From abortion to zoning: Short summaries of every bill in the 33rd Alaska State Legislature

This list was last updated Jan. 16, 2024.

Each year, members of the Alaska Legislature introduce hundreds of bills. They’re all listed on the Legislature’s website, alongside a bunch of other information, including who’s sponsored it, and as the bills get heard by legislative committees, more information about the bills gets added.

But from the time bills are first introduced to the time they’re heard in committee, there’s no simple explanation of what a bill actually does.

We’re not talking about the implications or side effects, but what the text of the bill, translated from all the legalese, actually would do.

Here’s our effort to fix that gap. Starting with the first bills prefiled in the 33rd Alaska State Legislature, and continuing until it ends in January 2025, we’re aiming to write brief summaries of each bill, resolution and constitutional amendment as it’s introduced.

This page will be updated regularly with new bills, and it may also be updated with new descriptions as we learn more about a bill.

This is an experiment. We’re still a new website, and this is the first time we’ve done it. It might turn out to be more work than is worthwhile — if it subtracts from other coverage and isn’t helpful to readers, we’ll do something else.

This is a big job — there were 686 bills introduced in the 32nd Legislature — but right now, we think it’s worthwhile.

Even though most bills don’t become law, this list should give some insight into legislators’ priorities for the session, and will be a guide to what’s happening in the session.

HOUSE BILLS

HB 1 (Rauscher*) – Alaska’s new ranked choice voting system and the open primary system would be eliminated, returning the state to the systems used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark money” would remain.

HB 2 (Vance*) – The state would not use contractors who refuse to do business with Israel.

HB 3 (McCabe*) – Local governments would be forbidden from applying sales taxes to gold and silver currency. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 4 (Vance*) – Alaska’s new ranked choice voting system and the open primary system would be eliminated, returning the state to the systems used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark money” would remain.

HB 5 (Rauscher*) – The Alaska Legislature would hold sessions in Anchorage instead of Juneau.

HB 6 (Rauscher*) – The Department of Education and Early Development would have to create a middle-school and high-school curriculum to teach kids about the dangers of opioid drugs.

HB 7 (Hannan) – Administrative law judges, who hear appeals from people unhappy with agency decisions, would have their procedures modernized and updated for the first time in 18 years.

HB 8 (Carrick) – Bicycles with a backup electric motor would be regulated as bicycles, not mopeds or motorcycles. The Legislature passed this but Gov. Dunleavy vetoed it.

HB 9 (Carrick) – A University of Alaska faculty member would be added to the university’s Board of Regents.

HB 10 (Carrick) – The University of Alaska would be required to take steps to reduce the cost of textbooks and course materials.

HB 11 (Josephson) – If an assault takes place when a child is nearby, it would become a more serious crime under state law.

HB 12 (Josephson) – Local governments would be able to regulate trapping.

HB 13 (Josephson) – The state’s human rights commission would be required to cover nonprofits as well as for-profit companies.

HB 14 (Josephson) – A crime committed because of someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity or citizenship would receive a more serious penalty than one committed without that extra factor.

HB 15 (Josephson) – A peer support counseling program would be allowed for police and emergency departments.

HB 16 (Josephson) – The state’s Medicaid program would be required to provide more services to clients.

HB 17 (Carrick) – Insurance companies would be required to cover a year’s worth of contraception at a time.

HB 18 (Stutes) – The state would help create nonprofit regional fishing cooperatives intended to develop new fisheries in the state. These would be funded by fees paid by fishermen in the area.

HB 19 (Stutes) – A boat registered with the Coast Guard and registered as a commercial fishing vessel wouldn’t have to also register with the DMV.

HB 20 (Stutes) – Members of the Board of Fish or the Board of Game wouldn’t be automatically excluded from debating or voting on issues because of conflicts of interest.

HB 21 (Vance*) – Local governments and school districts would be able to join the state’s health insurance program.

HB 22 (Josephson) – The state would create a pension program for police and firefighters.

HB 23 (Mina) – October would be Filipino-American History Month. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law.

HB 24 (Rauscher*) – Members of the Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar Association would be nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature instead of being elected from among the state’s attorneys.

HB 25 (Story) – Members of the U.S. Public Health Services and the NOAA Corps would stay eligible for the Permanent Fund dividend even if their duties take them away from the state.

HB 26 (Story) – The Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council would be renamed and expanded. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 27 (McKay*) – Transgender girls would be forbidden from participating on girls’ school sports teams.

HB 28 (Wright*) – Older marijuana conviction records would be removed from Courtview if they involve issues that became legal when the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 29 (McCabe*) – Insurance companies wouldn’t be allowed to charge someone differently or refuse coverage because of a customer’s political affiliation. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 30 (Ortiz) – Alaska would permanently stay on daylight saving time if Congress were to pass a law to allow it.

HB 31 (Story) – The size of higher education scholarships paid by the state’s high school performance scholarship program would increase, and eligibility for the program would grow.

HB 32 (McKay*) – The Legislature would create a working group intended to increase oil and gas production in Alaska, and someone dissatisfied with a state administrative decision on an oil and gas issue can appeal to the Alaska Superior Court.

HB 33 (Josephson) – Oil spills would be punishable by higher fines, and those fines would increase with inflation over time.

HB 34 (Rauscher*) – Magistrate judges would be subject to the same nomination, selection and retention process as District, Superior, Appeals and Supreme Court judges.

HB 35 (Rauscher*) – New medical facilities would no longer be required to obtain a certificate from the state declaring that there is a need for their services.

HB 36 (Schrage) – Sponsors of a recall campaign or ballot measure would be required to reveal financial information even before the recall or measure is certified for the ballot.

HB 37 (Schrage) – The state’s election system would be reformed along the lines of a compromise proposal that failed to pass the Senate on the last day of the 2021 legislative session. It would require the Division of Election to check whether voter signatures match those on record; allow voters to correct mistakes they made on the envelopes of ballots they mailed it; establish a system for tracking absentee ballots that’s accessible to voters; and allow people to register to vote on the same day they vote. The Division of Elections would be allowed to order that a small community vote by mail if poll workers are hard to find.

HB 38 (Stapp*) – The state’s statutory spending cap would be set to an average of 11.5% of the state’s gross domestic product over the preceding five years.

HB 39 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2024, which starts July 1 and runs through June 30, 2024. Dunleavy signed it into law in June 2023.

HB 40 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s capital budget for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining payments for construction and renovation projects across the state.

HB 41 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s mental health budget for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining payments for mental health treatment and care. Dunleavy signed it into law in June 2023.

HB 42 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would stop producing a large number of reports and publications, and the Permanent Fund would no longer be required to publish its annual report in newspapers.

HB 43 (Hannan) – Licenced health care workers would be forbidden from trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Churches and unlicensed organizations would still be permitted to do so.

HB 44 (Story) – The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development would be required to set up a program to help school districts incorporate local traditions and lifestyles into its public school curriculum.

HB 45 (Prax*) – Alaskans would be able to donate their Permanent Fund dividends to the state’s general fund or the principal of the Permanent Fund.

HB 46 (Fields) – Child care providers would be able organize into unions, and the state’s Department of Health would be required to negotiate with those unions on wages and benefits.

HB 47 (McCabe*) – A health care provider would be able to create a subscription-based program called a direct health care agreement, and that wouldn’t be regulated as health insurance.

HB 48 (Prax*) – The annual report by the state’s human rights commission wouldn’t be required until the 30th day of the legislative session, instead of the week before it begins.

HB 49 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would be able to sell carbon offsets on forested public land by pledging to not develop or cut down sections of forest.

HB 50 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would be able to sell companies the right to inject carbon dioxide underground to dispose of it.

HB 51 (Wright*) – Building codes in the state would not forbid the use of environmentally friendly refrigerants. This was amended to include the text of SB 67 but Dunleavy vetoed it.

HB 52 (Vance*) – Hospitals and health care facilities would no longer be able to forbid patients from having someone with them in the hospital to support them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some patients died alone because of quarantine protocols to minimize the spread of the disease.

HB 53 (Gray) – The state prison system would be required to help prisoners get state-issued IDs in order to assist the prisoners’ reentry into society after leaving prison.

HB 54 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s $105 million supplemental budget, making changes to the budget that lawmakers passed last year.

HB 55 (Carrick) – The Alaska Workforce Investment Board would be able to continue distributing state funding until 2030. The board is set to expire in 2024.

HB 56 (Ruffridge*) – Veterinarians wouldn’t have to register with the controlled substance prescription database anymore. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 57 (Wright*) – A board reviewing EMS procedures would be able to confidentially inspect patient records in order to examine best practices. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 58 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Someone caring for an elderly adult or an adult foster child at home would be able to license their home as a care center for up to three adults, allowing them to receive Medicaid payments to cover the cost of care.

