Alaska Legislature

UAS The Alaska State Capitol seen on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)

House passes bill to protect higher education funding

Bills aims to exempt scholarships from annual ‘sweep’ debate

UAS The Alaska State Capitol seen on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Sen. Tom Begich, D-Anchorage, spoke with the Empire in his office at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, after the Alaska State Senate passed the Alaska Reads Act, a bill he originially introduced with Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2020.

Senate passes comprehensive reading bill

The legislation is designed to increase the student reading outcomes by third grade

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Sen. Tom Begich, D-Anchorage, spoke with the Empire in his office at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, after the Alaska State Senate passed the Alaska Reads Act, a bill he originially introduced with Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2020.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska House of Representatives passed the state’s operating and mental health budget bills Saturday after a week of marathon floor sessions tackling amendments.

House passes operating, mental health budgets, fails to pass effective date, reverse sweep

On to the Senate.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska House of Representatives passed the state’s operating and mental health budget bills Saturday after a week of marathon floor sessions tackling amendments.
The Alaska House of Representatives spent three days in floor sessions at the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, and on Thursday finished working through the 87 amendments submitted to the state’s operating budget bill. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

House finalizes budget amendments, set to vote on Saturday

Only six of 87 amendments approved

The Alaska House of Representatives spent three days in floor sessions at the Alaska State Capitol, seen here on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, and on Thursday finished working through the 87 amendments submitted to the state’s operating budget bill. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Members of the Alaska House of Representatives spent most of the day on the floor on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, working their way through the more than 80 amendments submitted to the state’s budget bill. By Wednesday afternoon lawmakers had worked through more than 50 but passed only two; $50,000 for ice road maintenance and exempting the state’s Mediciad program from covering abortions.

House passes amendment to exempt state Medicaid program from covering abortions

Similar amendments have been found unconstitutional

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Members of the Alaska House of Representatives spent most of the day on the floor on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, working their way through the more than 80 amendments submitted to the state’s budget bill. By Wednesday afternoon lawmakers had worked through more than 50 but passed only two; $50,000 for ice road maintenance and exempting the state’s Mediciad program from covering abortions.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file Members of the Alaska House of Representatives has 87 amendments submitted to the state’s operating budget bill and intends to spend the rest of the week in floor session working through them.

House begins debate on 87 amendments to budget bill

Several of the amendments considered offered various amounts for Alaska Permanent Fund dividends

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file Members of the Alaska House of Representatives has 87 amendments submitted to the state’s operating budget bill and intends to spend the rest of the week in floor session working through them.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska House of Representatives votes on Monday to adopt a finance committee substitute of the state’s operating budget bill, allowing for amendments to be submitted.

As floor sessions return, House sets to work on budget

Additional budget items.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The Alaska House of Representatives votes on Monday to adopt a finance committee substitute of the state’s operating budget bill, allowing for amendments to be submitted.
State and municipal public safety employees gathered on the steps of the Alaska State Captiol on Thursday, March 31, 2022, to urge senators to act on a bill to rework the state’s pension system for police, fire fighters and other public safety employees. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Public safety employees promote pension plan

Police, firefighters urge action on bill for defined benefits for pensions

State and municipal public safety employees gathered on the steps of the Alaska State Captiol on Thursday, March 31, 2022, to urge senators to act on a bill to rework the state’s pension system for police, fire fighters and other public safety employees. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The chamber of the Alaska House of Represenatives was empty on Wednesday after floor sessions in the body were canceled as three Republican lawmakers refuse to comply with masking requirements reinstated amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among House members and their staff.

House cancels floor sessions until next week

Some lawmakers refuse to comply with temporarily reinstated masking requirements

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire The chamber of the Alaska House of Represenatives was empty on Wednesday after floor sessions in the body were canceled as three Republican lawmakers refuse to comply with masking requirements reinstated amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among House members and their staff.
Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, speaks on the floor of the Alaska Senate on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in favor of a bill that would prohibit discrimination against people for wearing their natural hairstyles in schools and workplaces. The bill passed with only one nay vote. (Screenshot)

Natural hairstyles bill passes Senate

Bill prohibits dress codes restricting natural hairstyles in schools, workplaces

Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla, speaks on the floor of the Alaska Senate on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in favor of a bill that would prohibit discrimination against people for wearing their natural hairstyles in schools and workplaces. The bill passed with only one nay vote. (Screenshot)
A notice board at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, shows the cancellation of the House of Representatives floor session for that morning. For the second day running the House has canceled floor sessions over disagreements between caucuses over masking rules amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among some lawmakers and their staff. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

