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Rep. Sarah Vance, a Homer Republican, discusses a bill she sponsored requiring age verification to visit pornography websites while Rep. Andrew Gray, an Anchorage Democrat who added an amendment prohibiting children under 14 from having social media accounts, listens during a House floor session Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

House passes bill banning kids under 14 from social media, requiring age verification for porn sites

Key provisions of proposal comes from legislators at opposite ends of the political spectrum

Homer High School sophomore Sierra Mullikin is one of the students who participated in the community walk-in on Wednesday, April 24. Communities across the state of Alaska held walk-ins in support of legislative funding for public education. (Photo by Emilie Springer)

News

Teachers, staff and community members ‘walk-in’ at 9 district schools

The unions representing Kenai Peninsula Borough School District staff organized a widespread, “walk-in” protest at Kenai, Soldotna, Seward,…

Rep. Ben Carpenter, a Nikiski Republican, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Ben Carpenter: Securing Alaska’s economic future through tax reform

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

The Alaska State Capitol on March 1. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Opinion

Opinion: We support all students

In the last month of session, we are committed to working together with our colleagues to pass comprehensive…

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a Soldotna Republican who co-chairs the House Education Committee, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Justin Ruffridge: Supporting correspondence programs

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, a Nikiski Republican, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman: Protecting workers, honoring the fallen

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Students of Soldotna High School stage a walkout in protest of the veto of Senate Bill 140 in front of their school in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

News

SoHi students walk out for school funding

The protest was in response to the veto of an education bill that would have increased school funding

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News

House District 6 race gets 3rd candidate

Alana Greear filed a letter of intent to run on April 5

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks in opposition to an executive order that would abolish the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives during a joint legislative session on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Opinion

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman: Making progress, passing bills

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

The Alaska State Capitol on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

News

Alaska House passes budget with roughly $2,275 payments to residents, bill goes to Senate

The bill also includes a roughly $175 million, one-time increase in aid to school districts that would be…

Rep. Ben Carpenter, a Nikiski Republican, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Ben Carpenter: A missed opportunity to secure then future of the permanent fund

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a Soldotna Republican who co-chairs the House Education Committee, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Justin Ruffridge: Creating a road map to our shared future

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Homer High School students who joined schools from around the state in a high school walkout pose near the end of the event, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. Not all students who attended the event are in the image. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)

News

Homer students join statewide student walkout

The event was in response to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto last month of an education bill passed by…

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, a Nikiski Republican, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman: Tax relief efforts move forward

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Rep. Ben Carpenter, a Nikiski Republican, speaks during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Ben Carpenter: Clearing red tape on occupational licensing

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

The Alaska Legislature meets in a joint session Jan. 18 in a failed attempt to override a veto by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to education funding. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion

Opinion: Republican legislators are surrendering their constitutional power

Checks and balances of power are central to our system of government

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Deena Bishop and Gov. Mike Dunleavy discuss his veto of an education bill during a press conference Friday, March 15, 2024, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

State owes KPBSD $9.7 million, federal government says

DEED on Thursday pushed back on the federal government’s statement that it has not complied with requirements

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks Monday, May 8, 2023, on the floor of the Alaska House. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Opinion

Rep. Justin Ruffridge: Strong communication is key

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Nikiski Republican Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, right, speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman: In support of working Alaskans

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Rep. Ben Carpenter, a Nikiski Republican, speaks in opposition to overriding a veto of Senate Bill 140 during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Opinion

Rep. Ben Carpenter: Education is too important to keep getting wrong

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau