Alaska 34th Alaska State Legislature Status: To Executive Bipartisan · 10 D · 1 R · 1 I cosponsors

HJR 4 — Urging the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the United States Board on Geographic Names, and the members of the state's delegation in Congress to maintain Denali as the official name for the tallest mountain in North America.

Last action — (H) PERMANENTLY FILED 7/16 LEGIS RESOLVE 1

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 22, 2025. It awaits signature.

Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · high confidence

  • To Executive

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 3 parties (10 D · 1 R · 1 I) — cross-party backing.

  • Mixed recorded votes

    3 passed, 1 failed in recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

62 added · 65 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of HJR 4 now urges several federal leaders, including the President and the Secretary of the Interior, to maintain Denali as the official name of North America's tallest mountain. This change expands the resolution's original focus on just the President and Secretary of the Interior, emphasizing broader support from various stakeholders. The inclusion of additional context about the cultural significance of Denali highlights its importance to the state's identity and the indigenous Athabaskan people, making the resolution more compelling. This matters because it reinforces local voices in decisions about geographic names, reflecting the values and history of Alaska's residents.

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34-LS0339\N HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.
S T A T E O F A L A S K A THE LEGISLATURE Legislative Source Resolve No.
4 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION BY REPRESENTATIVES DIBERT, Galvin, Mina, Kopp, Carrick Introduced:
CSHJR 4(RLS) 1 Urging the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the United States Board on Geographic Names, and the members of the state's delegation in Congress to maintain Denali as the official name for the tallest mountain in North America.
1/22/25 Referred:
_______________ BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
Rules A RESOLUTION Urging the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of the Interior to maintain Denali as the official name for the tallest mountain in North America.
WHEREAS the name Denali is deeply ingrained in the state's culture and identity;
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
WHEREAS Denali is the traditional Koyukon Athabaskan name for the tallest mountain in North America;
and WHEREAS the name Denali is deeply ingrained in the state's culture and identity;
and WHEREAS the Athabaskan people and their ancestors have lived in the Interior of the state for more than 10,000 years;
and WHEREAS the Athabaskan people and their ancestors have lived in the interior of the state for more than 10,000 years;
and WHEREAS Denali, the traditional Koyukon Athabascan name, meaning "the high one," was designated as the official name for North America's tallest mountain in 1975 by the state;
and WHEREAS Denali, the traditional Koyukon Athabaskan name, meaning "the high one," was designated as the official name for North America's tallest mountain in 1975 by the state;
and WHEREAS state lawmakers petitioned the United States Board on Geographic Names to change the mountain's name to "Denali" in 1975, and, in 2015, the United States HJR004a -1- HJR 4 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS0339\N officially adopted the name Denali for the mountain;
and WHEREAS, on June 7, 1913, Walter Harper, a 20-year-old man of Athabaskan descent, became the first person to stand on the summit of the mountain;
and WHEREAS state lawmakers petitioned the United States Board on Geographic -1- Enrolled HJR 4 Names to change the mountain's name to Denali in 1975, and, in 2015, the United States officially adopted the name Denali for the mountain;
and WHEREAS changing the name of the mountain from Denali to Mount McKinley would be costly and disrespectful to residents of the state, especially Alaska Natives peoples;
and WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature supports efforts to recognize the heritage of the state's Alaska Native peoples and the continuing importance of the mountain to Alaska Native culture;
and WHEREAS President McKinley, after whom the mountain was previously named, never visited the mountain and has no significant historical connection to the mountain or to the state;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully urges the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of the Interior, and the United States Board on Geographic Names to maintain Denali as the name for the tallest mountain in North America and that action to rename the mountain not be taken;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully urges the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of the Interior to maintain Denali as the name for the tallest mountain in North America and that action to rename the mountain not be taken.
and be it FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully urges the members of the Alaska delegation in Congress to advocate on behalf of, and work to preserve, Denali as the name for the tallest mountain in North America.
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donaump, President of the United States;
COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J.
the Honorable J.
Trump, President of the United States;
D.
the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and Enrolled HJR 4 -2- President of the U.S.
Vance, Vice President of the United States and President of the U.S.
United States Secretary of the Interior;
the Honorable Douglas Burgum, United States Secretary of the Interior;
and the Honorable Lisa HJR 4 -2- HJR004a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS0339\N Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S.
the Domestic Names Committee, United States Board on Geographic Names;
Senators, and the Honorable Nick Begich, U.S.
and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S.
Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S.
HJR004a -3- HJR 4 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
-3- Enrolled HJR 4
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Action History

