Alaska Legislature

Luann McVey, left, and Laura Stats sit in the mostly vacant public seating area after giving their public testimony on SB 26 to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday, April 10, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Income tax, Permanent Fund spending plan advance toward vote

The Alaska House of Representatives will soon vote on the 49th state’s first income tax since 1980 and a plan to use the earnings of… Continue reading

Luann McVey, left, and Laura Stats sit in the mostly vacant public seating area after giving their public testimony on SB 26 to the House Finance Committee at the Capitol on Monday, April 10, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers won’t change how they disclose conflicts of interest

Downtown Juneau’s delegate to the Legislature has helped defeat a proposal for greater transparency in the Alaska Legislature. Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau, joined 18… Continue reading

House votes for oil industry to help resolve deficit

House votes for oil industry to help resolve deficit

When it comes to solving Alaska’s $2.8 billion deficit, the Alaska House of Representatives is asking the oil industry to pitch in. It isn’t clear… Continue reading

House votes for oil industry to help resolve deficit

Senate votes to rollback justice reform

Many of Alaska’s first-time criminals may face tougher sentences under a bill approved Friday by the Alaska Senate. In a 19-1 vote, lawmakers approved Senate… Continue reading

Senate slashes millions from schools, university and health care

If the Alaska Senate gets its way, Alaskans can expect fewer teachers, less ferry service, fewer criminal prosecutors, fewer Alaska State Troopers and a much… Continue reading

Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, speaks in the House chambers on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Rep. LeDoux is sponsoring HB 200 that would establish a top two nonpartisan open primary election system for elective state executive and state and national legislative offices. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Alaska lawmaker wants primary elections to be more like California

The chairwoman of the powerful House Rules Committee believes she has a plan to drive Alaska politics toward the center. Her Republican critics say it’s… Continue reading

Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, speaks in the House chambers on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Rep. LeDoux is sponsoring HB 200 that would establish a top two nonpartisan open primary election system for elective state executive and state and national legislative offices. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
House wavers on income tax

House wavers on income tax

Does the Alaska House of Representatives have the votes to approve Alaska’s first income tax since 1980? “We’re working on it,” Speaker of the House… Continue reading

House wavers on income tax

Will Uber soon be allowed in Alaska?

A bill authorizing Uber, Lyft and similar companies to operate in Alaska is headed to a vote of the House of Representatives. The Alaska House… Continue reading

Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, right, listens to David Teal, fiscal analyst for the Alaska Legislature, during a Senate Finance Committee meeting at the Capitol on Monday, April 3, 2017. Sen. Dunleavy offered amendments to the operating budget bill to cut funding for public broadcasting and significantly reduced funding for the Alaska Marine Highway system. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Senate plan slashes education, university, transportation, health services

The Alaska Senate has proposed slashing the state’s public education system, university system, department of transportation, and health care. The Senate Finance Committee on Monday… Continue reading

Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, right, listens to David Teal, fiscal analyst for the Alaska Legislature, during a Senate Finance Committee meeting at the Capitol on Monday, April 3, 2017. Sen. Dunleavy offered amendments to the operating budget bill to cut funding for public broadcasting and significantly reduced funding for the Alaska Marine Highway system. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Lemon Creek Correctional Center is seen in this undated photo. The Alaska Senate advanced a criminal justice reform rollback on Monday that could have untold costs for the prison system. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)

Criminal justice reform rollback nears a vote in the Senate

A bill allowing judges to impose tougher sentences for many crimes is advancing toward a vote in the Alaska Senate. The Alaska Senate Finance Committee… Continue reading

Lemon Creek Correctional Center is seen in this undated photo. The Alaska Senate advanced a criminal justice reform rollback on Monday that could have untold costs for the prison system. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)

Alaska House is on pace for a record number of bills

The Alaska House of Representatives has been a factory for legislation this year. Through Thursday, the 73rd day of the legislative session, members of the… Continue reading

Senate to considers limits of criminal justice reform rollback

How much is too much of a rollback? On Monday, the Alaska Senate Finance Committee will debate a final amendment to Senate Bill 54, a… Continue reading

Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham, speaks at the Native Issues Forum in the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday, March 30, 2017. The event is hosted by Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Cheers for first Alaska Native House Speaker, state income tax

There aren’t many crowds in Alaska that will cheer for an income tax. In a lunchtime address, the state’s first Alaska Native Speaker of the… Continue reading

Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham, speaks at the Native Issues Forum in the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Thursday, March 30, 2017. The event is hosted by Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Rolling back criminal justice reform would cost Alaska millions

Rolling back criminal justice reform would cost Alaska millions

Senate Bill 91, one of the biggest changes to Alaska’s criminal justice system in decades, was touted as using an evidence-based approach to emphasize treatment… Continue reading

Rolling back criminal justice reform would cost Alaska millions
David Teal, director of the Legislative Finance Division, shares financial models for House Bill 115 and Senate Bill 26 with members of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in the Capitol. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)

Open ears at the Capitol

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Mike Navarre sat confidently in front of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday morning and presented the perfect plan to fix… Continue reading

David Teal, director of the Legislative Finance Division, shares financial models for House Bill 115 and Senate Bill 26 with members of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in the Capitol. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)

A push to revive Alaska’s pension system

A push to revive Alaska’s public pension system is under way in the state House of Representatives, where a Juneau lawmaker has suggested a measure… Continue reading

Capital decode: One-sentence summaries of all new legislation in the Alaska Legislature

The pace of new bills in the Alaska Legislature is continuing to slow as lawmakers deal with what’s already on their plate. Between March 10… Continue reading

House passes procedural vote, sending state budget plan to Senate

Alaska’s $9.7 billion annual budget advanced to the Senate on Friday, following a procedural vote in the House. Lawmakers earlier this week approved the spending… Continue reading

Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, shares her support during a rally held by Alaskans for Life, Inc. on Jan. 22, 2015 on the steps of the Capitol Building. (Sarah Cannard | Juneau Empire)

Statewide smoking ban may be decided by one legislator ─ again

Last year, Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, tried to ban smoking in bars and restaurants statewide. His proposal was the first bill introduced into the 29th… Continue reading

Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, shares her support during a rally held by Alaskans for Life, Inc. on Jan. 22, 2015 on the steps of the Capitol Building. (Sarah Cannard | Juneau Empire)

House’s proposed income tax would hit rich Alaskans most, but you’ll pay too

The coalition leading the Alaska House of Representatives has a plan to erase Alaska’s $2.7 billion annual deficit in three years. You’ll pay for part… Continue reading