HB 239 Alaska House · 34th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relating to crime and criminal procedure; relating to civil claims by victims of sexual abuse of a minor; relating to homicide; relating to assault; relating to sexual assault; relating to stalking; relating to sexual abuse of a minor; relating to enticement and unlawful exploitation of a minor; relating to cruelty to animals; relating to endangering the welfare of a child; relating to indecent exposure; relating to theft; relating to generated obscene child sexual abuse material; relating to sending an explicit image of a minor; relating to solicitation or production of an indecent picture of a minor; relating to distribution of indecent material to minors; relating to prostitution; relating to the Controlled Substances Advisory Committee; relating to the testimony of children in criminal proceedings; relating to sentencing; relating to sexual assault examination kits; restricting the release of certain records of convictions; relating to teaching certificates; relating to the definition of 'victim counseling center' for disclosure of certain communications concerning sexual assault or domestic violence; relating to motor vehicle offenses; relating to the board of parole; relating to parole; relating to medical release for service of sentence by electronic monitoring; relating to licensing of school bus drivers; creating and relating to the address confidentiality program; and providing for an effective date.

HB 239 amends Alaska law to increase penalties for criminally negligent homicide committed while operating a motor vehicle and failing to stop or provide assistance after an accident. It upgrades this offense from a Class B felony to a Class A felony (with a 7-11 year sentencing range under AS 12.55.125(c)(D)), directly affecting drivers involved in collisions who violate existing duties to stop and assist under AS 28.35.050/060. The bill does not change the underlying duty to stop but significantly raises the criminal consequences for violating it. This adjustment specifically targets cases where a driver’s failure to stop causes death, making it a more serious felony than other negligent homicide scenarios.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Signed Jun 20, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB 239 CSHB 239(JUD) · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to include criminally negligent homicide and the homicide of an unborn child as specific aggravating factors that trigger higher sentencing guidelines. Previously, these offenses were not explicitly listed in the sentencing enhancement section, meaning they might have been treated under general sentencing rules rather than the stricter tiers reserved for serious violent crimes.
Scope change
The scope of the sentencing enhancement provisions was expanded to explicitly cover vehicular homicide and fetal homicide cases, ensuring these specific crimes are subject to the same severe presumptive sentencing ranges as other serious felonies.
REQUIREMENT

Added 'criminally negligent homicide' and 'criminally negligent homicide of an unborn child' to the list of offenses that automatically qualify for a higher sentencing range (four to seven years) for first-time felony convictions.

Removed the separate sentencing tier for these specific homicide offenses, consolidating them into the standard first-offense range to align with other serious felonies.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
100
Key actions
9
Committee
3
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved SCS CSHB 239(FIN) Out of Committee
upper
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED
upper
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) PASSED ON RECONSIDERATION Y20 N-
upper
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) PASSED Y20 N-
upper
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) FIN SCS ADOPTED UC
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved SCS CSHB 239(JUD) Out of Committee
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
lower
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) PASSED Y39 E1
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) JUD CS ADOPTED UC
lower
Mar 20, 2026
Committee
(H) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED UC
lower
1 primary · 25 co-sponsors

Sponsors