Native Movement Blog
#AKLeg This Week
Each of the following sessions this week
will be livestreamed on www.akleg.gov
On Tuesday March 1 there are two hearings:
10:15 in House Energy - No Public Comment - House Bill 299 was introduced by Governor Dunleavy and encourages nuclear energy development in Alaska by eliminating the current statutory requirement that the legislature be involved in designating land for nuclear energy sites.
3:00 in House Social Service committee - Public Testimony Opportunity - Critical state services and programs are at risk with the proposed split of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. The split will only add to the financial cost of social service. Take Action Here with AKPIRG.
On Thursday March 3 there are two hearings:
10:00 AM in the Alaska Senate Education Committee - First hearing of the year on Senate Bill 140 — an anti-trans bill that would prevent a trans student being able to pick a sports team that matches their gender. SB 140 is yet another bill in a nationwide anti-trans state legislation campaign that has negatively impacted the mental health of 85% of 2S/LGBTQ youth across the country. Our legislators should be PROTECTING 2S/LGBTQ Alaskan students, NOT causing them further harm // TO TESTIFY: Call the Juneau Legislative Information Office at 907-465-4648 at least five minutes prior to the start of the committee hearing. Review other #AKLeg testifying tips here: http://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/AKLEG_Testimony_Instructions.pdf
3:30 in Senate State Affairs - Invited Testimony Only - HB 123 The Tribal Recognition Bill is getting a hearing with invited testimony only. Take Action to support this bill with Native Peoples Action.
3:30 in Senate State Affairs - Public Testimony Opportunity - SB 167/HB 286 are companion bills, introduced by Gov. Dunleavy, that will make it harder to vote in Alaska, putting our democracy at risk. This bill removes automatic voter registration, prevents voters from using an alternate ID to vote, and prevents family members and friends from helping each other vote. Learn more and take action with the Alaska Center.
AIDEA Reform Bill Introduced in Alaska Legislature
Written by Rebecca Noblin, Native Movement Policy Justice Lead
What is AIDEA and why does it need reform?
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) is a public corporation of the State of Alaska, created in 1967 by the Alaska Legislature “to increase job opportunities and otherwise to encourage the economic growth of the state, including the development of its natural resources, through the establishment and expansion of manufacturing, industrial, energy, export, small business, and business enterprises.” AIDEA’s structure as a separate, though public, corporation of the State of Alaska allows it to operate through its governor-appointed board, which interprets its own establishing legislation to require very little public or legislative oversight of its decisions.
AIDEA reported $1.4 billion in assets in both 2020 and 2021. AIDEA has its hands in multiple projects across Alaska that support the extractive economy, including the Ambler Access Road, the West Susitna Access Road, and Arctic Refuge oil and gas leases. AIDEA is also currently suing the federal government to protect its interest in the Arctic Refuge leases.
AIDEA lacks transparency and public involvement. It also lacks adequate legislative oversight. Moreover, its board members are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the governor, making it susceptible to political whims. Among AIDEA’s transparency issues is its board’s penchant for holding meetings in executive session, which are not public under Alaska’s Open Meetings Act. In 2020 the AIDEA board spent 68 percent of its meeting time in executive sessions. This included meetings where AIDEA made decisions to expend substantial amounts of public money. AIDEA also does not give sufficient public notice for its meetings, often giving notice five days or fewer before important decisions, such as spending $35 million on the Ambler Access Road. AIDEA also insists that it does not need legislative approval for these major expenditures of public dollars.
What does the AIDEA Reform Bill do?
On January 18, Representative Andy Josephson introduced House Bill 271, a bill designed to address some of the problems with how AIDEA operates. HB 271 would do a number of things, including:
Requiring legislative confirmation of the five public members of the board and the Director;
Requiring the public members of the board to come from different sectors, including a Tribal government representative, a member with experience in socially responsible investing, and a member with experience in renewable energy project development;
Instituting staggered 4-year terms rather than allowing the board to serve “at the pleasure of the governor”;
Increasing scrutiny and stakeholder involvement in all AIDEA projects over $10 million;
Increasing the dividend AIDEA pays to the state from 25 to 50 percent to no less than 50 percent;
Requiring 30 days notice for change of regulations and requiring AIDEA to publish a written justification for any change to a regulation;
Requiring AIDEA allow all interested members of the public at least two minutes to comment on any decision and requiring production of a publicly available response to public comments before voting on any action;
Requiring the release of more information publicly; and
Requiring local consent for projects over $10 million and requiring the creation of Regional Resource Advisory Councils.
While this bill would represent a major improvement in how AIDEA operates, there’s more that needs to be done. We will be pushing legislators to amend the bill to require more public notice of meetings, longer comment periods, and restrictions on meeting in executive session, among other things.
How can Alaskans get involved?
Sign up to get updates on AIDEA Reform legislation and AIDEA board meetings at www.BadAIDEA.org! When legislative hearings are scheduled on the AIDEA Reform legislation, you can call in to testify in favor of the legislation and strengthening amendments. And you can also call into AIDEA board meetings to make your voice heard.