JUNEAU (AP) — The Alaska Legislature has passed a measure to formally recognize tribes in the state. The House on May 18 voted 37-2 to accept a Senate version of the bill that passed a week earlier on a 15-0 vote.
The bill next goes to Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Supporters of the bill say it is an overdue step that would create opportunities for the state and tribes to work together.
Putting tribal recognition into law would allow for continuity from one governor’s term to the next so that Alaska could work toward long-term solutions to issues with tribes, supporters said.
The measure is similar to an initiative that was slated to go before voters later this year. The ballot group, Alaskans for Better Government, said the bill and initiative are “functionally identical and were written to serve the same purpose — to have the state permanently recognize the 229 federally recognized tribes in Alaska.”
Initiatives that qualify for the ballot can be bumped if the Legislature passes substantially similar legislation first. The campaign group in a statement said it anticipates that will be the case here.
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