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JUNEAU - Gov. Sarah Palin's administration signaled support Tuesday for the Legislature to order the divestment of Alaska's public funds from Sudan, where thousands of people have died in the Darfur region.

Department of Revenue Commissioner Patrick Galvin endorsed a bill promoting divestment in Sudan at a hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee.

The bill passed out of that committee and is now before the Senate Finance Committee.

A similar effort is stalled in the House, and its sponsor, Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, has said he doesn't think it will advance.

Officials of the Alaska Permanent Fund, which has about $22 million invested in companies doing business in Sudan, have said the divestment effort is bad public policy and oppose the measure.