The Alaska State Constitution

by McBeath, Gerald A.; Knowles, Tony

• ISBN13: 9780313277788
• ISBN10: 0313277788
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-01-30
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

A constitutional and poliitical history of Alaska ranging from its colonial and territorial experience to the ratification of the Constitution in 1956 and subsequent amendments. Analytical commentary on the current constitution, article-by-article, makes up the heart of the book. A bibliographical essay, table of cases, and index are also included in this unique reference designed for students and teachers, scholars and experts, and lawyers dealing with legal history, state and local government, and American history.

Table of Contents

SERIES FOREWORD	xv	(4)
G. Alan Tarr
FOREWORD	xix	(4)
Tony Knowles
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	xxiii
PART I. THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF ALASKA	1	(22)
The Colonial and Territorial Experience	1	(3)
The Alaska Statehood Movement	4	(2)
Role of the Constitutional Convention	6	(1)
The State Constitutional Reform Movement	7	(1)
Preliminaries to the Constitutional Convention	7	(2)
Campaigns for Delegate Seats	9	(1)
Organization and Leadership of the Convention	9	(1)
Issues of Government and Policy at the Constitutional Convention	10	(6)
Ratification of the Constitution in 1956	16	(1)
Amendments to the Constitution	17	(2)
Conclusions	19	(2)
Notes to Part I	21	(2)
PART II. ALASKA CONSTITUTION AND COMMENTARY	23	(214)
Preamble	24	(1)
Article I: Declaration of Rights	25	(44)
Section 1. Inherent Rights	26	(6)
Section 2. Source of Government	32	(1)
Section 3. Civil Rights	33	(1)
Section 4. Freedom of Religion	34	(1)
Section 5. Freedom of Speech	35	(2)
Section 6. Assembly; Petition	37	(1)
Section 7. Due Process	37	(8)
Section 8. Grand Jury	45	(1)
Section 9. Jeopardy and Self-Incrimination	46	(2)
Section 10. Treason	48	(1)
Section 11. Rights of Accused	48	(5)
Section 12. Criminal Administration	53	(3)
Section 13. Habeas Corpus	56	(1)
Section 14. Searches and Seizures	56	(2)
Section 15. Prohibited State Action	58	(2)
Section 16. Civil Suits; Trial by Jury	60	(1)
Section 17. Imprisonment for Debt	60	(1)
Section 18. Eminent Domain	61	(1)
Section 19. Right to Keep and Bear Arms	62	(1)
Section 20. Quartering Soldiers	63	(1)
Section 21. Construction	63	(1)
Section 22. Right of Privacy	64	(3)
Section 23. Resident Preference	67	(1)
Section 24. Rights of Crime Victims	67	(2)
Article II: The Legislature	69	(22)
Section 1. Legislative Power; Membership	70	(1)
Section 2. Members' Qualifications	71	(1)
Section 3. Election and Terms	72	(1)
Section 4. Vacancies	73	(1)
Section 5. Disqualifications	73	(1)
Section 6. Immunities	74	(1)
Section 7. Salary and Expenses	75	(1)
Section 8. Regular Sessions	76	(1)
Section 9. Special Sessions	77	(1)
Section 10. Adjournment	78	(1)
Section 11. Interim Committees	78	(1)
Section 12. Rules	79	(2)
Section 13. Form of Bills	81	(2)
Section 14. Passage of Bills	83	(1)
Section 15. Veto	84	(1)
Section 16. Action upon Veto	85	(1)
Section 17. Bills Not Signed	86	(1)
Section 18. Effective Date	87	(1)
Section 19. Local or Special Acts	87	(1)
Section 20. Impeachment	88	(1)
Section 21. Suits against the State	89	(2)
Article III: The Executive	91	(16)
Section 1. Executive Power	92	(1)
Section 2. Governor's Qualifications	92	(1)
Section 3. Election	93	(1)
Section 4. Term of Office	93	(1)
Section 5. Limit on Tenure	93	(1)
Section 6. Dual Office Holding	94	(1)
Section 7. Lieutenant Governor Duties	94	(1)
Section 8. Same--Election	95	(1)
Section 9. Acting Governor	96	(1)
Section 10. Succession; Failure to Qualify	96	(1)
Section 11. Vacancy	96	(1)
Section 12. Absence	97	(1)
Section 13. Further Succession	97	(1)
Section 14. Title and Authority of Successor	98	(1)
Section 15. Compensation	98	(1)
