Title 44 — State Government

[Repealed or reserved.]

To facilitate planning in municipalities that exercise planning and zoning authority, the department may provide planning assistance, including but not limited to surveys, land use studies, urban renewal plans, technical services, model acts that include regulations designed to e…

A city or platting authority may make funds under its control available to the department for the purposes of obtaining planning work or planning assistance, or both, for its area. The department may contract for, accept, and expend the funds for urban planning for the local juri…

The department shall make recommendations to the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and to appropriate program agencies concerning the effect upon the comprehensive plan or other land use plans or proposals of municipalities and unincorporated communities with res…

The department may accept and expend grants from the federal government and other public or private sources, may contract with reference to them, and may enter into contracts and exercise all other powers necessary to carry out AS 44.33.782 — 44.33.788.

In AS 44.33.782 — 44.33.790, “department” means the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

Article 12. Local Boundary Commission.

There is in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development a Local Boundary Commission. The Local Boundary Commission consists of five members appointed by the governor for overlapping five-year terms. One member shall be appointed from each of the four judicial …

(a) The Local Boundary Commission shall (1) make studies of local government boundary problems; (2) adopt regulations providing standards and procedures for municipal incorporation, annexation, detachment, merger, consolidation, reclassification, and dissolution; the regulations …

The chair of the commission or the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development with the consent of the chair may call a meeting or hearing of the Local Boundary Commission. All meetings and hearings shall be public.

The Local Boundary Commission shall keep minutes of all meetings and hearings. If the proceedings are transcribed, minutes shall be made from the transcription. The minutes are a public record. All votes taken by the commission shall be entered in the minutes.

Public notice of a hearing of the Local Boundary Commission shall be given in the area in which the hearing is to be held at least 15 days before the date of the hearing. The notice of the hearing must include the time, date, place, and subject of the hearing. The commissioner of…

Three members of the commission constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at a meeting. Two members constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at a hearing.

A majority of the membership of the Local Boundary Commission must vote in favor of a proposed boundary change before it may be presented to the legislature.

Members of the Local Boundary Commission receive no pay but are entitled to the travel expenses and per diem authorized for members of boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180.

A local government boundary change may not be proposed to the legislature unless a hearing on the change has been held in or in the near vicinity of the area affected by the change.

Article 13. Borough Feasibility Studies. When a local government boundary change is proposed to the legislature during the first 10 days of any regular session, the change becomes effective 45 days after presentation or at the end of the session, whichever is earlier, unless disa…

The commissioner may contract for studies of the feasibility of establishing boroughs in the unorganized borough. A study may be conducted under this section only if (1) appropriations are available for that purpose; and (2) the study is requested by a person residing in the area…

A request for a study of the feasibility of establishing a borough in the unorganized borough shall be submitted to the commissioner in writing and must include (1) a description of the boundaries of the area of the proposed study; and (2) an indication of local interest in the p…

The boundaries of an area studied shall conform to the boundaries indicated in the request for the study under AS 44.33.842 unless the commissioner, after a public hearing held in the area of the proposed study, determines that the boundaries should be altered. In determining the…

(a) The commissioner shall contract for a study of the feasibility of establishing a borough in the unorganized borough by following the procedures under AS 36.30 (State Procurement Code). The commissioner shall include terms in the contract that provide for (1) public participat…

Article 14. Alaska Regional Economic Assistance Program. In AS 44.33.840 — 44.33.849, “commissioner” means the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development.

[Repealed or reserved.]

