This week, I presented two of my bills in committee. HB 195 was heard in House Fisheries on Feb. 13, and we heard public testimony. On Valentine’s Day, House Bill 148, a bill relating to the Alaska Performance Scholarship, was presented and passed out of the House Finance Committee. This bill is now headed to the House Floor. While this bill is a House Education Committee bill, my office has been the one presenting it through committees. This bill is the result of collaboration between House Education Committee members and would assist Alaskan students with the rising cost of post-secondary education.

House Bill 309, which I introduced last week has been referred to the House Health and Social Services and Labor and Commerce Committees. I am looking forward to the passage of this bill and the benefits it would bring to optometrists and their patients.

Negotiations regarding energy continue to be a priority in the legislature this year. On Feb. 7, the House and Senate met for a Joint Resource Committee to hear presentations from Hilcorp, HEX/Furie, BlueCrest Energy Inc., and ENSTAR. I want to encourage readers to watch this committee hearing as the proposals debated in the Resource Committee paint a vivid picture of the near-term outlook on the gas shortage issue. Talk of energy shortfalls in Southcentral Alaska has been at the forefront of energy discussion the past few weeks, and these presentations helped provide insight and background into that problem.

The most important thing the legislature is tasked with each year is passing a budget. Throughout this process, Finance Subcommittees meet in order to review specific areas of the budget and make recommendations that will be brought before the standing Finance Committee. Subcommittees usually meet throughout the month of February. I am a member of the House Corrections, Public Safety, Health, Family and Community Services, Labor and Workforce Development, Revenue, and Education and Early Development Finance Subcommittees.

Please reach out to my office with any questions! Call 907-465-2693 or email Rep.Justin.Ruffridge@akleg.gov.

Visit akleg.gov for more information on bills, committees, and hearing schedules.