HB 59 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would extend Medicaid eligibility for new mothers from 60 days after birth to one year after birth.

HB 60 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This would clean up the statutory language that split the Department of Health and Social Services into two separate departments last year. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 61 (Tilton*) – During a disaster declaration, the state wouldn’t be able to restrict the ownership, sale or possession of firearms and ammunition. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 62 (Edgmon*) – The state’s renewable energy grant fund would run through 2033 instead of expiring in 2023. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 63 (Rauscher*) – The state’s Workers’ Compensation Appeals Commission would be dissolved.

HB 64 (Cronk*) – Honorably discharged disabled veterans and members of the Alaska National Guard and military reserves would be enabled to get a free resident trapping license. They’re already eligible for free hunting and fishing licenses.

HB 65 (Ortiz) – The base-student allocation, the state’s per-student funding formula, would be increased by $1,250.

HB 66 (Gov. Dunleavy) – If someone dies because of illegal drugs, the drug dealer could be charged with second-degree murder, and if convicted, wouldn’t be eligible for “good time” parole. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 67 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This would make several changes to criminal law: More people on other states’ sex offender registries would be required to register if they move to Alaska, violating a stalking protective order would become a more serious crime, there would be greater penalties for violating bail conditions, more aid would be given to child victims of sex crimes, and victims of sex crimes would not be required to testify in person if they want to give testimony to grand juries.

HB 68 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Several state laws related to sex trafficking would change: penalties for trafficking people would increase, sex trafficking would be considered a more serious crime, someone who uses a prostitute who has been trafficked would face greater penalties, and a person convicted of prostitution or low-level drug crimes could have convictions vacated if they show they were a victim of sex trafficking.

HB 69 (Cronk*) – First-class cities with fewer than 400 residents, such as Tanana, would be able to devolve into second-class cities, limiting their authority, by a petition to the state’s local boundary commission. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 70 (Tomaszewski*) – Parking lots and stores owned by nonprofits would have been exempt from taxes, but Tomaszewski withdrew the bill May 12, 2023.

HB 71 (Rauscher*) – School districts would be required to maintain an online checkbook with financial records available to the public, just as the state is required to.

HB 72 (Ortiz) – There would be a new formula for setting the Permanent Fund dividend; 25% of the annual transfer from the Permanent Fund to the state treasury would be reserved for dividends, and the other 75% would be reserved for services.

HB 73 (Schrage) – If the state Department of Commerce is closing an investigation prompted by a complaint, the complainant would have 10 days to object to the closure of the investigation.

HB 74 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The rules around geothermal power projects would be updated in order to encourage development.

HB 75 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would repeal a law that requires insurance policies to list all potential contractors and subcontractors. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 76 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Members of the Alaska State Defense Force, the official state militia, would be paid during drill and training exercises.

HB 77 (Gray) – The legislative information office in Anchorage would be named after former state Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage.

HB 78 (McCormick*) – Sept. 10 would be Alaska Community Health Aide Appreciation Day. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 79 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the governor’s supplemental budget for fiscal year 2023, covering urgent needs including SNAP benefits and public defenders. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 80 (Josephson) – This is a significant rewrite of the rules that govern who is mentally competent to stand trial in serious criminal cases.

HB 81 (Rauscher*) – If someone dies, they would be allowed to transfer the registration title of their boat or car to their heir.

HB 82 (Rauscher*) – If the governor declines to select an appellate or district judge from a list nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council, they would be able to suggest additional nominees for the council to consider, and the council would submit a new list of nominees to the governor after that consideration. A judge selected from that second list would require legislative confirmation. Also, magistrate judges would be subject to the normal judicial selection and retention process.

HB 83 (Rauscher*) – The Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Federal Management Areas, which expired in 2021, would be revived and operate through 2031.

HB 84 (Sumner*) – A city or borough would be able to tax properties that it deems “blighted.”

HB 85 (Gov. Dunleavy) – People licensed for a profession in other states would be able to work unlicensed in Alaska for up to 180 days while they await their Alaska license.

HB 86 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would adopt the Uniform Money Transmission Modernization Act, a piece of model legislation that regulates cryptocurrency, money transfers by cellphone and other forms of cash transfer apps.

HB 87 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Members of the Merchant Marine would be able to receive a Permanent Fund dividend even when deployed overseas, and some students who have had problems with maintaining residency would also be able to keep getting a dividend.

HB 88 (Rauscher*) – Employees at large warehouses would have a right to request copies of any work quotas their employer imposed on them.

HB 89 (Coulombe*) – The cap on public assistance for day care would be changed from $50 per month to a formula based on the actual cost of providing child care, and assistance would be limited to families earning less than three times the federal poverty line.

HB 90 (Fields) – The Permanent Fund dividend would be no greater than $1,000 per recipient.

HB 91 (McCabe*) – Public employees would have to reauthorize their union dues deductions annually with the state.

HB 92 (House Fisheries) – The deductible paid by fishing vessel owners before they can access the state Fishermen’s Fund would rise to $10,000.

HB 93 (Sumner*) – The state would have a program for grading lumber products, so sawmills wouldn’t have to hire outside graders, potentially lowering the cost to use local materials in construction.

HB 94 (Shaw*) – Ships from several nations, including Russia and China, would be forbidden from docking in Alaska, the state would be prohibited from trading with those nations, and the state would have to sell all investments in Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Syria and Iran.

HB 95 (Rauscher*) – Designating a river, lake or body of water as “outstanding national resource water,” which would give it greater environmental protections, would require an act of the Legislature and couldn’t be done through regulation.

HB 96 (Prax*) – State regulators wouldn’t be able to revoke the license of a pharmacy or medical provider that sells federally approved home dialysis equipment.

HB 97 (Prax*) – There would be rules for what happens if someone rents a self-storage unit and fails to pay the rent on time.

HB 98 (Saddler*) – This would put into statute the state’s program to claim submerged land from the federal government, requiring the state to continue it even if executive branch policies change.

HB 99 (Armstrong) – Discrimination in housing, lending and public accommodations against Alaskans on the grounds of their gender identity or sexual orientation would be prohibited.

HB 100 (Armstrong) – Municipal governments and the state would be required to offer paid maternity and family leave.

HB 101 (Armstrong) – Candidates for public office would be able to use campaign donations for child care.

HB 102 (Armstrong) – There would be an address confidentiality program for survivors of domestic violence and stalking so they can get official mail (voting, property tax, etc.) without revealing where they live. Police and correctional officers could also participate.

HB 103 (Cronk*) – The Alaska Minerals Commission would expire in 2034 instead of 2024. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 104 (Cronk*) – When considering timber sales, the state would focus on areas where fire danger is high and insects have infested the timber. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 105 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Parents would have to opt their students into sex-ed classes and give permission for their child to change his or her gender or name in official documents. Transgender students would be required to use the bathroom designated for their birth gender rather than the gender they identify as.

HB 106 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would pay one-time bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 to teachers each year for the next three as a way to encourage them to stay in Alaska.

HB 107 (McCabe*) – The state’s official definitions of “life” and “person” would be changed.

HB 108 (McCabe*) – Health insurance plans on the individual and group market place would be required to participate in a price comparison tool.

HB 109 (Carpenter*) – This would cut the state’s corporate tax rate.

HB 110 (Carpenter*) – The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., instead of the Department of Revenue, would be in charge of distributing the Permanent Fund dividend.

HB 111 (Allard*) – Alaska would set up a state school for the deaf; that school could be operated by a school district on behalf of the state.

HB 112 (Ruffridge*) – The powers of the Alaska Board of Pharmacy would be updated to follow a new federal law. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 113 (McKay*) – Cities and boroughs would be prohibited from regulating pesticides more stringently than the state does.

HB 114 (McCabe*) – Towns and census-designated unorganized towns of up to 1,500 people would be considered villages eligible for funding under the Village Safe Water Act. The current population cap is 1,000 people.

HB 115 (Prax*) – Naturopaths would be subject to state licensing and regulation.

HB 116 (Coulombe*) – Money in the state’s restorative justice account would be used primarily for nonprofits that support crime victims instead of prison costs.

HB 117 (House Rules) – The state would implement the recommendations of the marijuana business task force, including restrictions on hemp products and a lower tax rate for most marijuana products.

HB 118 (D. Johnson*) – Catalytic converter purchases by scrap dealers will be regulated and recorded in order to deter the theft and sale of converters.

HB 119 (House Rules) – The state would lower the tax rate on most marijuana products.

