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House panel hears sponsor, UAF witnesses on bill to create Alaska Native Languages academic task force
Summary
House Bill 387 would create a joint legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force to review academic activity, teacher training and research; Representative Andy Story and University of Alaska Fairbanks witnesses said revitalization work is underway but will require additional resources. The committee set an amendment deadline of May 5 at 3 p.m.
Representative Andy Story introduced House Bill 387 to the House Education Committee on May 4, describing it as legislation to establish a joint legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force charged with reviewing academic activities, evaluating linguistic research and recommending strategies to grow language teachers and researchers.
“There's a lot of good efforts going on across the state, and in many ways, revitalization is happening,” Story said, calling the proposed task force “a timely” comprehensive review and noting the Alaska Native Language Center’s statutory connection to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Cochair Hinshoot noted the center’s original mission — research, development of literacy materials, translation assistance, dissemination of Alaska Native literature and training of speakers as teachers — and said the bill provides an opportunity to assess effectiveness since the center’s founding roughly 52 years ago.
University of Alaska Fairbanks witnesses appeared online. Tisha Simmons, dean of the College of Indigenous Studies, told the committee UAF has delivered distance courses for decades and expanded hybrid and Zoom offerings since the pandemic. Simmons said the university has some faculty teaching strictly by distance and is pursuing low- or no-cost course materials to reduce barriers for rural learners, but added revitalization “is a huge agenda” that will require more resources.
“We can always give more resources… the work is a large task,” Simmons said, noting outreach and partnerships across Alaska and efforts to reduce student costs for course materials.
The committee opened public testimony on HB 387 and heard none. The committee set an amendment deadline for House Bill 387 for Tuesday, May 5 at 3:00 p.m.; members were asked to submit amendments to the cochairs’ or Representative Story’s office.
Next steps: amendments due by May 5 at 3 p.m.; the bill will return to committee for consideration of any filed amendments.
