On Tuesday, May 20, the Alaska State Legislature officially adjourned the first session of the 34th Legislature. As your representative for House District 7, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the work this session, the challenges we still face, and the path ahead for Alaska.
This session was characterized by intense debates, hard-fought negotiations, and notable progress on key health care issues. The Legislature passed a budget that funds essential services for Alaskans while respecting our tight fiscal reality.
One of the more significant pieces of legislation this session was House Bill 57, an education omnibus bill passed near the end of session. While education funding under HB 57 is very close to the level of one-time funding for each of the past two years, the legislation this year makes the funding part of the base student allocation, which provides more yearly stability to our school districts.
The Legislature overrode the governor’s veto by a vote of 46–14. I remain committed to supporting our schools, teachers and students and I continue to advocate for policies that improve educational outcomes across our state. I look forward to seeing improvement in reading scores and other key educational metrics.
I carried HB 144, and Sen. Jesse Bjorkman carried the companion bill SB 133. I am proud to report that SB 133 passed the Legislature! This legislation makes necessary changes to the prior authorization process to help patients receive care more quickly.
As many of you are aware, our state continues to face serious financial challenges due to declining oil revenues. The fiscal outlook for next year is forecasted to be more dismal than this year. We must continue to have difficult conversations — about spending, about revenue, and about the long-term sustainability of services we rely upon.
However, I also see reasons for hope, as oil projects on the North Slope come online and new developments in Alaska’s LNG industry can benefit the Kenai Peninsula. These projects won’t solve our budget problems overnight, but they can contribute to revenue and job creation in the coming years, helping to keep more Alaskans employed.
As we transition into the interim period, I am very eager to return home and engage with constituents. I look forward to meeting with residents across the district to listen, to learn, and to continue the work you sent me to Juneau to do.
To my family, colleagues, staff, and the people of House District 7 — thank you. Thank you for your support, your insights, and your patience as we navigated the complex issues facing our state. It remains the honor of a lifetime to serve you.
As always, I welcome your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Please reach out to my office at Rep.Justin.Ruffridge@akleg.gov or call 907-465-2693.