HB 120 (Tomaszewski*) – Nonresident students at Alaska colleges, universities and trade schools would be able to get special hunting, fishing and trapping licenses. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 121 (Sumner*) – Railbelt electric companies would be required to produce at least 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2027 and 80% by 2040.

HB 122 (Tomaszewski*) – The Alaska Railroad Corp. would be allowed to borrow money to replace a cruise ship terminal in Seward.

HB 123 (C. Johnson*) – Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act corporations would be exempt from a state law that requires two-thirds of shareholders approve amendments to their articles of incorporation. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 124 (McCormick*) – Someone getting a commercial driver’s license wouldn’t be required to hold a regular driver’s license for a year before getting their commercial license.

HB 125 (House Resources) – The laws regulating the construction of trapping cabins on state land would be updated. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 126 (Wright*) – Associate counselors would be licensed and regulated by the state.

HB 127 (Mina) – If the federal government approves, it would be easier for a family member to be paid for the cost of caring for an elderly or ill member of their family at home.

HB 128 (House Transportation) – A boat or ship with an oil spill response plan would be exempt from regulation as a land-based “oil terminal facility” when pumping fuel to another boat or ship, as long as it’s not a tanker or fuel barge. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 129 (House Judiciary) – If someone claims that another voter no longer lives in Alaska and is ineligible to vote, the Alaska Division of Elections will send a notice requiring the voter to verify their registration. The division also would be required to take additional steps to maintain an accurate voter list.

HB 130 (House Judiciary) – The state would have an “election fraud” felony for someone who tries to change the result of an election by interfering with the results. This would cover someone who hacks electronic equipment or opens an absentee ballot package without approval.

HB 131 (House Judiciary) – Any voting machines used by the state must use open-source software and be certified by the United States Election Assistance Commission’s voluntary voting system guidelines.

HB 132 (House Judiciary) – Voters would have two weeks after Election Day to fix problems with their signature on an absentee ballot, and the Division of Elections would have to implement a new system to better track absentee ballots for voters.

HB 133 (Sumner*) – Local service area boards, such as those created to provide fire service and road service, would be exempt from the state’s Open Meetings Act.

HB 134 (Coulombe*) – Cities and boroughs would be forbidden from applying sales taxes on real estate sales.

HB 135 (C. Johnson*) – This would block scheduled raises for state legislators and top officials in the executive branch. The House passed this in 2023 but the Senate has not passed it.

HB 136 (Ruffridge*) – This would block raises for state legislators and top officials in the executive branch; the one from C. Johnson was taken up instead.

HB 137 (Wright*) – Alaska would join a multi-state compact intended to standardize regulations covering physical therapists.

HB 138 (Wright*) – Alaska would join a multi-state compact intended to standardize regulations covering audiologists.

HB 139 (Ruffridge*) – Funding for the state correspondence school program used by homeschoolers would be increased by 30 percentage points.

HB 140 (House Rules) – The State Officers Compensation Commission, which sets salaries for legislators and state officials, would have more time to make its recommendations, and it would no longer be able to set legislators’ per diem daily expense payments or moving expenses. Lawmakers would be in charge of setting those.

HB 141 (House Rules) – June 9 of each year would be “Don Young Day.” The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

HB 142 (Carpenter*) – The state would have a 2% sales tax as part of a long-term budget plan that balances expenses and income.

HB 143 (House Resources) – The Department of Environmental Conservation would be required to develop regulations covering recycling facilities that convert plastics into raw materials.

HB 144 (Ruffridge*) – The state’s program of giving tax credits to companies that donate materially or financially to educational institutions would become permanent.

HB 145 (Wright*) – Payday loan companies would face greater restrictions on the interest and fees they can charge. Currently, they can charge more than 521% annually in interest; that would fall to 36%.

HB 146 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Laws governing the storage and sale of fireworks would be replaced by regulations, allowing the state to keep them updated more frequently.

HB 147 (Dibert) – A retired teacher could receive a free certificate allowing them to teach as a long-term substitute teacher.

HB 148 (House Education) – The size of scholarships paid by the state’s high school performance scholarship program would increase (though by less than a bill previously introduced by Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau), and eligibility for the program would grow.

HB 149 (Prax*) – Alaska would join a multi-state compact intended to standardize regulations covering nurses.

HB 150 (Sumner*) – Alaska would have a statewide residential building code, and contractors would be required to be tested on their knowledge of it in order to be certified.

HB 151 (Cronk*) – If the Local Boundary Commission recommends the creation of a borough to the Legislature, it would have to determine beforehand that more than half the voting-age residents in the area support the creation of the borough.

HB 152 (Stapp*) – If someone is the sole owner of a limited liability company and dies, control of the company would pass to the personal representative in charge of their estate. If they’re alive but incapacitated, their guardian would be in charge of the company.

HB 153 (Groh) – Oil and gas property would be subject to an additional 10 mill state property tax.

HB 154 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. would create a subsidiary that allows it to finance renewable and clean energy projects in the state, effectively creating a “green bank.”

HB 155 (Stapp*) – The state would have a nine-member military affairs commission whose duties would include advocating for the expansion and addition of military bases in Alaska.

HB 156 (Galvin) – There would be a state income tax of $20 for people earning less than $200,000 per year, and anyone earning more than that would also pay 2% of their earnings above $200,000.

HB 157 (Wright*) – June 19 would become the legal holiday of Juneteenth in Alaska.

HB 158 (House Military and Veterans Affairs) – The Space Force would be added to a variety of statutes that list the branches of the military.

HB 159 (House Labor and Commerce) – ​​The state would begin requiring professional licenses for interior designers working in Alaska.

HB 160 (House Ways and Means) – The state would raise the amount of money it transfers each year from the Alaska Permanent Fund to the state treasury.

HB 161 (Wright*) – Up to 25% of legal fees paid to the Alaska Court System would be given to the Alaska Legal Services Corp., up from 10% in existing law.

HB 162 (Josephson) – If someone is a danger to themselves or others, a police officer could request a court order temporarily prohibiting that person from possessing, owning, purchasing or receiving a firearm.

HB 163 (Himschoot) – A student who fills out a federal application for student aid would be automatically entered into a state raffle, with cash prizes for the winners.

HB 164 (Carrick) – If someone lives with a child and fails to keep their guns locked up, they could be charged with a misdemeanor.

HB 165 (House Ways and Means) – Home-schooled students enrolled in a state-authorized correspondence program would get more funding from the state.

HB 166 (Stapp*) – The use of PFAS, a chemical linked to water pollution, would be banned from use in firefighting foam in Alaska.

HB 167 (Fields) – The state would be prohibited from putting foster kids into for-profit child care centers outside Alaska, and the state would be required to publish the number of kids placed outside the state.

HB 168 (Foster*) – A city would be able to vote to approve a municipally owned package store while still allowing restaurants and bars to run according to state rules.

HB 169 (Cronk*) – Someone trying to restore or improve a stream for salmon can get a permit from the state to collect salmon and fertilized salmon eggs, then plant them in a state river or stream.

HB 170 (Cronk*) – A state official would be banned from taking action against someone unless that action has a public purpose.

HB 171 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The Department of Revenue would create a fund that takes Alaska’s share of financial settlements from opioid drug manufacturers and invests it for future use. The state would be able to spend the investment earnings but not the settlements themselves.

HB 172 (Mears) – The state medical board would operate through 2031.

HB 173 (McCabe*) – State contractors would be able to pay lower wages to workers on state projects worth $150,000 and below.

HB 174 (McCabe*) – Existing state law says that the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. and Department of Revenue may make investments only for financial gain; this would add that investments may not be made for political reasons.

HB 175 (Allard*) – The board that regulates midwives would operate through 2027 and be renamed, and a midwife who has a nationally recognized certificate could practice more easily in Alaska, among other changes to the rules governing midwives.

HB 176 (Hannan) – There would be a new tax on e-cigarette products, and the age for purchasing, selling or distributing e-cigarette products would rise to 21 from 19. (The age in federal law is 21.)

HB 177 (Saddler*) – The state would be required to report to the Legislature on what’s being done to increase the state’s role in providing minerals and materials for renewable energy projects worldwide.

Bills from late 2023 added on Jan. 8, 2024:

HB 178 (House Finance) – The DEC commissioner would prioritize projects under the village safe water and sewer program based on need.

HB 179 (Wright*) – Employers would be forbidden from firing employees who fail to attend mandatory meetings intended to talk about the employer’s political or religious beliefs. This is a companion bill to Sen. Tobin’s SB 109.

HB 180 (Cronk*) – The state would temporarily close the contentious Area M commercial salmon fishery off the Alaska Peninsula. The bill called for a closure in 2023 but could be amended.