House again cancels floor session amid masking debate

Some lawmakers resist mask requirements amid COVID-19 outbreak

A notice board at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, shows the cancellation of the House of Representatives floor session for that morning. For the second day running the House has canceled floor sessions over disagreements between caucuses over masking rules amid an outbreak of COVID-19 among some lawmakers and their staff. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
A floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives was canceled on Monday, March 28, 2022, after some lawmakers refused to wear face masks in the chamber. House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, reinstated the masking rule for the floor after several members of the body tested positive for COVID-19. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

COVID cases, mask debates delay House

Lawmaker absences push back timeline for budget bill

A floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives was canceled on Monday, March 28, 2022, after some lawmakers refused to wear face masks in the chamber. House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, reinstated the masking rule for the floor after several members of the body tested positive for COVID-19. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Adam Crum (left), Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska Sen. Peter Micciche (on screen) discuss the move to split the Department of Health and Social Services into two separate agencies, on Monday, March 21, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Screenshot)

Department of Health and Social Services split official; change to be implemented this summer

DHSS will be divided into two new agencies — the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Health.

Adam Crum (left), Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska Sen. Peter Micciche (on screen) discuss the move to split the Department of Health and Social Services into two separate agencies, on Monday, March 21, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Screenshot)
Attorney for the State of Alaska Matthew Singer defends the Alaska Redistricting Board to the Alaska Supreme Court on Friday, March 18, 2022. The Court will return a decision on the state’s new electoral districts by April 1. (Screenshot)

Alaska Supreme Court takes up redistricting case

A decision is expected by April 1.

Attorney for the State of Alaska Matthew Singer defends the Alaska Redistricting Board to the Alaska Supreme Court on Friday, March 18, 2022. The Court will return a decision on the state’s new electoral districts by April 1. (Screenshot)
The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

State House passes campaign contribution limits bill

The bill would set a $2,000 limit on what an individual could contribute to a candidate each campaign period

The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, talks with a reporter after attending at an event to celebrate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Washington. Murkowski spoke the the Alaska House of Representatives Special Committee on Tribal Affairs Thursday about what the bill means for Alaska. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Alaskans laud Violence Against Women Act reauthorization

Reauthorization will create pilot program for Alaskan tribal courts

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, talks with a reporter after attending at an event to celebrate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Washington. Murkowski spoke the the Alaska House of Representatives Special Committee on Tribal Affairs Thursday about what the bill means for Alaska. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Senate passes bill banning vaccine requirements

House debates on campaign contribution goes late again

The House Finance Committee hears a presentation from Department of Revenue Chief Economist Dan Stickle on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. It was a busy day at the Alaska State Capitol Wednesday with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing multiple bills. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Reps. Clavin Schrage, I-Anchorage, left, and David Eastman, R-Wasilla, discuss a bill on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives to enact limits on individual contributions to political campaigns, on Monday, March 14, 2022. House members spent several hours debating amendments to the bill. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

House floor debate turns from election spending to security

No donations limits.

Reps. Clavin Schrage, I-Anchorage, left, and David Eastman, R-Wasilla, discuss a bill on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives to enact limits on individual contributions to political campaigns, on Monday, March 14, 2022. House members spent several hours debating amendments to the bill. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
AP Photo / Wilfredo Lee A car is shown at a gas pump Jan. 21 at a station in North Miami, Fla. Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska state lawmakers are moving to temporarily suspend the state’s motor fuel tax as oil prices rise.

Lawmakers move to pump the brakes on motor fuel tax

.08 cents per gallon.

AP Photo / Wilfredo Lee A car is shown at a gas pump Jan. 21 at a station in North Miami, Fla. Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska state lawmakers are moving to temporarily suspend the state’s motor fuel tax as oil prices rise.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Alaska Sen. Tom Begich, left, and Rep. Zack Fields, right, both Anchorage Democrats, joined a news conference Thursday to talk up President Joe Biden’s agenda in Alaska.

Democratic state lawmakers praise Biden’s impact in Alaska

Officials cite COVID relief and infrastructure benefits

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Alaska Sen. Tom Begich, left, and Rep. Zack Fields, right, both Anchorage Democrats, joined a news conference Thursday to talk up President Joe Biden’s agenda in Alaska.