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Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s GuideAlaska Legislative Affairs AgencyCopies available from theAlaska Legislative Information Office,Room 111 Terry Miller Building, Juneau, Alaska99801-1182 (907-465-4648), or viewed online athttp://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/citizens guide.pdfGordon HarrisonPublished by:Alaska’sConstitutionA Citizen’s GuideGordon HarrisonAlaska LegislativeAffairs AgencyFIFTH EDITION
PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITIONThis publication first appeared as a booklet in 1982. I wrote it under contract with the AlaskaLegislature to provide the public with an overview of the state constitution prior to the generalelection that year at which voters were asked if there should be a constitutional convention. A secondedition, updated and expanded slightly, appeared in 1986. A third edition, updated and expandedsubstantially, appeared in 1992, prior to the vote on the question of calling a constitutionalconvention. A fourth edition appeared in 2003. Although there had been only one amendment to theconstitution since then, there had been several important judicial decisions on constitutional questionsand a number of constitutionally-relevant political developments that warranted a fifth edition in2012.In the preface to the fourth edition, I lamented the growing length of this publication. My concern wasthat it might become intimidating to the average citizen of the state, for whom it was originallyintended. On the other hand, I wanted it to be useful as a reference for legislators, their staff, andother state employees whose work may require more detail about the constitution than the typical layperson might desire. Fortunately, the fifth edition is not much longer than the last one, even though Ihave added updates from time to time to include noteworthy constitutional developments.Although Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide is published by the Legislative Affairs Agency, ithas no standing as an official publication of state government and carries no endorsement by thelegislature.Gordon S. Harrison, Ph.D.January 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTION . 1PREAMBLE . 7ARTICLE I . 9DECLARATION OF RIGHTS . 9Section 1. Inherent Rights . 11Section 2. Source of Government . 15Section 3. Civil Rights . 16Section 4. Freedom of Religion . 17Section 5. Freedom of Speech . 18Section 6. Assembly; Petition . 20Section 7. Due Process . 20Section 8. Grand Jury. 21Section 9. Jeopardy and Self-Incrimination . 22Section 10. Treason. 23Section 11. Rights of Accused . 24Section 12. Criminal Administration . 29Section 13. Habeas Corpus . 31Section 14. Searches and Seizures . 31Section 15. Prohibited State Action . 32Section 16. Civil Suits; Trial by Jury . 34Section 17. Imprisonment for Debt . 35Section 18. Eminent Domain . 35Section 19. Right to Keep and Bear Arms . 37Section 20. Quartering Soldiers . 37Section 21. Construction . 38Section 22. Right of Privacy . 38Section 23. Resident Preference . 41Section 24. Rights of Crime Victims . 43Section 25. Marriage . 44
ARTICLE II . 45THE LEGISLATURE . 45Section 1. Legislative Power; Membership . 46Section 2. Members’ Qualifications . 48Section 3. Election and Terms . 49Section 4. Vacancies. 50Section 5. Disqualifications . 51Section 6. Immunities . 52Section 7. Salary and Expenses . 54Section 8. Regular Sessions. 55Section 9. Special Sessions. 57Section 10. Adjournment . 58Section 11. Interim Committees . 59Section 12. Rules . 60Section 13. Form of Bills. 62Section 14. Passage of Bills. 64Section 15. Veto . 65Section 16. Action Upon Veto. 67Section 17. Bills Not Signed . 69Section 18. Effective Date . 70Section 19. Local or Special Acts. 71Section 20. Impeachment . 72Section 21. Suits Against The State . 73ARTICLE III. 75THE EXECUTIVE . 75Section 1. Executive Power . 76Section 2. Governor’s Qualifications . 76Section 3. Election . 76Section 4. Term of Office . 77Section 5. Limit on Tenure . 78Section 6. Dual Office Holding . 78Section 7. Lieutenant Governor Duties . 79Section 8. Lieutenant Governor Election . 80Section 9. Acting Governor . 80Section 10. Succession; Failure to Qualify. 81Section 11. Vacancy . 81