  1. (H) PERMANENTLY FILED 7/16 LEGIS RESOLVE 1

  2. (H) 5:10 P.M. 2/12/25 Transmitted to Governor

  3. (H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)

  4. (S) VERSION: CSHJR 4(RLS)

  5. (S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT

  6. (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1

  7. (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHJR 4(RLS)

  8. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 2/7 CAL

  9. (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  10. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 2/5/2025

  11. (S) FN1: ZERO(LEG)

  12. (S) NR: BJORKMAN, YUNDT

  13. (S) DP: KAWASAKI, GRAY-JACKSON

  14. (S) STA RPT 2DP 2NR

  15. (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  16. (S) Moved CSHJR 4(RLS) Out of Committee

  17. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  18. (S) CLAMAN

  19. (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): KAWASAKI, WIELECHOWSKI, DUNBAR, TOBIN, KIEHL, GRAY-JACKSON,

  20. (S) STA

  21. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  22. (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  23. (S) <Pending Introduction & Referral>

  24. (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  25. (S) STA WAIVED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE,RULE 23

  26. (H) VERSION: CSHJR 4(RLS)

  27. (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  28. (H) PASSED ON RECONSIDERATION Y31 N8 E1

  29. (H) RECON TAKEN UP - IN THIRD READING

  30. (H) COSPONSOR(S): KOPP, CARRICK

  31. (H) Minutes (HRLS)

  32. (H) Moved CSHJR 4(RLS) Out of Committee

  33. (H) RULES at 08:30 AM GRUENBERG 120

  34. (H) COSPONSOR(S): GALVIN, MINA

  35. (H) MCCABE NOTICE OF RECONSIDERATION

  36. (H) PASSED Y28 N10 E2

  37. (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHJR 4(RLS)

  38. (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  39. (H) AM NO 1 FAILED Y17 N21 E2

  40. (H) RLS CS ADOPTED UC

  41. (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  42. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 1/27/2025

  43. (H) FN1: ZERO(LEG)

  44. (H) AM: VANCE, COSTELLO, TILTON

  45. (H) DP: EDGMON, KOPP, SCHRAGE, STUTES

  46. (H) RLS RPT CS(RLS) NEW TITLE 4DP 3AM

  47. (H) RLS

  48. (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 53 not signed on · 25 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (53)

53 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 53 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Third Reading - Final Passage

Passed 19 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
R 9000
D 8001
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 19001
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (20)
Member Party Vote
Shelley Hughes — Yea
Mike Shower — Yea
Bill Wielechowski D Yea
Donald Olson D Not Voting
Elvi Gray-Jackson D Yea
Forrest Dunbar D Yea
Jesse Kiehl D Yea
Lyman Hoffman D Yea
Löki Tobin D Yea
Matt Claman D Yea
Scott Kawasaki D Yea
Bert Stedman R Yea
Cathy Giessel R Yea
Gary Stevens R Yea
James Kaufman R Yea
Jesse Bjorkman R Yea
Kelly Merrick R Yea
Mike Cronk R Yea
Robert Myers R Yea
Robert Yundt R Yea

Official roll call →

Third Reading — Final Passage — Reconsideration

Passed 31 Yea · 8 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
R 12801
Unaffiliated 1000
D 13000
N 5000
Total 31801
% of votes cast 78%20%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Robyn Niayuq Burke — Yea
Andi Story D Yea
Andrew Gray D Yea
Andy Josephson D Yea
Ashley Carrick D Yea
Carolyn Hall D Yea
Donna Mears D Yea
Genevieve Mina D Yea
Maxine Dibert D Yea
Neal Foster D Yea
Nellie Unangiq Jimmie D Yea
Sara Hannan D Yea
Ted Eischeid D Yea
Zack Fields D Yea
Alyse Galvin N Yea
Bryce Edgmon N Yea
Calvin Schrage N Yea
Ky Holland N Yea
Rebecca Himschoot N Yea
Bill Elam R Yea
Cathy Tilton R Nay
Chuck Kopp R Yea
Dan Saddler R Yea
David Nelson R Yea
DeLena Johnson R Yea
Elexie Moore R Nay
Frank Tomaszewski R Nay
George Rauscher R Yea
Jamie Allard R Nay
Jeremy Bynum R Yea
Jubilee Underwood R Nay
Julie Coulombe R Nay
Justin Ruffridge R Yea
Kevin McCabe R Yea
Louise Stutes R Yea
Mia Costello R Yea
Mike Prax R Nay
Rebecca Schwanke R Yea
Sarah Vance R Nay
Will Stapp R Not Voting

