Tribal Affairs Special

HB 307 requires courts to order compensatory visitation between a child and a parent or guardian when scheduled visitation was missed due to an unsubstantiated investigation by Alaska's Department of Family and Community Services (under AS 47.10.011). It applies only if the original court order specified visitation times, the investigation was found unsubstantiated, and the custodian provided no valid reason for missing the visit. The court must order makeup visitation matching the original schedule’s type and duration, to occur within two years, with conditions to protect the child’s best interests. This bill directly affects parents in custody cases where visitation was blocked during an unsubstantiated child welfare investigation.

HJR 33 is a resolution passed by the Alaska State Legislature urging the U.S. Congress to address historical inequities affecting five Southeast Alaskan communities - Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Tenakee - that were excluded from the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). These "landless" communities have faced long-standing disparities in economic opportunity and community development due to their exclusion from land entitlements under ANCSA, which was intended to resolve aboriginal land claims. The resolution calls for federal legislation that would provide these communities with land entitlements and corporate formation rights consistent with ANCSA's original intent. It also encourages Alaska's congressional delegation to collaborate directly with affected communities and stakeholders to achieve a fair resolution.

This bill extends Alaska's state of emergency for the 2025 West Coast Storm until March 8, 2026, retroactively covering the period starting February 6, 2026. It allows state agencies to continue emergency response efforts related to the storm's ongoing impacts on infrastructure. The extension follows previous renewals and aligns with Alaska Statute 26.23.020(c), which requires legislative approval for emergency extensions beyond 30 days. The bill directly affects state agencies managing disaster recovery operations.

(H) REFERRED TO TRIBAL AFFAIRS

(H) REFERRED TO TRIBAL AFFAIRS