Section 16. Governor's Authority	98	(1)
Section 17. Convening Legislature	99	(1)
Section 18. Messages to Legislature	100	(1)
Section 19. Military Authority	100	(1)
Section 20. Martial Law	100	(1)
Section 21. Executive Clemency	101	(1)
Section 22. Executive Branch	101	(1)
Section 23. Reorganization	102	(1)
Section 24. Supervision	103	(1)
Section 25. Department Heads	103	(2)
Section 26. Boards and Commissions	105	(1)
Section 27. Recess Appointments	106	(1)
Article IV: The Judiciary	107	(15)
Section 1. Judicial Power and Jurisdiction	108	(1)
Section 2. Supreme Court	109	(1)
Section 3. Superior Court	110	(1)
Section 4. Qualifications of Justices and Judges	110	(1)
Section 5. Nomination and Appointment	111	(1)
Section 6. Approval or Rejection	112	(1)
Section 7. Vacancy	113	(1)
Section 8. Judicial Council	114	(1)
Section 9. Additional Duties	115	(1)
Section 10. Commission on Judicial Conduct	116	(2)
Section 11. Retirement	118	(1)
Section 12. Impeachment	118	(1)
Section 13. Compensation	118	(1)
Section 14. Restrictions	119	(1)
Section 15. Rule-Making Power	119	(1)
Section 16. Court Administration	120	(2)
Article V: Suffrage and Elections	122	(7)
Section 1. Qualified Voters	122	(3)
Section 2. Disqualifications	125	(1)
Section 3. Methods of Voting; Election Contests	125	(2)
Section 4. Voting Precincts; Registration	127	(1)
Section 5. General Elections	127	(2)
Article VI: Legislative Apportionment	129	(11)
Section 1. Election Districts	130	(1)
Section 2. Senate Districts	130	(1)
Section 3. Reapportionment of House	131	(1)
Section 4. Method	132	(1)
Section 5. Combining Districts	132	(1)
Section 6. Redistricting	133	(2)
Section 7. Modifications of Senate Districts	135	(1)
Section 8. Reapportionment Board	136	(1)
Section 9. Organization	137	(1)
Section 10. Reapportionment Plan and Proclamation	137	(1)
Section 11. Enforcement	138	(2)
Article VII: Health, Education, and Welfare	140	(6)
Section 1. Public Education	140	(3)
Section 2. State University	143	(1)
Section 3. Board of Regents of University	144	(1)
Section 4. Public Health	144	(1)
Section 5. Public Welfare	145	(1)
Article VIII: Natural Resources	146	(18)
Section 1. Statement of Policy	148	(1)
Section 2. General Authority	148	(2)
Section 3. Common Use	150	(3)
Section 4. Sustained Yield	153	(1)
Section 5. Facilities and Improvements	153	(1)
Section 6. State Public Domain	154	(1)
Section 7. Special Purpose Sites	154	(1)
Section 8. Leases	155	(1)
Section 9. Sales and Grants	155	(1)
Section 10. Public Notice	156	(1)
Section 11. Mineral Rights	156	(2)
Section 12. Mineral Leases and Permits	158	(1)
Section 13. Water Rights	159	(1)
Section 14. Access to Navigable Waters	159	(1)
Section 15. No Exclusive Right of Fishery	159	(2)
Section 16. Protection of Rights	161	(1)
Section 17. Uniform Application	162	(1)
Section 18. Private Ways of Necessity	163	(1)
Article IX: Finance and Taxation	164	(16)
Section 1. Taxing Power	164	(1)
Section 2. Nondiscrimination	165	(1)
Section 3. Assessment Standards	165	(1)
Section 4. Exemptions	166	(2)
Section 5. Interests in Government Property	168	(1)
Section 6. Public Purpose	168	(2)
Section 7. Dedicated Funds	170	(1)
Section 8. State Debt	171	(1)
Section 9. Local Debts	172	(1)
Section 10. Interim Borrowing	173	(1)
Section 11. Exceptions	173	(1)
Section 12. Budget	174	(1)
Section 13. Expenditures	174	(1)
Section 14. Legislative Post-Audit	175	(1)
Section 15. Alaska Permanent Fund	175	(1)
Section 16. Appropriation Limit	176	(1)
Section 17. Budget Reserve Fund	177	(3)
Article X: Local Government	180	(15)
Section 1. Purpose and Construction	181	(2)
Section 2. Local Government Powers	183	(1)
Section 3. Boroughs	184	(1)
Section 4. Assembly	185	(1)
Section 5. Service Areas	186	(1)
Section 6. Unorganized Boroughs	186	(1)
Section 7. Cities	187	(1)
Section 8. Council	188	(1)
Section 9. Charters	188	(1)
