The Alaska Constitution is the constitution of the U.S. state of Alaska. It was ratified in 1956 and took effect with Alaska's admission as a state on January 3, 1959. A state of the United States (U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states, four of which officially favor the term commonwealth which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 1st 663,267 mi² / 1 717 854 km² 808 mi / 1300 km 1,479 mi / 2380 km 13. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History and background

The statehood movement

In the 1940s, the movement for Alaska statehood was gaining momentum within the territory, but stymied by opposition from Lower 48 commercial interests and some members of Congress. Many statehood proponents felt that a well-written constitution would help advance the cause in Washington. Alaska Territory was an organized territory of the United States from August 24, 1912 to January 3, 1959, when Alaska became the 49th state. ... The continental United States refers (except sometimes in U.S. federal law and regulations) to the largest part of the U.S. that is delimited by a continuous border. ... Congress in Joint Session. ... Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Official website: http://www. ...

As a result, one of the duties the Alaska Territorial Legislature laid upon the Alaska Statehood Committee, which it established in 1949, was to "assemble applicable material, make studies and provide recommendations in a timely manner" preparatory to drafting a constitution. 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

The constitutional convention

On November 8, 1955, 55 elected delegates from across Alaska (a number chosen to echo the 55 in attendance at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787) met at Constitution Hall at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to create the new document. Fairbanks was selected as the site instead of Juneau, the territorial capital, to escape the influence of lobbyists and to benefit from the academic setting. A constitutional convention is a gathering of delegates for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1955 (MCMLV in Roman) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy. ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The University of Alaska Fairbanks is the Fairbanks branch and flagship institution of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as UAF. UAF is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution, as well as the site at which the Alaska State Constitution was signed. ... Motto: The Golden Heart City Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded Incorporated November 10, 1903 County {{{county}}} Borough Fairbanks North Star Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Steve M. Thompson Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Water 84. ... Juneau redirects here. ... Lobbying is the practice of private advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing body by promoting a point of view that is conducive to an individuals or organizations goals. ...

The convention was led by then-territorial senator and first state Governor William Egan. Among the other delegates, who made up 49 men and six women in total, were future U.S. Congressman Ralph J. Rivers and future lieutenant governor Jack Coghill, both also territorial legislators. This is a list of the governors of the U.S. state of Alaska, of Alaska Territory and of the District of Alaska, and the military commanders of the District of Alaska, as well as the governors of Russian America. ... William Allen Egan (October 8, 1914–May 6, 1984) was an American Democratic politician. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Alaska to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... A Lieutenant Governor is a government official who is the subordinate or deputy of a Governor or Governor-General. ... Former Lieutenant Governor of Alaska (served 1988-1992 under Wally Hickel) also a member of the Alaskan Independence Party. ...

The constitutional convention remained in session for 75 days. The constitution was adopted by the delegates on February 5, 1956, ratified on April 24, 1956, and became effective when the Alaska Statehood Act was signed on January 3, 1959. February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Alaska Statehood Act, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 7, 1958, allowing Alaska to enter the Union on January 3, 1959. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Principles

The delegates drew on several sources for inspiration: the National Municipal League's "Model State Constitution"; the then-new Missouri, New Jersey, and Hawaii constitutions; and studies by consultants and constitutional scholars. The National Civic League is an organization founded in 1894 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at a meeting of civic leaders, policy-makers, journalists, and educators (including Theodore Roosevelt, Louis Brandeis, Marshall Field, and Frederick Law Olmsted) to discuss the future of American cities. ... Within Missouri, there are three levels of government: state government county city Missouris state capital is Jefferson City lying approximately halfway between its two largest cities, St. ... The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the highest law of the state. ... The Constitution of Hawaii refers to various legal documents throughout the history of the Hawaiian Islands that defined the fundamental principles of authority and governance within its sphere of jurisdiction. ...

One of the aims of the delegates was to produce a short, general document, on the model of the United States Constitution. Rather than specify most aspects in minute detail, as did many state constitutions, the delegates chose instead to leave broad authority to future state legislatures. The resulting document is thus only half the average state constitution length of 26,000 words. The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ...

Much of the language in the new constitution was a reaction against weak territorial institutions; thus the strong legislature and executive provided for in Articles II and III. At the same time, a state constitutional reform movement was growing in the United States, and ideas such as the "broad strokes" approach and the unified judiciary of Article IV incorporated leading constitutional thought. The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of the system of courts of law for the administration of justice and to its principals, the justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ...