HB 181 (House Judiciary) – Religious, social and fraternal nonprofits would be exempted from review by the state human rights commission, which would also be renamed and have different reporting requirements.

HB 182 (Rauscher*) – Police and troopers would have seven days to remove a car abandoned alongside a public road, and they could remove vehicles abandoned on private property. Some legal exemptions preventing car owners from being held liable for abandonment also would be repealed.

HB 183 (Allard*) – Transgender girls would not be able to play on girls sports teams. A similar rule was adopted in 2023, after introduction of this bill, by the state and the Alaska School Activities Association.

HB 184 (Gray) – The state would license and regulate short-term housing rentals (such as AirBnBs) of 30 days or less.

HB 185 (Fields) – The state would have an income tax equal to the amount of the year’s Permanent Fund dividend, with the income tax on nonresidents and Alaskans with incomes above $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples.

HB 186 (House Labor and Commerce) – The Alaska Department of Labor would be able to delegate labor enforcement inspections to people other than state employees.

HB 187 (Sumner*) – The state would have a set list of medical procedures that are automatically preauthorized, regardless of a patient’s insurance company.

HB 188 (Dibert) – Animal adoption and foster care records would be exempt from the state’s public records law and kept confidential. This is a companion bill to SB 163.

HB 189 (House Labor and Commerce) – Someone aged 18, 19 or 20 could sell (but not drink) alcohol.

HB 190 (House Ways and Means) – The executive branch would create a three-person commission to recommend that the Legislature cancel or erase obsolete state programs and agencies.

HB 191 (Mina) – The state’s emergency medical system should also be able to care for heart attacks and strokes reliably.

HB 192 (Sumner*) – Alcohol buyers would be able to use curbside pickup, something allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency but discontinued afterward.

HB 193 (House Finance) – The minimum Internet speed would be raised at rural public schools that receive funding through a state broadband assistance program.

HB 194 (Carpenter*) – The legislative and executive branches would be required to find a consensus way to measure the performance of state agencies and programs.

HB 195 (Ruffridge*) – The state would buy back set-net permits issued to commercial fishers on the east side of Cook Inlet.

HB 196 (Mina) – The eligibility limit for food stamps would be set at 200% of the federal poverty guideline.

HB 197 (Sumner*) – Gambling would be allowed on state ferries.

HB 198 (Gray) – Food stamp recipients would have to reregister no more often than the minimum required by federal law.

HB 199 (House Transportation) – The Alaska Railroad would sell or give some property in Nenana to the Nenana Native Association.

HB 200 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Electronic pull-tab machines would be legal in Alaska, under regulation by the Department of Revenue. This is a companion bill to SB 146.

HB 201 (Himschoot) – Someone would be eligible for a resident hunting license only if they were physically present in Alaska at all times during the 12 months preceding their license application.

HB 202 (D. Johnson*) – Schools would be required to carry opioid overdose drugs and have people trained in their use.

HB 203 (McKay*) – Employers could pay workers with a payroll account card instead of cash or check if the worker doesn’t want to use direct deposit or asks for the card method.

HB 204 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Non-hospital medical facilities would be exempt from the state’s rules on overtime work if there’s a written agreement between employees and the employer on file with the state. This is the companion bill for SB 153.

HB 205 (Eastman) – Abortion would be a crime in Alaska.

HB 206 (Ortiz) – The state would offer a day care matching benefit program. If an employer offers to pay part of an employee’s day care expenses, the state would match that amount.

HB 207 through HB 217 are bills from the first half of the session that are awaiting formal introduction and haven’t been released to the public yet.

First 2024 prefile, added Jan. 8, 2024:

HB 218 (Saddler*) – New limits would be put on firefighters’ ability to claim disability coverage for certain diseases.

HB 219 (Saddler*) – The state’s assistive technology loan program, intended to help disabled Alaskans buy equipment to help them work and live independently, would be ended.

HB 220 (Gray) – There would be a 6% state bed tax on hotels, motels and short-term rentals of less than 30 days.

HB 221 (Carrick) – Certain borough governments would be allowed to permit residents to register subdivision plats with the state.

HB 222 (Sumner*) – The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. would buy a 25% stake in a trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline, and Permanent Fund dividends would be limited to $1,000 per recipient during construction of the pipeline.

HB 223 (Rauscher*) – Companies that produce gas for use in-state would not have to pay royalties to the state if the gas came from state land, and they wouldn’t have to pay taxes on the gas.

HB 224 (C. Johnson*) – The state’s two budget bills would have to be passed by either House or Senate by the 75th day of the legislative session and sent to the other half of the Legislature.

HB 225 (Gray) – After Election Day, the Division of Elections would be required to provide regular unofficial updates about which candidate is leading.

HB 226 (Sumner*) – There would be new limits on pharmacy benefit managers.

HB 227 (Rauscher*) – If a tree falls on a power line from land not owned by the power company, the power company cannot be held liable for the resulting fire or other damage.

HB 228 (Armstrong) – A state task force would consider the legal use of psychedelics, such as psilocybin mushrooms, in Alaska.

HB 229 (Stapp*) – The Friday before Memorial Day would be Alaska Veterans’ Poppy Day.

HB 230 (Himschoot) – The limit on the number of years that out-of-state teacher experience can be counted as in-state experience, for the purposes of calculating salaries, would be repealed.

HB 231 (Carrick) – If a museum is holding an undocumented item, it can take possession of that item after a four-week public comment period. That public comment period could be put on the Internet instead of in a local newspaper.

HB 232 (Rauscher*) – A state employee deemed permanently and totally disabled by the US Department of Veterans Affairs can retire with full benefits at any age.

HB 233 (Tomaszewski*) – Car warranty repairs would have to cover parts, rates for labor, and time allowances for labor.

HB 234 (McCormick*) – Police would be required to undergo special training in the handling of cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people, and a special commission would investigate the state’s handling of those cases.

HB 235 (McCormick*) – Missing person reports would be submitted to the national missing person database within 30 days.

HB 236 (Stapp*) – There would be a special fund to pay for major maintenance and construction projects at the University of Alaska.

HB 237 (Prax*) – If a nurse’s license lapses, they can receive a temporary permit while applying for reinstatement of their license.

HB 238 (Josephson) – Defacing a church or religious institution would be third-degree criminal mischief.

HB 239 (Josephson) – Post-traumatic stress disorder would automatically be considered an eligible condition for purposes of workers’ compensation if the worker is a police officer, trooper, firefighter, EMT or prison worker.

HB 240 (Josephson) – The Dunleavy administration’s plan to offer free legal defenses for top officials under ethics investigations would be repealed.

HB 241 (Josephson) – The records of people seeking abortions and other reproductive health measures would be sealed, preventing other states and Alaska’s state government from seeking them.

HB 242 (Vance*) – The state’s senior benefits program, which gives up to $250 per month to poor elderly Alaskans, would be extended through 2034.

HB 243 (Cronk*) – The fee for entering the draw for a bison hunting permit would be cut from $10 to $5.

HB 244 (Josephson) – The spill-response fee on a gallon of gasoline, diesel or other fuel would rise from 0.95 cents to 1.5 cents per gallon.

HB 245 (Saddler*) – Permanent Fund dividends could be directly deposited into investment accounts, not just checking accounts.

HB 246 (Story) – Someone could preregister to vote if they’re at least 16 years old, allowing them to be automatically registered when they turn 18.

HB 247 (Story) – Schools would receive $1,000 for each kindergarten-through-third-grade student deemed to have a reading deficiency.

HB 248 (Josephson) – A health care provider is liable if they fail to obtain consent before performing a pelvic exam on a patient.

HB 249 (Groh) – The state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would be required to create a help desk to help military members, veterans and their families connect with services and provide information about Alaska.

Second 2024 prefile, added Jan. 12, 2024:

HB 250 (McCabe*) – Municipal elections would be on the November federal Election Day, and Election Day would be a holiday.

HB 251 (Rauscher*) – Some homemade food sold at farmers’ markets, fairs or from the home itself would be exempt from labeling, licensing, permitting and inspection requirements. Animal shares also would be exempt from inspection requirements.

HB 252 (McKay*) – Citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and Cuba, and corporations owned by citizens of those countries would be forbidden from buying or leasing agricultural land and land near military bases in Alaska.

HB 253 (Wright*) – Building codes in the state would not forbid the use of environmentally friendly refrigerants. This is similar to part of a bill that Dunleavy vetoed in 2023.

HB 254 (Vance*) – Someone who wants to watch pornography on the Internet needs to verify that they’re at least 18 years old with a government-provided ID.