Section 12. Absence . 81Section 13. Further Succession . 82Section 14. Title and Authority . 82Section 15. Compensation . 83Section 16. Governor’s Authority . 83Section 17. Convening Legislature . 84Section 18. Messages to Legislature . 84Section 19. Military Authority . 85Section 20. Martial Law. 85Section 21. Executive Clemency . 86Section 22. Executive Branch . 86Section 23. Reorganization . 87Section 24. Supervision . 88Section 25. Department Heads . 88Section 26. Boards and Commissions . 90Section 27. Recess Appointments . 92ARTICLE IV . 93THE JUDICIARY . 93Section 1. Judicial Power and Jurisdiction. 94Section 2. Supreme Court . 95Section 3. Superior Court . 96Section 4. Qualifications of Justices and Judges. 97Section 5. Nomination and Appointment. 97Section 6. Approval or Rejection . 98Section 7. Vacancy. 99Section 8. Judicial Council . 99Section 9. Additional Duties . 100Section 10. Commission on Judicial Conduct . 101Section 11. Retirement . 102Section 12. Impeachment . 103Section 13. Compensation . 103Section 14. Restrictions . 104Section 15. Rule-making Power . 104Section 16. Court Administration . 105
ARTICLE V . 107SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS . 107Section 1. Qualified Voters . 108Section 2. Disqualifications . 109Section 3. Methods of Voting; Election Contests. 110Section 4. Voting Precincts; Registration . 111Section 5. General Elections. 111ARTICLE VI . 113LEGISLATIVE APPORTIONMENT . 113Section 1. House Districts . 116Section 2. Senate Districts . 116Section 3. Reapportionment of House and Senate . 116Section 4. Method of Redistricting . 117Section 5. Combining Districts (Repealed) . 117Section 6. District Boundaries . 117Section 7. Modification of Senate Districts (Repealed) . 118Section 8. Redistricting Board. 118Section 9. Board Actions . 119Section 10. Redistricting Plan and Proclamation . 120Section 11. Enforcement . 120ARTICLE VII . 123HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE . 123Section 1. Public Education. 123Section 2. State University . 126Section 3. Board of Regents of University . 126Section 4. Public Health . 127Section 5. Public Welfare . 127
ARTICLE VIII . 129NATURAL RESOURCES . 129Section 1. Statement of Policy . 131Section 2. General Authority . 131Section 3. Common Use . 132Section 4. Sustained Yield . 134Section 5. Facilities and Improvements . 135Section 6. State Public Domain . 135Section 7. Special Purpose Sites . 135Section 8. Leases. 136Section 9. Sales and Grants . 136Section 10. Public Notice . 137Section 11. Mineral Rights . 138Section 12. Mineral Leases and Permits . 140Section 13. Water Rights . 141Section 14. Access to Navigable Waters . 141Section 15. No Exclusive Right of Fishery . 142Section 16. Protection of Rights . 143Section 17. Uniform Application . 144Section 18. Private Ways of Necessity . 144ARTICLE IX . 147FINANCE AND TAXATION. 147Section 1. Taxing Power . 148Section 2. Nondiscrimination. 149Section 3. Assessment Standards . 149Section 4. Exemptions . 150Section 5. Interests in Government Property . 152Section 6. Public Purpose . 152Section 7. Dedicated Funds. 153Section 8. State Debt . 156Section 9. Local Debts . 158Section 10. Interim Borrowing . 158Section 11. Exceptions . 158Section 12. Budget . 159Section 13. Expenditures . 160Section 14. Legislative Post-Audit . 160
Section 15. Alaska Permanent Fund . 161Section 16. Appropriation Limit. 162Section 17. Budget Reserve Fund . 163ARTICLE X . 167LOCAL GOVERNMENT . 167Section 1. Purpose and Construction . 169Section 2. Local Government Powers . 170Section 3. Boroughs . 170Section 4. Assembly . 171Section 5. Service Areas . 172Section 6. Unorganized Boroughs . 173Section 7. Cities . 173Section 8. Council . 174Section 9. Charters . 174Section 10. Extended Home Rule . 175Section 11. Home Rule Powers . 175Section 12. Boundaries . 176Section 13. Agreements; Transfer of Powers . 178Section 14. Local Government Agency. 178Section 15. Special Service Districts . 179ARTICLE XI . 181THE INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM, AND RECALL . 181Section 1. Initiative and Referendum . 182Section 2. Application . 184Section 3. Petition. 185Section 4. Initiative Election . 186Section 5. Referendum Election . 188Section 6. Enactment . 188Section 7. Restrictions . 190Section 8. Recall . 192
ARTICLE XII . 195GENERAL PROVISIONS . 195Section 1. State Boundaries . 195Section 2. Intergovernmental Relations . 196Section 3. Office of Profit . 196Section 4. Disqualification for Disloyalty. 197Section 5. Oath of Office . 197Section 6. Merit System . 197Section 7. Retirement System . 198Section 8. Residual Power . 199Section 9. Provisions Self-executing . 199Section 10. Interpretation . 199Section 11. Law-Making Power . 200Section 12. Disclaimer and
Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide is to help answer these questions. This book is about the origin and evolution of Alaska’s constitution. It discusses how the delegates to Alaska’s constitutional convention approached the subjects of the
