An Act relating to the official languages of the State of Alaska; renaming the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council as the Council for Alaska Native Languages; relating to the transfer of the Council for Alaska Native Languages from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early Development; and relating to the Council for Alaska Native Languages.
This bill officially recognizes eleven Alaska Native languages alongside English as the state's official languages and moves the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early Development. The renamed Council for Alaska Native Languages will advise the governor and legislature on programs to preserve and revitalize these languages, with its members required to include professional language experts and representatives from diverse regions. While the council will meet at least twice a year to provide recommendations, the law clarifies that official public documents must still be prepared in English. Additionally, the legislation includes a transition provision to ensure that staff currently working for the council do not automatically transfer to the new department when the council's location changes.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2024
House Passage
May 2024
Senate Passage
May 2024
Signed into Law
Oct 2024
Introduced Jan 19, 2023
Signed Oct 9, 2024
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
85
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Amendments
1
May 10, 2024
Lower · Passed
(H) CONCURRED AM OF (S) Y38 N1 A1
lower
May 6, 2024
Upper · Passed
(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED
upper
May 6, 2024
Upper · Passed
(S) PASSED Y19 N- E1
upper
May 3, 2024
Upper · Passed
(S) FIN SCS ADOPTED UC
upper
Feb 29, 2024
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved SCS CSHB 26(FIN) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
upper
May 6, 2023
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved CSHB 26(TRB) Out of Committee -- Rescheduled from 3:30 pm --
upper
May 4, 2023
Committee
(S) <Pending Referral>
upper
May 3, 2023
Lower · Passed
(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
lower
May 3, 2023
Lower · Passed
(H) PASSED Y37 N1 E2
lower
May 3, 2023
Amended
(H) AM NO 1 FAILED Y1 N37 E2
lower
May 3, 2023
Lower · Passed
(H) TRB CS ADOPTED UC
lower
Apr 27, 2023
Lower · Passed
(H) Moved CSHB 26(TRB) Out of Committee
lower
Mar 20, 2023
Lower · Passed
(H) Moved CSHB 26(TRB) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
lower
Feb 10, 2023
Committee
(H) TRB REPLACED EDC REFERRAL
lower
1 primary · 26 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Andi Story
DDemocratic
Co
Alyse Galvin
IIndependent
Co
Andrew Gray
DDemocratic
Co
Andy Josephson
DDemocratic
Co
Bill Wielechowski
DDemocratic
Co
Bryce Edgmon
IIndependent
Co
C.J. McCormick
DDemocratic
Co
Calvin Schrage
IIndependent
Co
Cliff Groh
DDemocratic
Co
Craig Johnson
RRepublican
Co
Dan Ortiz
IIndependent
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