A first ever House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs created on Feb. 25 will deal with basic critical issues including health, children’s services, law enforcement, economic development and other needs that can be met at the village level.
The committee, chaired by Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky, D-Bethel, is tasked with advancing strategic partnerships between tribes and state and local governments.
“We’ve never had a committee to deal solely with tribal issues in the Legislature,” said Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, Alaska’s first Alaska Native Speaker of the House, for whom such a committee has been a long-time goal.
The committee was created by passage of House Resolution 5 on a 37-1 vote, like all special committees, it is authorized for the duration of the current legislative session, which runs through January 2021.
“Collaborating with our federally-recognized tribes helps bridge historical and political divisions while elevating opportunities to shape policies and programs that incorporate local and traditional knowledge,” Zulkosky said. The Bethel Democrat said she was eager to have the committee pursue opportunities to move Alaskans forward together.