Section 10. Extended Home Rule	189	(1)
Section 11. Home Rule Powers	189	(2)
Section 12. Boundaries	191	(2)
Section 13. Agreements; Transfer of Powers	193	(1)
Section 14. Local Government Agency	193	(1)
Section 15. Special Service Districts	194	(1)
Article XI: The Initiative, Referendum, and Recall	195	(10)
Section 1. Initiative and Referendum	196	(1)
Section 2. Application	197	(1)
Section 3. Petition	197	(1)
Section 4. Initiative Election	198	(2)
Section 5. Referundum Election	200	(1)
Section 6. Enactment	201	(1)
Section 7. Restrictions	202	(2)
Section 8. Recall	204	(1)
Article XII: General Provisions	205	(7)
Section 1. State Boundaries	205	(1)
Section 2. Intergovernmental Relations	205	(1)
Section 3. Office or Profit	206	(1)
Section 4. Disqualification for Disloyalty	206	(1)
Section 5. Oath of Office	206	(1)
Section 6. Merit System	207	(1)
Section 7. Retirement Systems	207	(1)
Section 8. Residual Power	208	(1)
Section 9. Provisions Self-Executing	208	(1)
Section 10. Interpretation	208	(1)
Section 11. Law-Making Power	208	(1)
Section 12. Disclaimer and Agreement	209	(1)
Section 13. Consent to Act of Admission	210	(2)
Article XIII: Amendments and Revision	212	(5)
Section 1. Amendments	213	(1)
Section 2. Convention	214	(1)
Section 3. Call by Referendum	214	(2)
Section 4. Powers	216	(1)
Article XIV: Apportionment Schedule	217	(1)
Article XV: Schedule of Transitional Measures	218	(8)
Section 1. Continuance of Laws	219	(1)
Section 2. Saving of Existing Rights and Liabilities	219	(1)
Section 3. Local Government	219	(1)
Section 4. Continuance of Office	220	(1)
Section 5. Corresponding Qualifications	220	(1)
Section 6. Governor to Proclaim Election	220	(1)
Section 7. First State Elections	220	(1)
Section 8. United States Senators and Representatives	220	(1)
Section 9. Terms of First Governor and Lieutenant Governor	221	(1)
Section 10. Election of First Senators	221	(1)
Section 11. Terms of First State Legislators	221	(1)
Section 12. Election Returns	221	(1)
Section 13. Assumption of Office	222	(1)
Section 14. First Session of Legislature	222	(1)
Section 15. Office Holding by First Legislators	222	(1)
Section 16. First Judicial Council	222	(1)
Section 17. Transfer of Court Jurisdiction	222	(1)
Section 18. Territorial Assets and Liabilities	223	(1)
Section 19. First Reapportionment	223	(1)
Section 20. State Capital	223	(1)
Section 21. Seal	223	(1)
Section 22. Flag	223	(1)
Section 23. Special Voting Provision	223	(1)
Section 24. Ordinances	223	(1)
Section 25. Effective Date	224	(1)
Section 26. Appropriations for Relocation of the Capital	224	(1)
Section 27. Reconsideration of Amendment Limiting Increases in Appropriations	224	(1)
Section 28. Application of Amendment	224	(2)
Ordinance No. 1: Ratification of the Constitution	226	(2)
Section 1. Election	226	(1)
Section 2. Ballot	226	(1)
Section 3. Canvass	226	(1)
Section 4. Acceptance and Approval	227	(1)
Section 5. Submission of Constitution	227	(1)
Ordinance No. 2: Alaska-Tennessee Plan	228	(4)
Section 1. Statement of Purpose	228	(1)
Section 2. Ballot	228	(1)
Section 3. Approval	228	(1)
Section 4. Election of Senators and Representative	229	(1)
Section 5. Terms	229	(1)
Section 6. Qualifications	229	(1)
Section 7. Other Office Holding	229	(1)
Section 8. Election Procedure	229	(1)
Section 9. Independent Candidates	229	(1)
Section 10. Party Nominations	230	(1)
Section 11. Certification	230	(1)
Section 12. Ballot Form; Who Is Elected	230	(1)
Section 13. Duties and Emoluments	230	(1)
Section 14. Convention Assistance	230	(1)
Section 15. Alternate Effective Dates	231	(1)
Ordinance No. 3: Abolition of Fish Traps	232	(5)
Section 1. Ballot	232	(1)
Section 2. Effect of Referendum	232	(1)
Notes to Part II	233	(4)
APPENDIX: Proposals to Amend the Alaska Constitution	237	(4)
BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY	241	(4)
TABLE OF CASES	245	(8)
INDEX	253