Official roll call →

Second Reading — Amendment No. 1

Failed 17 Yea · 21 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
R 17202
Unaffiliated 0100
D 01300
N 0500
Total 172102
% of votes cast 43%53%0%5%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Robyn Niayuq Burke — Nay
Andi Story D Nay
Andrew Gray D Nay
Andy Josephson D Nay
Ashley Carrick D Nay
Carolyn Hall D Nay
Donna Mears D Nay
Genevieve Mina D Nay
Maxine Dibert D Nay
Neal Foster D Nay
Nellie Unangiq Jimmie D Nay
Sara Hannan D Nay
Ted Eischeid D Nay
Zack Fields D Nay
Alyse Galvin N Nay
Bryce Edgmon N Nay
Calvin Schrage N Nay
Ky Holland N Nay
Rebecca Himschoot N Nay
Bill Elam R Not Voting
Cathy Tilton R Yea
Chuck Kopp R Nay
Dan Saddler R Yea
David Nelson R Yea
DeLena Johnson R Yea
Elexie Moore R Yea
Frank Tomaszewski R Yea
George Rauscher R Yea
Jamie Allard R Yea
Jeremy Bynum R Yea
Jubilee Underwood R Yea
Julie Coulombe R Yea
Justin Ruffridge R Yea
Kevin McCabe R Yea
Louise Stutes R Nay
Mia Costello R Yea
Mike Prax R Yea
Rebecca Schwanke R Yea
Sarah Vance R Yea
Will Stapp R Not Voting

Official roll call →

Third Reading — Final Passage

Passed 28 Yea · 10 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
R 91002
Unaffiliated 1000
D 13000
N 5000
Total 281002
% of votes cast 70%25%0%5%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Robyn Niayuq Burke — Yea
Andi Story D Yea
Andrew Gray D Yea
Andy Josephson D Yea
Ashley Carrick D Yea
Carolyn Hall D Yea
Donna Mears D Yea
Genevieve Mina D Yea
Maxine Dibert D Yea
Neal Foster D Yea
Nellie Unangiq Jimmie D Yea
Sara Hannan D Yea
Ted Eischeid D Yea
Zack Fields D Yea
Alyse Galvin N Yea
Bryce Edgmon N Yea
Calvin Schrage N Yea
Ky Holland N Yea
Rebecca Himschoot N Yea
Bill Elam R Not Voting
Cathy Tilton R Nay
Chuck Kopp R Yea
Dan Saddler R Nay
David Nelson R Yea
DeLena Johnson R Yea
Elexie Moore R Nay
Frank Tomaszewski R Nay
George Rauscher R Yea
Jamie Allard R Nay
Jeremy Bynum R Yea
Jubilee Underwood R Nay
Julie Coulombe R Nay
Justin Ruffridge R Yea
Kevin McCabe R Nay
Louise Stutes R Yea
Mia Costello R Yea
Mike Prax R Nay
Rebecca Schwanke R Yea
Sarah Vance R Nay
Will Stapp R Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights environment
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HJR 4?
HJR 4 is sponsored by Matt Claman (D), Elvi Gray-Jackson (D), Jesse Kiehl (D), Löki Tobin (D), Forrest Dunbar (D), Bill Wielechowski (D), Scott Kawasaki (D), Ashley Carrick (D), Chuck Kopp (R), Genevieve Mina (D), Alyse Galvin (N), and Maxine Dibert (D).
What is the current status of HJR 4?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced January 22, 2025. It awaits signature.
Where can I track HJR 4?
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