HB 255 (McCabe*) – A state-level port authority would operate the Port of Alaska (in Anchorage) and Port MacKenzie (in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough), and the combined agency would be renamed the Port of Southcentral Alaska.

HB 256 (McCabe*) – A power company wouldn’t be able to close a power plant without getting permission from the Legislature and without first offering the plant for sale to another power company.

HB 257 (McKay*) – Cook Inlet seismic data, used by oil and gas drilling companies, has to be given away by the state for free.

HB 258 (Stapp*) – Rental and utility assistance programs currently offered by the Division of Public Assistance would turn into a grant program administered by nonprofits.

HB 259 (Vance*) – The state would have a Council on Human and Sex Trafficking to provide services to victims and reduce demand for human and sex trafficking.

HB 260 (Stapp*) – The state wouldn’t offer catastrophic medical insurance through the Division of Public Assistance anymore.

HB 261 (Josephson) – Vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter and criminally negligent vehicular homicide would be new crimes under state law.

HB 262 (Josephson) – A landlord would need to give 90 days’ written notice before increasing rent on an existing tenant.

HB 263 (Josephson) – Someone can disable an animal trap that they think is endangering the public or endangering private property.

HB 264 (Vance*) – State agencies that deal with runaway and abandoned children, and children in need of aid, would need to take steps to look for signs that a child is being trafficked or used for prostitution.

HB 265 (Vance*) – Child pornography would be renamed “child sexual abuse material” in state law.

SENATE BILLS

SB 1 (Shower) – The Alaska Division of Elections would be required to take steps to increase security during elections, allow voters to fix their absentee ballot signature if there’s a problem, create a ballot-tracking system viewable by the public, and create a telephone hotline for Alaskans to report problems.

SB 2 (Shower) – Alaska’s new ranked choice voting system and the open primary system would be eliminated, returning the state to the systems used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark money” would remain.

SB 3 (Hughes) – Alaskans would be able to sign direct health care agreements with medical providers, in which the patient pays a monthly fee in exchange for primary care services, akin to keeping a doctor on retainer.

SB 4 (Shower) – Members of a legislative caucus would be barred from requiring other members to vote together on most issues as a condition of membership in the caucus.

SB 5 (Shower) – The Division of Elections would regularly ask registered Alaska voters living outside the state whether they still want to be registered to vote here, and the division would be required to take additional steps to keep the voter list updated.

SB 6 (Shower) – The Division of Elections would be required to use voting machines approved by the United States Election Assistance Commission that use open-source software.

SB 7 (Shower) – Tampering with ballot packages or election equipment in order to change the result of an election would be election fraud, and disclosing confidential election data before the polls close would be a crime.

SB 8 (Wilson*) – New medical facilities would no longer be required to obtain a certificate from the state declaring that there is a need for their services.

SB 9 (Hughes) – The state would have a new “Sunset Commission” intended to determine whether there is a continued public need for a state agency or entity.

SB 10 (Kiehl*) – Honorably discharged disabled veterans and members of the Alaska National Guard and military reserves would be enabled to get a free resident trapping license. They’re already eligible for free hunting and fishing licenses. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 11 (Kiehl*) – All public employees would be enabled to choose between the state’s existing 401k-style retirement program or a new pension program.

SB 12 (Kiehl*) – There would be an address confidentiality program for survivors of domestic violence and stalking so they can get official mail (voting, property tax, etc.) without revealing where they live. Police and correctional officers could also participate. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 13 (Myers) – The University of Alaska would be required to take steps to reduce the cost of textbooks and course materials. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 14 (Kawasaki*) – School districts would be able to create incentive programs to encourage employees to retire early in order to cut staff.

SB 15 (Kawasaki*) – Personal-use fisheries would be the last to be restricted if the Board of Fish needs to limit fishing in order to reach management goals.

SB 16 (Kawasaki*) – Sept. 10 would be Alaska Community Health Aide Appreciation Day.

SB 17 (Kawasaki*) – Financial donations to political candidates would be limited again, and the limit would rise with inflation over time.

SB 18 (Kawasaki*) – The DMV would be able to issue electronic versions of Alaska driver’s licenses, and police would have to accept an electronic license during a traffic stop. Most fees at the DMV would rise.

SB 19 (Kawasaki*) – The Alaska Division of Elections would be required to provide stamped return envelopes for absentee ballots, automatically check voters’ signatures, allow voters to fix their absentee ballot signature if there’s a problem and create a ballot-tracking system viewable by the public, and there would be tougher penalties for election-related crimes.

SB 20 (Kaufman*) – The state’s statutory spending cap would be set to an average of 11.5% of the state’s gross domestic product over the preceding five years.

SB 21 (Kaufman*) – State agencies would be required to create and publish four-year strategic plans at the start of a governor’s term and at least once every two years after that.

SB 22 (Gray-Jackson*) – June 19, Juneteenth, would be a legal/paid state holiday alongside 11 other state holidays. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 23 (Gray-Jackson*) – The state would create a database to collect and share information about times when a police officer uses force against someone.

SB 24 (Gray-Jackson*) – The education curriculum at public schools would be amended to include mental health issues.

SB 25 (Kaufman*) – The Legislature’s finance division would be required to review inactive state funds and accounts and recommend which should be repealed. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 26 (Kaufman*) – There would be a new license plate commemorating police officers killed in the line of duty.

SB 27 (Tobin*) – Insurance companies would be required to cover a year’s worth of contraception at a time.

SB 28 (Claman*) – Employers would be able to seek protective orders against people who have threatened or harmed their employees.

SB 29 (Stevens*) – The state school board would create a civics education curriculum, and secondary students would not be able to graduate without passing a course using that curriculum. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 30 (Gray-Jackson*) – October would be Filipino-American History Month.

SB 31 (Shower) – If the governor declines to select an appellate or district judge from a list nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council, they would be able to suggest additional nominees for the council to consider, and the council would submit a new list of nominees to the governor after that consideration. A judge selected from that second list would require legislative confirmation. Also, magistrate judges would be subject to the normal judicial selection and retention process.

SB 32 (Gray-Jackson*) – Police would be banned from using chokeholds.

SB 33 (Kaufman*) – The renewable energy grant fund program, which expires in 2023, would be extended through 2033.

SB 34 (Kaufman*) – The Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Federal Management Areas in Alaska would be extended through 2031.

SB 35 (Kawasaki*) – The state would create a pension program for police and firefighters.

SB 36 (Claman*) – The Office of Public Advocacy and the public defender’s office would be put under a commission rather than the executive branch directly. The public defender and the public advocate would be appointed by the commission.

SB 37 (Claman*) – Knowingly selling a car airbag that is counterfeit or doesn’t work would be made a crime. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 38 (Wilson*) – Threatening or harassing police and fire dispatchers, or repeatedly reporting a false emergency, would be made a crime. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 39 (Dunbar*) – An employer would be required to post the wage, salary or salary range of a job when they advertise a vacancy and seek to hire someone.

SB 40 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2024, which starts July 1 and runs through June 30, 2024.

SB 41 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s capital budget for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining payments for construction and renovation projects across the state.

SB 42 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s mental health budget for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining payments for mental health treatment and care.

SB 43 (Gray-Jackson*) – Public schools would be required to teach students about sexual health.

SB 44 (Giessel*) – Naturopaths would be subject to state licensing and regulation.

SB 45 (Wilson*) – A health care provider would be able to create a subscription-based program called a direct health care agreement, and that wouldn’t be regulated as health insurance. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 46 (Tobin*) – March would be named brain injury awareness month. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 47 (Unknown) – We don’t know what this bill would have done. Its sponsor didn’t introduce it, but it got a bill number anyway.

SB 48 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would be able to sell carbon offsets on forested public land by pledging to not develop or cut down sections of forest. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 49 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would be able to sell companies the right to inject carbon dioxide underground to dispose of it.

SB 50 (Senate Resources Committee) – This would have cut property taxes for oil and gas equipment, but Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, withdrew it after public criticism.

SB 51 (Tobin*) – Veterinarians wouldn’t have to register with the controlled substance prescription database anymore.

SB 52 (Senate Education Committee) – School districts would receive $1,000 more per student under the state’s base student allocation funding formula. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 53 (Claman*) – A court would be able to order someone committed involuntarily for mental health treatment for five years at a time, instead of performing multiple short-term commitments in cases where someone has long-term mental health problems. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 54 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the state’s $105 million supplemental budget, making changes to the budget that lawmakers passed last year.

SB 55 (Wielechowski*) – The state medical board would operate through 2031 instead of expiring on June 30, 2023. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 56 (Dunbar*) – The size of higher education scholarships paid by the state’s high school performance scholarship program would increase, and eligibility for the program would grow.

