The Alaska State Constitution

294 Pages·2011·1.36 MB·English

by  Knowles

■ The Alaska State Constitution
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Th e Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States
G. Alan Tarr, Series Editor
Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers
University, serves as General Editor for this important new series which in its entirety will cover
each of the 50 states. Each volume of Th e Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of
the United States contains a historical overview of the state’s constitutional development, plus a
section-by-section analysis of the state’s current constitution. Other features included in the
volumes are the text of the state’s constitution, a bibliographic essay, table of cases, and index.
Th is series provides essential reference tools for those investigating state constitutional
development and constitutional law.
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The Alaska
State Constitution
Gerald A. McBeath

Foreword by Tony Knowles
the oxford commentaries on the state
constitutions of the united states
G. Alan Tarr, Series Editor
1

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1
Oxford University Press, Inc., publishes works that further Oxford University ’s objective of excellence
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Copyright © 2011 by Gerald A. McBeath
Previously published in 1997 by Greenwood Press
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______________________________________________
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McBeath, Gerald A.
The Alaska State Constitution / Gerald A. McBeath; foreword by Tony Knowles.
p. cm. — (The Oxford commentaries on the state constitutions of the United States)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-977829-4 ((hardback) : alk. paper)
1. Constitutions—Alaska. 2. Constitutional law—Alaska. 3.
Constitutional history—Alaska. I. Alaska. Constitution. II. Title.
KFA16011956.A6 M327 2011
342.79802—dc22 2011002404
______________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
Note to Readers
Th is publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject
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To my mother,
Astrid Hjelmeir McBeath,
and to the memory of my father,
Gordon Stanley McBeath
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■ C O N T E N T S
S eries F oreword by G. Alan Tarr xv
F oreword by Tony Knowles xvii
A cknowledgments xix
PART ONE ■ The History of the Alaska Constitution
Th e Colonial and Territorial Experience 3
Th e Alaska Statehood Movement 7
Role of the Constitutional Convention 9
Th e State Constitutional Reform Movement 10
Preliminaries to the Constitutional Convention 11
Campaigns for Delegate Seats 12
Organization and Leadership of the Convention 13
Issues of Government and Policy at the Constitutional Convention 14
Ratifi cation of the Constitution in 1956 21
Amendments to the Constitution 21
Conclusions 24
PART TWO ■ The Alaska Constitution and Commentary
Preamble 29
Article I: Declaration of Rights 31
Section 1. Inherent Rights 32
Section 2. Source of Government 39
Section 3. Civil Rights 40
Section 4. Freedom of Religion 41
Section 5. Freedom of Speech 42
Section 6. Assembly; Petition 44
Section 7. Due Process 44
Section 8. Grand Jury 52
Section 9. Jeopardy and Self-Incrimination 54
Section 10. Treason 55
Section 11. Rights of Accused 56
Section 12. Criminal Administration 61
Section 13. Habeas Corpus 64
vii
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viii ■ contents
Section 14. Searches and Seizures 64
Section 15. Prohibited State Action 66
Section 16. Civil Suits; Trial by Jury 67
Section 17. Imprisonment for Debt 68
Section 18. Eminent Domain 69
Section 19. Right to Keep and Bear Arms 70
Section 20. Quartering Soldiers 71
Section 21. Construction 71
Section 22. Right of Privacy 72
Section 23. Resident Preference 75
Section 24. Rights of Crime Victims 76
Article II: Th e Legislature 77
Section 1. Legislative Power; Membership 78
Section 2. Members’ Qualifi cations 80
Section 3. Election and Terms 80
Section 4. Vacancies 81
Section 5. Disqualifi cations 81
Section 6. Immunities 82
Section 7. Salary and Expenses 83
Section 8. Regular Sessions 85
Section 9. Special Sessions 86
Section 10. Adjournment 86
Section 11. Interim Committ ees 87
Section 12. Rules 87
Section 13. Form of Bills 89
Section 14. Passage of Bills 92
Section 15. Veto 93
Section 16. Action upon Veto 94
Section 17. Bills Not Signed 95
Section 18. Eff ective Date 95
Section 19. Local or Special Acts 96
Section 20. Impeachment 97
Section 21. Suits against the State 98
Article III: Th e Executive 99
Section 1. Executive Power 100
Section 2. Governor’s Qualifi cations 100
Section 3. Election 101
Section 4. Term of Offi ce 101
Section 5. Limit on Tenure 101
Section 6. Dual Offi ce Holding 102
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contents ■ ix
Section 7. Lieutenant Governor Duties 102
Section 8. Same—Election 103
Section 9. Acting Governor 104
Section 10. Succession; Failure to Qualify 104
Section 11. Vacancy 104
Section 12. Absence 105
Section 13. Further Succession 105
Section 14. Title and Authority of Successor 106
Section 15. Compensation 106
Section 16. Governor’s Authority 106
Section 17. Convening Legislature 107
Section 18. Messages to Legislature 108
Section 19. Military Authority 108
Section 20. Martial Law 109
Section 21. Executive Clemency 109
Section 22. Executive Branch 109
Section 23. Reorganization 110
Section 24. Supervision 111
Section 25. Department Heads 111
Section 26. Boards and Commissions 113
Section 27. Recess Appointments 114
Article IV: Th e Judiciary 115
Section 1. Judicial Power and Jurisdiction 116
Section 2. Supreme Court 117
Section 3. Superior Court 118
Section 4. Qualifi cations of Justices and Judges 119
Section 5. Nomination and Appointment 119
Section 6. Approval or Rejection 121
Section 7. Vacancy 122
Section 8. Judicial Council 122
Section 9. Additional Duties 124
Section 10. Commission on Judicial Conduct 125
Section 11. Retirement 126
Section 12. Impeachment 127
Section 13. Compensation 127
Section 14. Restrictions 127
Section 15. Rule-Making Power 128
Section 16. Court Administration 129
Article V: Suff rage and Elections 131
Section 1. Qualifi ed Voters 131
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