I, Tony Knowles, Governor of the State of Alaska, under the authority of art. III, secs. 1 and 24, of the Alaska Constitution, and AS 44.19.145(c) establish the Governor's Commission on Tolerance (Commission).

The goals of the Commission are to:

1. develop a record concerning the depth of intolerance in this state, which can become an important tool for the creation of public policy to further respect for all Alaskans and the appreciation of diversity;

2. to capture the ideas of Alaskans, both professionals in the field and citizen stakeholders, on approaches to address the issues surrounding intolerance and the furthering of tolerance in this state; and

3. develop concrete proposals and recommendations for systemic solutions to the problem of intolerance in this state.

The duties of the Commission are to:

1. conduct hearings throughout the state, by panels of Commission members, to obtain the public's views on the problem of intolerance and how best to address it in a systemic manner; the panels shall report to the full Commission on the results of these hearings;

2. hold at least three meetings of the Commission to receive and evaluate the panel reports and develop recommendations for state action and public involvement in improving tolerance toward diversity in this state;

3. no later than Friday, November 30, 2001, present to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public a summary of public comments, consensus recommendations, and other information gathered through the panels and meetings of the Commission.

The Commission shall be composed of at least 12 members, representing a diversity of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and geography, appointed by the Governor to serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

The Office of the Governor and other state agencies shall provide professional and administrative staff assistance to support the activities of the Commission. The Department of Law shall provide legal assistance to the Commission.

The following general provisions apply to the activities of the Commission and panels of the Commission:

1. The Governor will designate a member of the Commission to serve as chair of the Commission.

2. The chair of the Commission shall establish panels of Commission members to conduct statewide hearings. The chair shall name the chair of each panel, to facilitate operation of the panel.

3. Commission members do not receive compensation as members of the Commission. Members of the Commission who are not state employees are entitled to per diem and travel expenses in the same manner determined for members of state boards and commissions. Per diem and travel expenses for members of the Commission who are appointed as a member of a state agency are the responsibility of that state agency.

4. To reduce costs, the Commission and panels of the Commission may use teleconferencing or other electronic means to the extent practicable in order to gain the widest public participation at minimum cost.

5. The Commission shall establish procedures for voting and meetings of the Commission and hearings of its panels.

6. Meetings of the Commission and hearings of panels of the Commission shall be conducted, and notice of such meetings and hearings provided, in accordance with AS 44.62.310 and 44.62.320 (Open Meetings of Governmental Bodies).

This Order takes effect immediately.

DATED at Juneau, Alaska, this 2nd day of May, 2001.

S/S Tony Knowles     
Tony Knowles         
Governor