SB 57 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Someone caring for an elderly adult or an adult foster child at home would be able to license their home as a care center for up to three adults, allowing them to receive Medicaid payments to cover the cost of care. The contents of SB 106 were added to this bill on the Senate floor. The Legislature passed the new bill and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 58 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would extend Medicaid eligibility for new mothers from 60 days after birth to one year after birth. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 59 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This would clean up the statutory language that split the Department of Health and Social Services into two separate departments last year.

SB 60 (Wielechowski*) – The state’s Workers’ Compensation Appeals Commission would be dissolved.

SB 61 (Wielechowski*) – Alaska would pledge its Electoral College votes to the winner of the nationwide popular vote for president under a nationwide compact. This would become effective once states worth 270 Electoral College votes adopt the compact.

SB 62 (Kawasaki*) – Bicycles with a backup electric motor would be regulated as bicycles, not mopeds or motorcycles.

SB 63 (Kawasaki*) – During a disaster declaration, the state wouldn’t be able to restrict the ownership, sale or possession of firearms and ammunition.

SB 64 (Gov. Dunleavy) – If someone dies because of illegal drugs, the drug dealer could be charged with second-degree murder, and if convicted, wouldn’t be eligible for “good time” parole.

SB 65 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This would make several changes to criminal law: more people on other states’ sex offender registries would be required to register if they move to Alaska, violating a stalking protective order would become a more serious crime, there would be greater penalties for violating bail conditions, more aid would be given to child victims of sex crimes, and victims of sex crimes would not be required to testify in person if they want to give testimony to grand juries.

SB 66 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Several state laws related to sex trafficking would change: penalties for trafficking people would increase, sex trafficking would be considered a more serious crime, someone who uses a prostitute who has been trafficked would face greater penalties, and a person convicted of prostitution or low-level drug crimes could have convictions vacated if they show they were a victim of sex trafficking.

SB 67 (Kiehl*) – The use of PFAS, a chemical linked to water pollution, would be banned from use in firefighting foam in Alaska. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 68 (Giessel*) – A public notice listing a declaration of water rights wouldn’t have to be published in local newspapers; it could be published online instead.

SB 69 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The rules around geothermal power projects would be updated in order to encourage development.

SB 70 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would repeal a law that requires insurance policies to list all potential contractors and subcontractors.

SB 71 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Members of the Alaska State Defense Force, the official state militia, would be paid during drill and training exercises.

SB 72 (Giessel*) – Designating a river, lake or body of water as “outstanding national resource water,” which would give it greater environmental protections, would require an act of the Legislature and couldn’t be done through regulation.

SB 73 (Claman*) – The state would begin requiring professional licenses for interior designers working in Alaska.

SB 74 (Wilson*) – Physical therapists would have to undergo criminal background checks and, if licensed in Alaska, would be part of an inter-state compact that standardizes licensing requirements. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 75 (Wilson*) – Audiologists would have to undergo criminal background checks and, if licensed in Alaska, would be part of an inter-state compact that standardizes licensing requirements. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 76 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the governor’s supplemental budget for the current fiscal year, covering urgent needs including SNAP benefits and public defenders.

SB 77 (Dunbar*) – A city or borough would be able to tax properties that it deems “blighted.” The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 78 (Wilson*) – Nonresident students at Alaska colleges, universities and trade schools would be able to get special hunting, fishing and trapping licenses.

SB 79 (Bishop*) – First-class cities with fewer than 400 residents, such as Tanana, would be able to devolve into second-class cities, limiting their authority, by a petition to the state’s local boundary commission.

SB 80 (Legislative Council) – This is the annual revisor’s bill fixing typos and making technical corrections to new laws. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 81 (Legislative Council) – Staff for the Office of Victims’ Rights would be paid according to the state’s salary schedule. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 82 (Bjorkman*) – The state would buy back some commercial set-net fishing permits in Cook Inlet as an attempt to reduce overfishing.

SB 83 (Gov. Dunleavy) – People licensed for a profession in other states would be able to work unlicensed in Alaska for up to 180 days while they await their Alaska license.

SB 84 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would adopt the Uniform Money Transmission Modernization Act, a piece of model legislation that regulates cryptocurrency, money transfers by cellphone and other forms of cash transfer apps.

SB 85 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Members of the merchant marine would be able to receive a Permanent Fund dividend even when deployed overseas, and some students who have had problems with maintaining residency would also be able to keep getting a dividend.

SB 86 (Senate Finance) – The Legislature canceled the pay hikes for the governor, lieutenant governor and commissioners proposed by the State Officers Compensation Commission earlier this year. Both the House and Senate passed this bill, but the governor vetoed it, allowing the raises to come into effect with the new fiscal year.

SB 87 (Bjorkman*) – The state would have a program for grading lumber products, so sawmills wouldn’t have to hire outside graders, potentially lowering the cost to use local materials in construction. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 88 (Giessel/Bishop/Stevens*) – Alaska would have a pension program for new state employees instead of the current 401(k)-style retirement program.

SB 89 (Stevens*) – There would be a new tax on e-cigarette products, and the age for purchasing, selling or distributing e-cigarette products would rise to 21 from 19. (The age in federal law is 21.) The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 90 (Bishop*) – The Alaska Minerals Commission would expire in 2034 instead of 2024.

SB 91 (Claman*) – Out-of-state health care teams would be able to provide telehealth care in cases when a patient has a diagnosed or suspected life-threatening condition.

SB 92 (Giessel*) – This would put into statute the state’s program to claim submerged land from the federal government, requiring the state to continue it even if executive branch policies change. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 93 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – The maximum claim under the Commercial Fishermen’s Fund would be $10,000 instead of $5,000. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 94 (Giessel*) – The powers of the Alaska Board of Pharmacy would be updated to follow a new federal law.

SB 95 (Merrick*) – New specialty license plates could be approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles instead of requiring legislative approval. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 96 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Parents would have to opt their students into sex-ed classes and give permission for their child to change his or her gender or name in official documents. Transgender students would be required to use the bathroom designated for their birth gender rather than the gender they identify as.

SB 97 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The state would pay one-time bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 to teachers each year for the next three as a way to encourage them to stay in Alaska.

SB 98 (Senate Finance) – The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. would manage the trust fund that pays for the Power Cost Equalization program that subsidizes rural home electricity prices. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 99 (Wielechowski*) – High school students would be required to take a class that teaches them how to pay taxes, manage a household budget and have basic financial literacy. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 100 (Tobin*) – The criminal records of people arrested for simple marijuana possession would be sealed and not typically accessible via criminal background searches.

SB 101 (Tobin*) – Railbelt electric companies would be required to produce at least 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2027 and 80% by 2040.

SB 102 (Myers) – Garbage collection rate increases regulated by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska would be subject to a speedier resolution process.

SB 103 (Dunbar*) – Peer support programs for law-enforcement officers would be subject to confidentiality rules intended to encourage participation. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 104 (Dunbar*) – Up to 25% of legal fees paid to the Alaska Court System would be given to the Alaska Legal Services Corp., up from 10% in existing law.

SB 105 (Senate Transportation) – The Alaska Railroad Corp. would be allowed to borrow money to replace a cruise ship terminal in Seward.

SB 106 (Giessel*) – If the federal government approves, it would be easier for a family member to be paid for the cost of caring for an elderly or ill member of their family at home.

SB 107 (Senate Finance) – There would be a new formula for setting the Permanent Fund dividend; 25% of the annual transfer from the Permanent Fund to the state treasury would be reserved for dividends, and the other 75% would be reserved for services. The Senate passed this in 2023, but the House has not passed it.

SB 108 (Kawasaki*) – Discrimination in housing, lending and public accommodations against Alaskans on the grounds of their gender identity or sexual orientation would be prohibited.

SB 109 (Tobin*) – Employers would be forbidden from firing employees who fail to attend mandatory meetings intended to talk about the employer’s political or religious beliefs.

SB 110 (Hughes) – Public school districts and the university would be able to share health insurance programs with state employees more easily.

SB 111 (Hughes) – This would block scheduled raises for state legislators and top officials in the executive branch.

SB 112 (Dunbar*) – Companies that manufacture and sell electronics would be required to make information about repair parts, tools and instructions available to the public and third-party repair businesses.

SB 113 (Senate Finance) – The state’s education major maintenance grant list could include teacher housing in rural Alaska and projects at Mount Edgecumbe.

SB 114 (Senate Rules) – The state would reduce tax deductions affecting North Slope oil producers in order to increase income to the state treasury.