Articles

Preamble

We the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land, in order to secure and transmit to succeeding generations our heritage of political, civil, and religious liberty within the Union of States, do ordain and establish this constitution for the State of Alaska.

Article I: Declaration of Rights

The constitution begins by establishing the basic rights of Alaska's citizens. Much of Article I essentially reiterates the United States Bill of Rights, but includes several original provisions. Section 3 bans discrimination based on "race, color, creed, sex, or national origin". Section 7, which largely mirrors the Fourth Amendment, extends protection to "legislative and executive investigations", a reaction against McCarthyism. Section 22 establishes the right to privacy; the Alaska Supreme Court has interpreted this to protect, among other things, home possession of small amounts of marijuana. United States Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights is the name given to the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. ... It has been suggested that Racism in Mass Media be merged into this article or section. ... Religious discrimination is valuing a person or group lower because of their religion, or treating someone differently because of what they do or dont believe. ... The sign of the headquarters of the National Association Opposed To Woman Suffrage Sexism is commonly considered to be discrimination against people based on their sex rather than their individual merits, but can also refer to any and all differentiations based on sex. ... The term Nativism is used in both politics and psychology in two fundamentally different ways. ... Amendment IV (the Fourth Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. ... McCarthyism took place during a period of intense suspicion in the United States primarily from 1950 to 1954, when the U.S. government was actively countering American Communist Party subversion, its leadership, and others suspected of being Communists or Communist sympathizers. ... Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those they choose to give the information to. ... The Alaska Supreme Court is the state supreme court in the State of Alaskas judicial department (Alaska Court System). ... Species Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis Cannabis sativa Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant that includes one or more species. ...

Article II: The Legislature

Article II establishes a bicameral Alaska Legislature, composed of 20 senators elected for four years and 40 representatives elected for two. Many delegates favored a unicameral legislature; this failed but is reflected in the large number of purposes for which joint sessions are required. The delegates trusted the legislature to act responsibly, so the constitution does not contain the detailed limits on the legislature often found in other states. A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... In government, bicameralism (bi + Latin camera, chamber) is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska State Legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska State Legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... In U.S. politics, a joint convention is a meeting of both houses of a bicameral legislature in one place, generally for a specific purpose. ...

Article III: The Executive

Article III vests executive power in a governor elected for four years. Territorial executives were weak, with federal bureaucracy exerting weight from above and elected territorial legislatures limiting the authority of the Presidentially-appointed governor with a variety of special commissions. The delegates desired a strong, streamlined executive, so Article III gives more power to the governor than almost any other state: governors appoint the heads of all executive departments (most states provide for some to be elected), who are required in general to be people, not multi-member boards. This is a list of the governors of the U.S. state of Alaska, of Alaska Territory and of the District of Alaska, and the military commanders of the District of Alaska, as well as the governors of Russian America. ... Bureaucracy is a concept in sociology and political science. ... The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

Article IV: The Judiciary

Article IV creates the Alaska Court System. While in many states judicial authority is fragmented among several levels of jurisdiction with many special courts, the delegates designed the Alaska judiciary to be a single, unified system. The constitution specifies the Alaska Supreme Court, the Alaska Superior Court, and leaves other courts to be "established by the legislature" as needed. Article IV provides for Missouri Plan selection of judges. The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of the system of courts of law for the administration of justice and to its principals, the justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ... The Alaska Supreme Court is the state supreme court in the State of Alaskas judicial department (Alaska Court System). ... Also known as the merit plan, the Missouri Plan (originally the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan) is a method for the nonpartisan selection of judges currently used in 11 U.S. states. ... A judge or justice is an official who presides over a court. ...

Article V: Voting and Elections

Article V's provisions are mostly standard, setting such things as voting age and election dates. It guarantees both the secret ballot and provides for judicial review of contested election results. A requirement that voters must be able to "read or speak the English language" was removed by amendment in 1970 after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It has been suggested that ballot be merged into this article or section. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... The voting age is the minimum legal age at which a person may vote in a governmental election. ... The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplace Wikisource has original text related to this article: A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ... A literacy test, in a strict sense, is a test designed to determine ones ability to read and write a given language. ... The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10) outlawed the requirement that would-be voters in the United States take literacy tests to qualify to register to vote, and it provided for federal registration of voters in areas that had less than 50% of eligible voters registered. ...

Article VI: Legislative Apportionment

Article VI sets procedures for decennial reapportionment. This is carried out by an appointed board, rather than the legislature as in most states; prior to 1998 amendments, the governor held this authority. Apportionment, or reapportionment, is the process of determining representation in politics within a legislative body by creating constituencies. ...