Article 15. Alaska Forest Products Research and Marketing Program. (a) Subject to appropriation, the department shall (1) encourage the formation of regional development organizations by providing assistance in forming organizations to interested individuals, including informatio…

(a) The Alaska Forest Products Research and Marketing Program is established in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. (b) The program is established to provide a statewide information clearinghouse and coordinator to gather and disseminate information r…

(a) The office of broadband is established in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. (b) The purpose of the office of broadband is to (1) expand broadband access and digital equity in the state through federal, tribal, and local partnerships; (2) focus o…

(a) The broadband parity adjustment fund is created as a separate fund in the treasury for the purpose of (1) offsetting the costs of broadband services for consumers under (b) of this section; and (2) making grants to eligible beneficiaries under (c) of this section to improve t…

(a) The Statewide Broadband Advisory Board is established. (b) The purpose of the advisory board is to provide technology-neutral input, recommendations, and advice regarding (1) state broadband policy, goals, and objectives; (2) project proposal processes and criteria for projec…

Article 17. Alaska Microloan Revolving Loan Fund. In AS 44.33.910 — 44.33.930, (1) “underserved area” means an area that does not have broadband speeds of at least 100 Megabits per second downstream and at least 20 Megabits per second upstream with a latency sufficient to support…

(a) The Alaska microloan revolving loan fund is created in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to carry out the purposes of AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990. (b) The Alaska microloan revolving loan fund consists of the following: (1) money appropriated to, tra…

The department may (1) make loans to eligible applicants under AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990 to be used for working capital, equipment, construction, or other commercial purposes by a business located in the state; (2) receive, take, hold, and administer any appropriation, transfer, g…

(a) For an applicant to be eligible for a loan under AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990, the applicant shall (1) be a resident of the state, as determined under (b) of this section; (2) provide a reasonable amount of money from other nonstate sources for use on any project or enterprise fo…

(a) The department may use money from the Alaska microloan revolving loan fund to make loans of up to $35,000 to a person or loans of up to $70,000 to two or more persons. (b) A loan under AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990 (1) may not exceed a term of 12 years, except for extensions under…

(a) The foreclosure expense account is established as a special account in the Alaska microloan revolving loan fund. (b) The department may expend money credited to the foreclosure expense account when necessary to protect the state's security interest in collateral on loans gran…

If the borrower defaults on a note, the department shall notify the borrower of the default and the consequences of default by mailing a notice to the borrower's most recent address provided to the department by the borrower or obtained by the department.

The department shall dispose of property acquired through default of a loan made under AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990. Disposal must be made in a manner that serves the best interest of the state and may include the amortization of payments over a period of years.

In AS 44.33.950 — 44.33.990, (1) “commissioner” means the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development; (2) “department” means the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

The principal executive officer of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs is the adjutant general.

(a) The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall (1) conduct the military affairs of the state as prescribed by AS 26.05; (2) cooperate with the federal government in matters of mutual concern pertaining to the welfare of Alaska veterans, including establishing, extendi…

(a) The military and veteran family help desk is created in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. (b) The military and veteran family help desk shall (1) provide a central point of contact for military members, veterans, and their families seeking information, resourc…

The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs may construct memorials to Alaska veterans. A memorial constructed under this section is not subject to AS 35.15 or AS 35.27.

(a) The department may, subject to the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 2408, establish and maintain Alaska veterans' cemeteries in the state to serve state veterans and spouses and eligible dependents of state veterans. (b) The department may accept gifts, donations, and grants, includ…

Article 2. Alaska Veterans Advisory Council. The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs may adopt regulations establishing reasonable fees for training provided by the department to persons relating to the transportation, storage, or other management of hazardous substances…

There is created in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council.

The council shall advise the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and, through the governor, other departments and agencies of the state on matters concerning state veterans, their dependents, and their survivors.

(a) The council shall annually make recommendations to the governor and the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs concerning the needs of and benefits for the state's veterans, for developing public and private partnerships to meet those needs, for providing information re…

(a) The council consists of 13 members who are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor. The council shall include one or more persons from a veterans organization, one or more persons from a state agency that manages programs affecting veterans, and one or more per…

Article 3. General Provisions. Members of the council receive no salary as council members. Members of the council who are not state officers or employees are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized by law for other boards and commissions.

In this chapter, “veteran” includes a person who served in the Alaska Territorial Guard.

The principal executive officer of the Department of Natural Resources is the commissioner of natural resources.