SB 115 (Tobin*) – State law would include a list of things that physician assistants are able to do while licensed in Alaska. Currently, that list is in regulation rather than statute.

SB 116 (Giessel*) – Associate counselors would be licensed and regulated by the state.

SB 117 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Laws governing the storage and sale of fireworks would be replaced by regulations, allowing the state to keep them updated more frequently.

SB 118 (Merrick*) – The state would be required to report to the Legislature on what’s being done to increase the state’s role in providing minerals and materials for renewable energy projects worldwide.

SB 119 (Myers) – The state prison system would be required to help prisoners get state-issued IDs in order to assist the prisoners’ reentry into society after leaving prison. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 120 (Senate Education) – The state would expand its program of giving tax credits to companies that donate materially or financially to educational institutions.

SB 121 (Giessel*) – Independent pharmacies would have more tools to negotiate with pharmacy benefit managers and others in the prescription drug chain. The end result would be to reduce the disadvantage they face when compared with vertically integrated chain pharmacies.

SB 122 (Senate Rules) – The state would have a new method for determining corporate income taxes for online business conducted in Alaska.

SB 123 (Senate Transportation) – Someone getting a commercial driver’s license wouldn’t be required to hold a regular driver’s license for a year before getting their commercial license. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 124 (Wilson*) – If a pharmacy benefit manager negotiates a break in the cost of a prescription drug, the manager would be required to pass those savings on to the consumer.

SB 125 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. would create a subsidiary that allows it to finance renewable and clean energy projects in the state, effectively creating a “green bank.”

SB 126 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – The laws governing the state board of architects, engineers and land surveyors would be overhauled, including the membership of the board, its duties and operations. The Legislature passed this and Dunleavy signed it into law in 2023.

SB 127 (Claman*) – Introduced at the request of the Department of Revenue, this bill would require car-sharing companies like Turo to collect the state’s rental-car tax and send the proceeds to the state. Those companies are already taxed, and this bill would make the companies responsible for collecting the tax.

SB 128 (Olson*) – A commercial salmon fishery near part of the Alaska Peninsula would be closed for 20 days in order to help boost salmon returns to Western and Interior Alaska.

SB 129 (Myers) – A bike path in Fairbanks would be named in honor of Matt Glover, an avid cyclist and Alaska Railroad employee who was killed while biking to work.

SB 130 (Olson*) – Alaska would join a multistate licensing organization for nurses that allows a licensed nurse to work in any state that’s part of the group. The state would have to standardize its rules for licensees in order to participate.

SB 131 (Gray-Jackson*) – Public schools would be required to teach students about the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their contributions to the United States.

SB 132 (Bishop*) – Anyone who works in Alaska would have to pay a tax of $30.

SB 133 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The Department of Revenue would create a fund that takes Alaska’s share of financial settlements from opioid drug manufacturers and invests it for future use. The state would be able to spend the investment earnings but not the settlements themselves.

SB 134 (Kaufman*) – Under this model legislation from a national group, insurance companies licensed in Alaska would have to do a risk audit covering where they could be vulnerable to cyberattack, then take actions to fix the holes revealed by the audit. If they are the subject of a cyberattack, the company would be required to notify the state’s insurance commissioner.

SB 135 (Wielechowski*) – The state Department of Revenue would operate a retirement program for small businesses. Businesses would be required to participate unless they specifically opt out, and individuals could create their own retirement accounts as well. Anyone who receives a Permanent Fund dividend could put a part (or all) of their dividend into the account.

SB 136 (Olson*) – A prospective Alaska teacher would be able to attend a nationally accredited training program instead of a standard teacher training certificate program in order to be licensed here.

SB 137 (Giessel*) – The state surcharge on gasoline would rise by 55 one-thousandths of a cent in order to cover the costs of the state’s oil spill response and prevention program.

Bills from late 2023, added to this list on Jan. 8, 2024:

SB 138 (Senate State Affairs) – This is a comprehensive elections reform bill with many changes to existing law. Among the changes: Absentee voters would be allowed to fix problems with their ballots; the state would have to provide return postage for absentee ballots; and the state would be required to provide secure drop boxes in various towns and cities.

SB 139 (Bishop*) – The state would change the rules for building and maintaining a fur trapping cabin on state land.

SB 140 (Hoffman*) – As originally written, this would have raised the minimum Internet speed at many rural public schools that receive funding through a state broadband assistance program. The Senate passed it but the House failed to pass it after it was amended in the House Finance Committee to also increase the state’s per-student funding formula.

SB 141 (Hoffman*) – The bridge over the Wood River between Dillingham and Aleknagik would be named after Raymond and Esther Conquest.

SB 142 (Shower) – “Clear and convincing evidence” would be needed before someone is placed into temporary custody for mental health reasons.

SB 143 (Gray-Jackson*) – The state would offer a centralized program for deaf students, and the Department of Education and Early Development would be required to offer greater assistance to the parents of deaf students.

SB 144 (Claman*) – Car warranty repairs would have to cover parts, rates for labor and time allowances for labor.

SB 145 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – The Department of Labor and Workforce Development would be able to delegate labor enforcement inspections to people other than state employees. This is a companion bill to HB 186.

SB 146 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Electronic pull-tab machines would be legal in Alaska, under regulation by the Department of Revenue. This is a companion bill to HB 200.

SB 147 (Kaufman*) – If someone cannot return to work after an on-the-job injury, this bill changes the deadlines and some of the rules for a reemployment plan.

SB 148 (Bishop*) – The Department of Fish and Game would create a permit process for someone who wants to rehabilitate a river or stream carrying fish.

SB 149 (Giessel*) – The eligibility limit for food stamps would be set at 200% of the federal poverty guideline. This is a companion bill to HB 196.

SB 150 (Kaufman*) – Alaska would have a state lottery and be able to join multistate lotteries like Powerball.

SB 151 (Olson*) – The Department of Public Safety would create a special commission to review unsolved cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people. The commission would be required to submit a report with recommendations for improvement

SB 152 Wielechowski*) – The state’s electrical regulator would create rules for community electric projects, like community solar gardens.

SB 153 (Gov. Dunleavy) – Non-hospital medical facilities would be exempt from the state’s rules on overtime work if there’s a written agreement between employees and the employer on file with the state. This is the companion bill for HB 204.

SB 154 (Wielechowski*) – Recent graduates from Department of Defense or Army skills programs would have extra advantages when seeking to become a state government contractor.

SB 155 (Senate Finance) – The state of Alaska, through a port authority, would take over the Port of Alaska (Anchorage).

SB 156 (Gov. Dunleavy) – The law created by a 2006 ballot measure to regulate cruise ship waste would be repealed and replaced by a new program.

First 2024 prefile, added Jan. 8, 2024:

SB 157 (Myers) – A new board would be required to review any changes to regulations affecting professional licensing.

SB 158 (Myers) – School districts’ ability to be reimbursed by the state for major construction and maintenance projects would be limited.

SB 159 (Dunbar*) – The Friday before Memorial Day would be Alaska Veterans’ Poppy Day.

SB 160 (Myers) – Condo and homeowners’ associations would be forbidden from prohibiting a homeowner from accepting housing vouchers when renting their home, and the associations would not be able to forbid a homeowner from changing a portion of their house that isn’t visible to the public.

SB 161 (Bjorkman*) – The state tax exemption for farm land would be expanded to cover farming buildings on farm land, not just the land itself.

SB 162 (Dunbar) – AirBnB and other short-term renters would no longer be able to prohibit Alaskans from renting just because they’re from Alaska.

SB 163 (Myers) – Animal adoption and foster care records would be exempt from the state’s public records law and kept confidential. This is a companion bill to HB 188.

SB 164 (Bjorkman*) – Disabled military veterans could receive free camping and parking at state parks for a lifetime. They’re already eligible for free camping and parking but must re-apply annually for a pass.

SB 165 (Claman*) – The Dunleavy administration’s plan to offer free legal defenses for top officials under ethics investigations would be repealed.

SB 166 (Dunbar*) – A state task force would consider the legal use of psychedelics, such as psilocybin mushrooms, in Alaska.

SB 167 (Myers) – Churches that operate side businesses, such as camps used by both religious and non-religious groups, would be able to exempt those camps from local taxes.

SB 168 (Bjorkman*) – If a state official incorrectly takes game meat from someone because of a perceived violation of state rules, the state has to compensate the person for the value of the meat, based on the prevailing per-pound beef price in the area.

SB 169 (Gray-Jackson*) – Landlords wouldn’t be able to require more than half of one month’s rent up front from new tenants.

SB 170 (Kawasaki*) – The state’s senior benefits program, which gives up to $250 per month to poor elderly Alaskans, would be extended through 2032.

