WE THE PEOPLE OF ALASKA, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land, in order to secure and transmit to succeeding generations our heritage of political, civil, and religious liberty within the Union of States, do ordain and establish this constitution for the State of Alaska.

Alaska's Constitution is a document every Alaskan should study. I was a young Alaskan when it was written by the Constitutional Convention in Fairbanks in 1955. I am privileged to have been able to take part in authoring and participating in the passage of several amendments to it. I am especially proud of the passage in Article I of Section 19 (Individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms) and Section 24 (Victims' Rights). These sections were placed on the general election ballot by the Alaska Legislature and were approved by an overwhelming majority of Alaskans.