Article VII: Health, Education, and Welfare

Article VII is the shortest in the constitution, mandating a "system of public schools open to all children of the State [...] free from sectarian control", establishing the University of Alaska as the state university, and directing the legislature to "provide for the promotion and protection of public health" and "provide for public welfare". ... Educational oversight Secretary Deputy Secretary U.S. Department of Education Margaret Spellings Eugene W. Hickok National education budget $69. ... The University of Alaska is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space Grant university founded in 1922 in Fairbanks, Alaska. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ...

Article VIII: Natural Resources

Article VIII is the first article dealing solely and broadly with resources to appear in a state constitution. The delegates wished to curtail what was seen as abuse of Alaska's resources (see Ordinance No. 3) and ensure reasonable development to broaden Alaska's economic base. The chief principle was that resources should be managed as a public trust, providing "for maximum use consistent with the public interest", further defined as "utilization, development, and conservation... for the maximum benefit of [the] people"; for common access to resources; and for development to be based on sustainable yield. Article VIII also provides for state parks and protected areas, and for the leasing of state lands for resource development. The word economy can refer to any of several things: The economy of the world — see world economy The economy of a country — see economics and economic system Economy is financial soundness or affordability. ... Public interest is a term used to denote political movements and organizations that are in the public interest—supporting general public and civic causes, in opposition of private and corporate ones (particularistic goals). ... Conservation can be confused with conversation and vice versa. ... The sustainable yield of natural capital is the ecological yield that can be extracted without reducing the base of capital itself, i. ... State park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or other reason, and under the administration of the government of a U.S. state or one of the states of Mexico. ... This article or section should include material from Tenancy agreement A lease is a contract conveying from one person (the lessor) to another person (the lessee) the right to use and control some article of property for a specified period of time (the term), without conveying ownership, in exchange for...

Article IX: Finance and Taxation

Article IX deals with budgeting, appropriations, tax exemptions, public debt, and bans "earmarking". Later amendments established the Alaska Permanent Fund and budget reserves. Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses and organizations raise, allocate and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... Budget generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues. ... An appropriation bill or supply bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. ... A tax exemption is an exemption to the tax law of a state or nation in which part of the taxes that would normally be collected from an individual or an organization are instead foregone. ... Government debt (also known as public debt or national debt) is money owed by any level of government; either central government, federal government, municipal government or local government. ... A mandatory linkage between a specific tax and a specific public expenditure. ... The Alaska Permanent Fund was established by a constitutional amendment in 1976 to invest proceeds from the sale of minerals, especially oil through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, for the benefit of current and future Alaskans. ...

Article X: Local Government

Article X provides for Alaska's unique borough system. Local government in the territory was undeveloped, due to its sparse population and the Organic Act of 1912 which banned the creation of counties. The delegates wished to avoid the pitfalls of the traditional county system, such as overlapping jurisdictions and service districts, and tightly constrained local bodies, so they created an entirely new system. The aim, as stated in Section 1, was "to provide for maximum local self-government with a minimum of local government units, and to prevent duplication of tax-levying jurisdictions." Thus Article X states that the only local government units are cities and boroughs (both organized and unorganized), and only organized boroughs and cities may levy taxes. Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state. ... A borough is a local government administrative subdivision used in the Canadian province of Quebec, in some states of the United States, and formerly in New Zealand. ... In the history of the United States, an organized territory is a territory for which the United States Congress has enacted an Organic Act. ... It has been suggested that County be merged into this article or section. ... A Municipal Corporation is a legal defintion for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, and towns. ... Map of Alaska boroughs and census areas The Unorganized Borough is that part of Alaska not contained in any of its 16 organized boroughs. ...

Article XI: The Initiative, Referendum, and Recall

Article XI sets out procedures for the use of initiatives to "propose and enact laws", referenda to "approve and reject acts of the legislature", and elections to recall public officials. It also restricts the initiative and referendum from being used in certain areas, such as appropriations or to enact special legislation. In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office. ... Special legislation (also called local legislation) is a legal term of art used in the United States which refers to acts of a state legislature which apply only to a specific municipality (or a group thereof) which is identified by name in the legislation. ...

Article XII: General Provisions

Article XII is a miscellaneous article, containing definitions of terms, setting the state boundaries, and prescribing the oath of office and merit system, among other things. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with President of the United States oath of office. ... The merit system is the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections. ...