SB 171 (Bjorkman*) – Someone would be eligible for a resident hunting license only if they were physically present in Alaska at all times during the 12 months preceding their license application. This is a companion bill to HB 201.

SB 172 (Hughes) – The state’s senior benefits program, which gives up to $250 per month to poor elderly Alaskans, would be extended through 2034.

Second 2024 prefile, added Jan. 12, 2024:

SB 173 (Hughes) – Some people who are not members of law enforcement would be allowed to carry concealed guns on school grounds regardless of local school district policies banning them.

SB 174 (Bjorkman*) – The state would have two official ceremonial flags commemorating members of the military and first responders who were killed while on the job.

SB 175 (Tobin*) – Alaska would have a statewide program managing electronics, and manufacturers would have to cooperate with the state on efforts to recycle their obsolete or broken products.

SB 176 (Tobin*) – The state parole board would be expanded to seven members, with seats reserved for a licensed doctor, a crime victim, someone who has completed their punishment for a felony conviction, a tribal member, and someone with experience in drug and alcohol rehab.

SB 177 (Hughes) – State agencies would have to report regularly on their use of artificial-intelligence programs, and someone using AI-produced content in political content would have to disclose its use.

SB 178 (Bjorkman*) – A public school year couldn’t begin before the first Tuesday in September.

SB 179 (Bjorkman*) – Boroughs and cities wouldn’t be able to apply sales taxes to real estate transactions.

SB 180 (Kawasaki*) – Any taxes or fees would have to be included in the advertised or listed price of any item for sale.

Bills introduced on the first day of the 2024 session, added Jan. 16:

SB 181 (Bjorkman*) – State law would list how child care employees should search for a competent family member to take custody of a child in need of aid, and if a child under 6 has been with a foster family for more than a year, that foster family is moved up the priority list when placement is considered.

SB 182 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – The Big Game Commercial Services Board would be extended through 2032 instead of expiring in 2024.

SB 183 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – The definition of the workers’ compensation benefits guaranty fund would be changed to exempt it from the annual sweep of disused funds.

SB 184 (Senate State Affairs) – Alaska would be exempted from Daylight Saving Time.

SB 185 (Senate State Affairs) – The state would have a nine-member military affairs commission whose duties would include advocating for the expansion and addition of military bases in Alaska. This is a companion bill to HB 155.

SB 186 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the Senate version of the state’s annual operating budget.

SB 187 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the Senate version of the state’s annual capital construction and renovation budget.

SB 188 (Gov. Dunleavy) – This is the Senate version of the state’s annual mental health budget.

SB 189 (Kawasaki*) – The Alaska Commission on Aging would be extended through 2032 instead of expiring in 2024.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

HJR 1 (Josephson) – The clause of the Alaska Constitution that bans same-sex marriage would be repealed. (This clause has been put on hold since 2014 by federal judges.)

HJR 2 (Stapp*) – The Alaska Constitution’s spending limit would be tightened.

SJR 1 (Wielechowski*) – The Alaska Permanent Fund would be restructured to limit withdrawals and provide a guaranteed Permanent Fund dividend each year, with half of an annual withdrawal reserved for dividends and the other half reserved for services.

SJR 2 (Hughes) – The privacy clause of the Alaska Constitution would be reinterpreted to allow the banning of abortion here.

SJR 3 (Myers) – The Alaska Constitution’s spending limit would be tightened.

SJR 4 (Kaufman*) – The Alaska Constitution’s spending limit would be tightened.

SJR 5 (Claman*) – The legislative session would be limited to 90 days, not 121.

HJR 7 (House Ways and Means) – There would be a guaranteed Permanent Fund dividend, and the formula to pay that dividend would be set in state law.

HJR 8 (House Ways and Means) – There would be a firm limit on the amount of money that could be spent from the Permanent Fund in a given year, and the dividend would be guaranteed to be either half of the annual transfer from the Permanent Fund or the amount called for by the 1980s-era distribution formula, whichever is larger.

HJR 9 (Groh) – There would be a firm limit on the amount of money that could be spent from the Permanent Fund in a given year.

SJR 9 (Kaufman*) – There would be a firm limit on the amount of money that could be spent from the Permanent Fund in a given year, and the dividend would be guaranteed by a state law. Any modifications to the law must be approved by voters.

HJR 12 (Gray*) – Members of the Alaska House would be limited to six terms (12 years) in the House, and members of the Alaska Senate would be limited to three terms (12 years) in the Senate.

HJR 14 (Armstrong) – The Legislature would be limited to a regular session of 90 days, down from 121.

RESOLUTIONS

SCR 1 (Senate Rules) – The Legislature would use the 2020 version of Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure, not the 2010 version.

SCR 2 (Senate Labor and Commerce) – This was a procedural motion needed to speed passage of House Bill 56.

SCR 3 (Dunbar*) – This is a ceremonial resolution saying that the Legislature supports public-private partnerships to build more housing in the state.

SCR 4 (Senate Health and Social Services) – This was a procedural motion needed to speed passage of House Bill 60.

SCR 5 (Giessel*) – This was a procedural motion needed to speed passage of House Bill 128.

SCR 6 (Senate Finance) – This was a procedural motion needed to speed passage of House Bill 39.

SCR 7 (Kiehl*) – This was a procedural motion needed to speed passage of House Bill 51.

SCR 101 (Senate Rules) – This would have allowed the Senate to adjourn for more than three days at a time if the one-day special session in 2023 hadn’t ended so quickly.

SJR 6 (Tobin*) – This is a ceremonial resolution celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War and saying Alaska looks forward to working with South Korea in the future.

SR 1 (Stevens*) – This re-established the Senate special committee on world trade.

HR 1 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on military and veterans affairs.

HR 2 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on fisheries.

HR 3 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on ways and means.

HR 4 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on tribal affairs.

HR 5 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on Arctic policy, economic development and tourism.

HR 6 (House Rules) – This re-established the House special committee on energy.

HJR 3 (Rauscher*) – This would declare that Congress should pass a law requiring states to recognize other states’ concealed-weapon carry permits. (Alaska doesn’t require a permit beyond a driver’s license.)

HJR 4 (Mina) – This is a ceremonial resolution celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War and saying Alaska looks forward to working with South Korea in the future.

HJR 5 (Himschoot) – This is a ceremonial resolution stating that the federal government and state officials should defend the Southeast Alaska troll salmon fishery against a lawsuit filed by environmental groups in Washington state.

HJR 6 (Patkotak*) – This is a ceremonial resolution stating that the Alaska Legislature supports the Willow oil project on the North Slope. Both the House and Senate passed it in February 2023.

SJR 7 (Senate Resources) – This is a ceremonial resolution stating that the Alaska Legislature supports the Willow oil project on the North Slope. Both the House and Senate passed the companion resolution, HJR 6.

SJR 8 (Senate Resources) – This is a ceremonial resolution declaring that the Legislature disapproves of proposed rules that would ban bear baiting and some other hunting practices in national preserves in Alaska. The House and Senate passed the companion resolution, HJR 10.

SJR 10 (Giessel*) – This would be a ceremonial letter requesting that Congress and the federal government increase Medicare reimbursement rates to meet the actual cost of care for Alaska senior citizens.

SJR 11 (Kiehl*) – This would be a ceremonial letter requesting that the Coast Guard track large ships 24/7 off Western Alaska and in the Arctic Ocean and that it use local resources when planning oil spill responses. It passed the Senate but not the House in 2023.

SJR 12 (Bishop*) – This would be a ceremonial letter requesting that Congress provide funding for states to take over some Clean Water Act permitting programs and that the federal government create a separate EPA region for Alaska. It passed the Senate but not the House in 2023.

HJR 10 (Cronk*) – This was a ceremonial resolution declaring that the Legislature disapproves of proposed rules that would ban bear baiting and some other hunting practices in national preserves in Alaska. House and Senate passed it in March 2023.

HJR 11 (Stapp*) – This is a ceremonial resolution stating the House and Senate believe the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should come up with a new plan for combating air pollution in the Fairbanks area.

HJR 15 (Dibert) – This would be a ceremonial letter requesting that Congress and President Biden reinstate the expanded child tax credit.

HCR 1 (Sumner*) – The House and Senate will establish a task force intended to come up with ideas for training and retaining workers, with a report due no later than the beginning of the 2024 legislative session.

HCR 2 (Mears) – It would be more difficult for members of the Legislature to vote on a bill if they have a conflict of interest.

HCR 3 (Ruffridge*) – This is a procedural motion needed to speed passage of Senate Bill 57.

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Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and Twitter.