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HB 387

An Act establishing the Joint Legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force.

34th Legislature (2025-2026)

Creates a bipartisan task force to assess and strengthen Alaska Native language instruction, preservation, and long-term funding and coordination.

(H) Moved CSHB 387(EDC) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
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Bill Summary · HB 387

Summary of HB 387 (Session 34) — Joint Legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force

Purpose and Intent

HB 387 establishes the Joint Legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force to advance instruction and preservation of Alaska Native languages. The bill emphasizes the endangered status of these languages, the importance of the Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) as the state’s primary institution for documentation and revitalization, and the need for a coordinated, long-term approach involving legislators, tribal partners, and academic institutions.

Key Provisions

Legislative Findings (Section 1)

  • Recognizes the cultural, historical, and linguistic significance of Alaska Native languages and their endangered status.
  • Notes the Alaska Native Language Center’s historical role since 1972 in documentation, literacy material development, translation support, literature promotion, and teacher training.
  • Identifies current challenges facing the ANLC, including budgets, staffing, leadership continuity, and research capacity.
  • Highlights risks to long-term literacy material development and scholarly infrastructure due to limited personnel and funding.
  • Calls attention to the limited pool of qualified linguistic specialists for Alaska Native languages.
  • Stresses the importance of long-term visions, increased funding, and collaborations with tribes, Alaska Native communities, and external institutions.

Establishment of the Task Force (Section 2)

  • Creates the Joint Legislative Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force to promote Alaska Native language instruction and preservation.
  • Composition: 6 members total — 3 members of the House appointed by the Speaker, and 3 members of the Senate appointed by the President.
  • Timeline: Task force must convene within 90 days of the Act’s effective date.

Duties and Scope (Section 2, subsections c and d)

  • Hold public meetings and gather input from communities and language experts.
  • Conduct a comprehensive review of Alaska Native language academic activities within the University of Alaska system, including:
    • Teacher training programs
    • Research archives, publications, and linguistic documentation
    • Staffing, faculty expertise, and leadership structures
    • Capacity for long-term basic and applied research
    • Career advancement for Alaska Native language teachers
  • Assess academic and institutional approaches to linguistic research, including:
    • Digital archiving and data sovereignty
    • Integration of research into curricula and teacher training
    • Lessons from models used elsewhere (other states, Indigenous communities, international institutions)
    • Access to materials for learners, schools, and programs
  • Identify risks to preservation of research (workforce shortages, funding gaps, data storage/access vulnerabilities, staff morale concerns).
  • Explore partnership opportunities with tribes, organizations, universities, federal agencies, nonprofits, and publishers/digital archives.
  • Recommend statutory updates on:
    • Recruitment, retention, and training of teachers
    • Development of Alaska Native language schools and programs
    • Legislative support for sustained funding for language research
    • Responsibilities within the University of Alaska system
  • Propose strategies to increase:
    • Licensed and certified Alaska Native language teachers
    • Recruitment, retention, and training of linguistic researchers
    • Documentation and publication of language materials
    • Long-term growth and accessibility of language research
    • Publication and capacity expansion
    • Alignment with community priorities and cultural protocols

Priorities and Operations (Section 2, subsection d)

  • Prioritize endangered language preservation, Indigenous knowledge respect, and the legislature’s original ANLC mission.

Additional Provisions (Section 2, subsection e–f)

  • The task force may accept appropriations and may meet virtually.
  • A final report with findings and recommendations must be submitted within one year after the first meeting to the Senate Secretary and House Chief Clerk, signaling availability to the Legislature.

Duration (Section 3)

  • The task force is set to terminate on December 31, 2027.

Potential Impact

  • Creates a formal, bipartisan body to diagnose current gaps in Alaska Native language support and propose concrete statutory and funding solutions.
  • Aims to strengthen teacher pipelines, research capacity, and long-term sustainability of language documentation and materials.
  • Encourages partnerships across tribal, academic, and governmental organizations, with an emphasis on data sovereignty and culturally aligned practices.
  • Provides a time-limited, structured review that could lead to legislative or budget actions to bolster Alaska Native language preservation efforts.

Timeline

  • 90-day setup requirement to convene the task force.
  • Final report due within one year of the first meeting.
  • Task force terminates on December 31, 2027.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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