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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2001

A panel of Alaska leaders on Monday submitted a final version of an state constitutional amendment that would recognize a subsistence priority for Alaska Natives and rural hunters and fishers.

Gov. Tony Knowles (D) had convened the panel three months ago in order to conform state law with federal law, which requires the Department of Interior to uphold trust responsibilities to Alaska Natives. He also wanted to resolve a court decision which upheld those rights.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled Legislature have to approve the amendment with a two-thirds vote to make it legal. In the past, the Legislature has never agreed on the issue and instead fought the case of Katie John, an Athabaskan grandmother.

Get the Story:
New subsistence plan offers promise, hope' (AP 12/18)

Relevant Links:
Subsistence Amendment, Alaska Governor Tony Knowles - http://www.gov.state.ak.us/subsistence_amendment
Native subsistence rights, Native American Rights Fund - http://www.narf.org/pubs/justice/1999SPRING/spring1999.htm
Alaska Federation of Natives - http://www.akfednatives.org
Katie John et al. v. State of Alaska - http://www.mountainstateslegal.org/legal_cases.cfm?legalcaseid=64

Related Stories:
Subsistence rulings causing strife (12/17)
Tribe wants subsistence declaration (12/13)
Subsistence approved on Alaska river (12/12)
Separate appeal of Katie John denied (11/27)
Knowles sets Native priorities (11/14)
Native subsistence proposal advanced (11/7)
Alaska losing subsistence game (11/5)
Subsistence amendment seeing delay (10/30)
Questions raised on subsistence (10/29)
AFN honors Elder of the Year (10/29)
AFN kicks off, Katie John revered (10/26)
Health issues talk of AFN (10/26)
Alaska Natives testify on racism (10/26)
Native dance event at AFN (10/24)
Alaska Native conference kicks off (10/23)
Alaska Native convention to meet (10/22)
Subsistence hearing scheduled (10/19)
Alaska lawmakers miss Katie John appea (10/15)
Subsistence amendment drafted (10/12)
Lawmakers want to appeal Katie John (10/5)
Alaska subsistence panel meets (9/25)
Poll: Alaskans want subsistence vote (9/17)
Group wants Katie John appealed (9/14)
Alaska subsistence panel to meet (9/11)
Knowles criticized for Katie John decision (8/29)
Alaska won't appeal Native rights case (8/28)
Subsistence summit changes little (8/27)
March held for Native subsistence (8/22)
Subsistence summit calls for changes (8/17)
Subsistence summit begins in Alaska (8/16)

More on Katie John:
Katie John case having effects (5/11)
Alaska Native subsistence case upheld (5/8)
Norton cutting old associations (1/25)
Norton's legal work criticized (1/12)
Alaska Native elder dies (12/4)