Be a Good Parent

My wife, Faith, and I created three children. As they grew, they occasionally objected to our parental authority. (Especially in their teenage years). As good parents, we never allowed such behavior. They would fully understand we are the parents and they are the child. They were pulled back to their natural place, as children, listening to their parents.

We the people of Alaska, created our government. The people are the parents and government is the child. Today, the government in Juneau has stood up and opposed our parental authority.

As the parents are we strong enough to drag government back under our parental control?

The answer is yes. A non violent way (As Faith and I did with our children.)

The founders gave the people a peaceful way to rein in our child called government. Article XI of our State Constitution. The Referendum process.

This past January a legal opinion was rendered on whether the people could use our parental authority through the referendum process if government taxed our Permanent Fund Dividend. (PFD). The answer was a resounding YES.

There is a movement afoot to do just that. If our two legislative bodies come together and agree to tax our PFD we will drive towards placing our child, called government, back in its natural place under the authority of the people.

Understand the complexity of the process. Time to be a good parent, stand up and get involved with controlling our child’s bad behavior through the Referendum process.

Be a good parent, get involved.

Ray Southwell
Nikiski, Alaska

Day 81 of the 90-day Session

Good afternoon – It’s day 81 of the 90-day session, but if you consider the 121 days in the Alaska Constitution, we still have time on the books. In other words, it is a bit doubtful that we will finish within the 90-days. The Alaska 90-Day Legislative Session Initiative was on the November 7, 2006 ballot as an indirect initiated state statute. The measure decreased the length of legislative sessions from 121 days to 90 days. The Legislature completed work within the 90-day limit only twice, in 2009 and 2010, since this measure was adopted. There have been a couple of issues that have driven the Legislature beyond the 90-day limit over the years, oil/gas taxation and the budget. This

session will be no different.

This week, the Senate Finance Committee finished its work on HB 57: FY18 operating budget and the bill was moved to the full Senate for a vote. The bill was before the full Senate on Thursday and passed. It should be sent to the House today for concurrence. If concurrence is not received, the differences between the Senate and the House will go before a Conference Committee. Once the Conference Committee is appointed, by uniform rules, the Legislature goes into the 24-hour rule, meaning bills can be scheduled, heard, and moved within a 24-hour period.

Other bills heard in the Senate Finance Committee were; SB6: Industrial Hemp Production, HB16: Driver’s License Req.: Disability: ID & Training, SB97: Pension Obligation Bonds, SB48/HB23: Insurance for Depends of Deceased Fire/Police, SB 78: PFD Contributions/Lottery, SB 45: Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Extend Brd, and SB 50: Increase Studded Tire Fees.

The Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee heard the following bills; HB 18: Race Classics, HB 8: Enforcement of Foreign Protective Orders, SJR 4: Alaska Legally Acquired Ivory Use Exemption. Two bills moved out of committee, which are reported below for your review.

SJR 4 – Alaska Legally Acquired Ivory Use Exemption

SJR 4 requests our Congressional delegation introduce legislation providing for an exemption for legally acquired walrus, mammoth, and mastodon ivory from laws that ban the sale, use, and possession of ivory.

Voter initiatives and legislation in the lower forty-eight States have tried to curb illegal poaching of African elephants. These States laws prohibit the purchase or possession of all ivory. These laws have negative consequences on rural Alaska residents, who legally obtain ivory as a byproduct when subsisting. Many use the Ivory they obtain to supplement their income or use it for cultural activities. Residents from states like New York, Washington, California, and Hawaii, who have laws on the books against acquiring ivory will face punishments for purchasing Alaskan made ivory. This joint resolution shows support for residents who handcraft legally obtained walrus, mammoth, and Mastodon ivory.

HB 8 – Enforcement of Foreign Protective Orders

HB 8 amends statutes related to protective orders to ensure the recognition and enforcement of foreign protective orders issued in other jurisdictions, such as another state or territory, a military tribunal, or a tribal court, in the same way that it enforces protective orders issued in Alaska. HB 8 makes it a class-A misdemeanor to violate a protective order issued in another jurisdiction. It would also allow a judicial officer to set certain bail conditions for defendants whose victims have a protective order issued in another jurisdiction. HB 8 clarifies duties of law enforcement, also eliminates potential lawsuits that could stem from contradicting state statutes and federal law.

Senator Lyman Hoffman
Juneau, AK

PacRim, LP Suspends Permit Application for Chuitna Coal Project

This is a great time for the Native Village of Tyonek!

“Our Salmon, our way of life, and our land are safe,” said Arthur Standifer, Tribal President of the Native Village of Tyonek.

We received great news about PacRim Coal, LP, suspending their chase of permits on the Chuitna Coal Project!

Our waters are safe now! We can fish our river without any worries of harmful effects to our waters, our fish, or any marine life, as well as the wildlife that surround the waters of our River.

The Native Village of Tyonek would like to express our deepest gratitude by thanking our Tribal Community, our past tribal leaders, presidents, councilmen, administration, and staff, as well as all who have supported and continued the fight against the PacRim Coal, LP, and the Chuitna Coal Project.

It has been a long, strenuous journey, but it is well worth it, and we, the Native Village of Tyonek, will continue to protect our rivers, our land, and our way of life.

For more information, please contact:

Arthur Standifer, Tribal President
Native Village of Tyonek