Following the first round of prefiled legislation on Jan. 9, members of the Alaska State Legislature have prefiled an additional 15 bills in a second release published Monday. Of those, two were filed by Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, and one by Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer.
Bjorkman also prefiled two bills in the first round dealing with private property rights and Alaska’s agricultural industry.
The second session of the 34th Legislature began Tuesday, Jan. 20.
House Bill 254, sponsored by Vance, aims to “protect Alaskans from excessive property assessment increases.”
A Jan. 16 press release from Vance’s office explains that the bill would amend Alaska Statute 29.45.110 to limit annual increases in the assessed value of real property to no more than 5%
over the previous year’s assessed value, unless the increase is directly tied to verifiable improvements to the property or new information that was unavailable during the prior assessment.
“Alaskans work hard to build equity in their homes and provide stability for their families,” Vance said in the release. “Sharp, unexpected spikes in property assessments can lead to unaffordable tax bills, forcing families and seniors out of their homes or straining household budgets.”
Senate Bill 208 furthers Bjorkman’s efforts to support Alaskan farmers, this time in the line of leases of state line for agricultural purposes.
In an edition of his weekly newsletter, “On the Kenai,” released Saturday, Bjorkman wrote that SB 208 would create a more affordable pathway for farmers to lease state land. Under the bill, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources could lease selected parcels to farmers based on the farmer’s plans to produce food rather than how much they are willing to pay for the lease. DNR would also be able to waive expensive appraisals and surveys “when appropriate.”
“Alaska depends heavily on imported food, and high land‑leasing costs are a major barrier for local farmers. This bill aims to make agricultural development more accessible and sustainable,” Bjorkman wrote.
SB 209 is one of several bills prefiled this round by legislators seeking to address education in Alaska. Bjorkman’s bill aims to strengthen academic standards for Alaska students by bolstering high school graduation requirements and proficiency confirmation tools.
The bill would require the state Department of Education to align standards in “core” subjects for eighth, 10th and 12th grade students with minimum graduation requirements. The department would also be required to measure proficiency of students at these grade levels to confirm achievement, and would award a “seal of proficiency” on diplomas for students who meet 12th grade standards.
“The goal of SB 208 is to set meaningful and measurable learning goals for all students and to communicate to families and the public that students have achieved proficiency,” Bjorkman wrote.
Find all prefiled bills from both the first and second rounds at www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Prefile/34.
