
Approval of Minutes:
- September 22, 2020 Full Committee
- September 22, 2020 Senate Subcommittee
Public Comment
Election of Committee Chairs for 2021-2022
- Article 3 Ethics Committee Election Procedure
Chair Staff Report
- Management Log Review
- Public Member Committee Appointment Update:
Resume Skip Cook
Resume Gerald McBeath
- Ethics Disclosures:
Total Disclosures by Type in 2020
Yearly Comparison of Total Disclosures 2017-2020
Total Disclosures by Type to March 31, 2021
- Update: Collection of Unpaid Fines
- New Internship Program: Seattle University School of Law
- Publications:
2020 Public Decisions Booklet AS 24.60.150(a)(3)
2021 Standards of Conduct Handbook Rev 2/12/2021
2021 Ethics Training
- Budget: FY21 Budget Summary, FY22 Budget
Request Detail
Contract Report: Outside Counsel, Investigator
Meeting will be teleconferenced:
- Anchorage Only: (907) 563-9085
- Juneau Only: (907) 586-9085
- Outside Anchorage or Juneau: 1-844-586-9085
House Fisheries 10:00 a.m.
HCR 2 – Supporting Alaska Ocean Cluster
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
HB 162 – Fisheries Rehabilitation Permits
-- Invited & Public Testimony –
House Energy 10:15 a.m.
SB 69 – Exempt Renewable Energy Electric Plants
"An Act establishing the Alaska energy independence program & the Alaska energy
independence fund in the Alaska Industrial Development & Export Authority; & providing for
an effective date."
<Pending Introduction & Referral>
House Ways & Means 11:30 a.m.
HB 165 – Approp: Earnings Reserve to Perm Fund
HJR 1 – Const. AM: Permanent Fund; POMV: Earnings
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
House Finance 1:30 p.m.
HB 79 – Saltwater Sportfishing Operators/Guides
-- Public Testimony --
HB 80 – Spt Fsh Hatchery Facil Acct; Surcharge
-- Public Testimony --
SB 22 – Intensive Magmt Surcharge/Repel Term Date for Hunting License
-- Public Testimony --
HB 126 – Extend Board of Public Accountancy
-- Public Testimony --
House Health and Social Services 3:00 p.m.
+"An Act requiring the Department of Health & Social Services to provide & allow submission of an electronic application for certain state benefits; and providing for an effective date."
<Pending Introduction & Referral>
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
HB 103 – Assisted Living Homes: House Rules
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
Overviews:
- USDA Food & Nutrition Services ARPA Funds by Jesus Mendoza
- USDA Agricultural ARPA Funds
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
House State Affairs 3:00 p.m.
HB 5 – Sexual Assault; Def. of “Consent”
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
HB 55 – Peace Officer/Firefighter Retire Benefits
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
Wednesday April 14
House Resources 1:00 p.m.
HB 26 – Conflict of interest BF Fisheries/Game
HB 98 – Forest Land Use Plans; Timber Sales
Senate Judiciary 1:30 p.m.
SB 122 – Victim Definition
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
SJR 1 – Const AM: Guarantee Perm Fund Dividend
Thursday April 15
House Tribal Affairs 8:00 a.m.
+Presentation: Rural Public Safety Update
House Finance 9:00 a.m.
HB 81 – Oil/Gas Lease: DNR Modify Net Profit Share
House Fisheries 11:00 a.m.
HB 64 – Fisher Development Assoc.; Assesments
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
House Military & Veterans’ Affairs 1:00 p.m.
HB 144 – Establish AK Military Affairs Commission
-- Public Testimony --
House State Affairs 3:00 p.m.
HB 63 – Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
Friday April 16
House Education 8:00 am
+Presentation: School District Perspectives Updates; Looking Ahead by School District Superintendents
HB 60 – Public Schools: Mental Health Education
-- Invited & Public Testimony --
House Labor and Commerce 8:00 a.m.
SB 87 – Reinsurance, Credits
-- Public Testimony --
HB 145 – Expand Pharmacist Authority
-- Public Testimony --
HB 149 Child Care Provider Collective Bargaining
-- Public Testimony --
HB 125 – Military and Family Employment Preference
House Judiciary 1:00 p.m.
Consideration of Governor's Appointees:
- Violent Crimes Compensation Board: Gregory Bringhurst, Anne Helzer, & Robert "Bob" Urata
-- Public Testimony --
HB 39 – Voter Registration for Minors
<Pending Referral>
-- Public Testimony --
Saturday April 17
House State Affairs 3:00 p.m.
HB 123 – State Recognition of Tribes
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
HB 157 – APOC; Report Referenda/Recall Contributor
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
HB 148 – Alaska Coordinate System of 2022
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
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