Alaska is open for business.
We’ve heard this phrase echoed across campaign trails and Capitol halls, and it captures our shared belief in building a stronger economy through opportunity, hard work, and mutual trust.
But the recent passage of Ballot Measure 1, which mandates paid sick leave for all employees, sends a mixed signal by putting in place provisions that could put small or seasonal employers out of business. We believe that is not what Ballot Measure 1 or the people who voted for it intended to do. Voter initiatives deserve our respect, and the message of Ballot Measure 1 is clear: Alaskans support earned sick leave. But our job as lawmakers is to ensure that laws passed at the ballot box work effectively on the ground.
That’s why we introduced House Bill 161 (HB161) and its Senate counterpart. It does not seek to repeal Ballot Measure 1, nor does it override the will of the voters. Instead, HB161 refines the measure to ensure it works within the context of Alaska’s unique economy, where small and seasonal businesses are vital to local communities and livelihoods.
Let us be clear: This bill does not eliminate earned sick leave. It does not lower wages. What it does is provide narrowly tailored exemptions for businesses with fewer than 50 employees and for seasonal employers. These adjustments respect both the constitutional limits on altering voter initiatives and the realities faced by employers in every corner of our state.
Seventeen other states have implemented paid sick leave laws, with exemptions, phase-ins, and flexibility built in. Ballot Measure 1 lacks the provisions that would make the policy work for a state as large and diverse as ours. HB161 seeks to correct this by offering the breathing room small businesses need to comply responsibly, without undermining the core purpose of the law: keeping workers safe and supported when they’re ill.
Alaska’s business climate is already one of the toughest in the nation. High transportation costs, limited labor pools, and steep operating expenses are daily challenges. Adding new mandates without considering scale and seasonality risks real consequences: reduced hours, job cuts, slower growth, or even business closures. These aren’t scare tactics, they’re real concerns voiced by employers from Ketchikan to Utqiagvik.
In Alaska, small businesses aren’t faceless corporations. They’re neighborhood diners, family-run landscaping services, and local retailers. They operate on tight margins, in isolated areas, during short and intense seasons. Our Alaskan small businesses need room to respond to employee illness with nuance and grace, not government mandates. HB161 is a targeted, thoughtful adjustment. It honors the spirit of the ballot initiative while making it sustainable for the small and seasonal businesses that keep Alaska running.
This bill moves us in the right direction. Let’s keep Alaska open and thriving for all of us.
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman represents District D on the Kenai Peninsula. Rep. Justin Ruffridge represents District 7 Kenai/Soldotna. Rep. Julie Coulombe represents District 11 Anchorage.