Article XIII: Amendment and Revision

Article XIII sets procedures for constitutional amendment. Amendments can originate either with the legislature or at a constitutional convention, and are voted on at the next general election. Constitutional conventions can be called by the Legislature at any time; additionally, every ten years a referendum must be taken on whether to hold a convention. All four such referenda held to date have failed. A constitutional amendment is an alteration to the constitution of a nation or a state. ... A general election is an election in which all members of a given political body are up for election. ...

Article XIV: Apportionment Schedule

Article XIV set up the initial apportionment of the legislature, to be used prior to the first post-statehood census, and is now obsolete. 1880 US Census of Hoboken, New Jersey The United States Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ...

Article XV: Schedule of Transitional Measures

Article XV dealt with eventual Alaska statehood, focusing on legal continuity and establishment of the new state government. Since it is no longer a working part of the constitution, Alaska courts have ruled that it can be modified by statute or initiative. This has allowed, for instance, the various initiatives to move the state capital, as Juneau's capital status is defined in Section 20. A statute is a formal, written law of a country or state, written and enacted by its legislative authority, perhaps to then be ratified by the highest executive in the government, and finally published. ... This is a list of United States state capitals: See also List of current and former capital cities within the United States List of capitals of subnational entities Reference http://www. ...

Ordinances

The referendum on constitutional ratification contained three ballot measures to be voted upon, as provided in Article XV, Section 24.

Ordinance No. 1 was the ratifying proposition itself: Shall the Constitution for the State of Alaska prepared and agreed upon by the Alaska Constitutional Convention be adopted? Ordinance No. 1 passed 17,447–8,180.

Ordinance No. 2 provided for the adoption of the "Alaska-Tennessee Plan", which provided that two U.S. Senators and a Representative should be elected to serve as a "shadow" delegation until statehood. Ordinance No. 2 passed 15,011–9,556. Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... The chamber of the United States House of Representatives is located in the south wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C.. This photograph shows a rare glimpse of the four vote tallying boards (the blackish squares across the top), which display each members name and vote as...

Ordinance No. 3 outlawed the use of fish traps in commercial salmon fishing. This issue had special significance in territorial Alaska. Fish traps, usually operated by Outside-owned canneries and widely blamed for the near-collapse of the salmon fishery, were seen as a symbol of exploitation of Alaska by absentee commercial interests. Former territorial Governor Ernest Gruening alluded to the issue in his keynote address to the convention: Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... Trap door spider An old rabbit trap A trap is a device intended to cause harm, capture, detect, or inconvenience an intruder. ... The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow up to 58 long and 126 pounds. ... The continental United States refers (except sometimes in U.S. federal law and regulations) to the largest part of the U.S. that is delimited by a continuous border. ... Canning is a method of preserving food by first heating it to a temperature that destroys contaminating microorganisms, and then sealing it in air-tight jars, cans or pouches. ... Bronze by George Anthonisen. ... A keynote in literature, music or public speaking is the principal underlying theme of a larger idea — a literary story, an individual musical piece or event. ...

The people of Alaska have repeatedly and unchangingly manifested their overwhelming opposition to fish traps. [...] But fish trap beneficiaries, residents of the mother country, want to retain their Alaska traps. So the traps are retained. And it is the power and authority of the federal government which retains them. In a clear-cut issue between the few, profiting, non-colonial Americans and the many, seriously damaged, colonial Alaskans, the state-side interest wins hands down.

Ordinance No. 3 passed 21,285–4,004.

Amendments

As of 2006 there have been 28 amendments to the Alaska Constitution, as well as 12 which were rejected by voters. This is substantially fewer than in most state constitutions (which average 115 amendments), due both to the short period the constitution has been in force and to its generalized construction. 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A constitutional amendment is an alteration to the constitution of a nation or a state. ...

Amendments which passed include Article I's right-to-privacy clause and ban on sexual discrimination (1972), an amendment authorizing the Alaska Permanent Fund (1976), and an amendment banning same-sex marriage (1998). The Alaska Permanent Fund was established by a constitutional amendment in 1976 to invest proceeds from the sale of minerals, especially oil through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, for the benefit of current and future Alaskans. ... Same-sex marriage is marriage between two people who are of the same characteristic sex. ...

References

• Harrison, Gordon (2002). Alaska's Constitution: A Citizen's Guide (4th ed.). (PDF) Alaska Legislative Affairs Agency. URL accessed on February 26, 2006.
• McBeath, Gerald A. (1997). The Alaska State Constitution: A Reference Guide, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-27778-8.

February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Text of the Alaska Constitution
• Creating Alaska – Alaska's Constitution
• Creating Alaska – The Constitutional Convention
• Minutes of the Constitutional Convention