Alaska Bills

in committee · Alaska · Senate Feb 14, 2025

SB 101: An Act relating to health and personal safety education.

This bill requires Alaska public schools to annually report detailed performance data to the state department, including specific metrics about student achievement, attendance, and school programs. It directly affects all public schools and their administrators, mandating they submit standardized reports covering accreditation, test results, graduation rates, and student enrollment changes. A key provision adds new requirements for schools to report on their health and personal safety education program, including participation numbers, teaching frequency, and grade levels taught. The bill amends existing school accountability laws (AS 14.03.120 and AS 14.16.050) to integrate these reporting standards, without creating new curriculum or funding.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 14, 2025

HB 107: An Act relating to supplemental employee benefits; relating to retirement benefits of peace officers and firefighters hired after June 30, 2006; and providing for an effective date.

HB 107 modifies retirement contributions for peace officers and firefighters hired after June 30, 2006, requiring employers to contribute 9.74% of their compensation (compared to 5% for other state employees) to retirement funds. It establishes a supplemental benefits plan where employers contribute 6.13% of wages (up to Social Security limits) to individual annuity accounts, and employees can voluntarily add funds to purchase supplemental coverage for health, death, disability, or dependent care. The plan extends eligibility to teachers and eligible peace officers/firefighters even if their employer isn't a participating employer. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 14, 2025

HB 103: An Act relating to coverage for disability from diseases for certain firefighters; and providing for an effective date.

HB 103 establishes a presumption that certain diseases are work-related for Alaska firefighters, making it easier to obtain disability compensation without proving direct causation. It covers respiratory diseases, cardiovascular events within 72 hours of smoke/toxic exposure, and nine specific cancers (including brain cancer, melanoma, leukemia, and prostate cancer). To qualify, firefighters must have served at least seven years, passed initial and biennial medical exams showing no pre-existing disease during their first seven years, and for cancer claims, demonstrate exposure to a known carcinogen linked to the cancer. The presumption applies to both active and former firefighters for up to five years after leaving service.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 95: An Act relating to midwives and the practice of midwifery; relating to apprentice midwives; renaming the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives as the Board of Licensed Midwives; relating to the Board of Licensed Midwives; extending the termination date of the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives; relating to insurance; and providing for an effective date.

HB 95 renames the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives to the Board of Licensed Midwives, extends the board’s termination date from 2025 to 2031, and requires insurance coverage for midwifery care regardless of delivery location. It directly affects licensed midwives (including those transitioning from "certified direct-entry" status), pregnant people seeking home births, and insurance providers. Key provisions include updating legal definitions to reflect the new board name, ensuring midwifery services are covered under insurance policies, and codifying the legislature’s intent to support home births with licensed midwives. The bill aims to remove barriers to non-hospital births while maintaining oversight of midwifery practice.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 80: An Act relating to minimum standards for residential buildings; relating to construction contractors and residential contractor endorsements; establishing the Alaska State Residential Building Safety Council; and providing for an effective date.

HB 80 establishes new requirements for contractors working on Alaska's residential buildings. It mandates that contractors must obtain a residential contractor endorsement to build or alter privately-owned single- to four-unit residential structures covered by the state building code. To qualify, contractors must hold a general contractor license, pass an annual exam on building codes (including arctic construction techniques), complete specific training, and meet background and experience criteria. The bill also creates the Alaska State Residential Building Safety Council and requires contractors to follow the state residential building code when providing services.

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 11, 2025

HB 63: An Act relating to regional educational attendance area elections; relating to terms for members of regional school boards; relating to voter residence; relating to voter registration; relating to the inclusion of voter registration forms in permanent fund dividend applications; relating to election administration; relating to ballot counting; relating to absentee voting; relating to early voting; relating to voting by mail; relating to publication of election pamphlets; and relating to confidential information in voter registration records.

HB 63 updates election rules for regional school boards in Alaska. It changes school board elections to occur annually (instead of biennially) on the first Tuesday in October during odd-numbered years, sets four-year staggered terms for board members, and allows communities to adjust board size via ballot. The bill also requires including voter registration forms with permanent fund dividend applications and modifies election administration procedures under the lieutenant governor's office. These changes directly affect voters in regional educational attendance areas and regional school boards across Alaska.

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 84: An Act relating to the State Officers Compensation Commission; and relating to policies of the Alaska Legislative Council regarding allowances and reimbursement for moving expenses.

HB 84 updates Alaska's compensation review process for state officials. It requires the State Officers Compensation Commission to review legislative and executive branch pay every two years, submit separate reports for legislators and top officials (like the governor), and meet specific deadlines for public notice and submission. The bill also directs the Alaska Legislative Council to establish policies for moving expense reimbursements and annual allowances for legislators. These changes affect state legislators, the governor, lieutenant governor, and department heads by formalizing how their compensation and related expenses are reviewed and approved. The bill does not change current pay rates but sets new procedural requirements for future reviews.

in committee · Alaska · Senate Feb 10, 2025

SB 91: An Act relating to clean energy project development licenses and leases of state land for clean energy projects.

SB 91 streamlines land access for clean energy projects on Alaska state land by modifying survey requirements for leases and licenses. It waives certain official land survey and monumentation rules when land is offered for clean energy project development licenses under existing law (AS 38.05.410), reducing administrative barriers for developers. The bill specifically applies to projects seeking state land leases or licenses for clean energy infrastructure, excluding agricultural land and short-term leases. This is a procedural change to land conveyance rules, not a new energy policy or funding mechanism.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 83: An Act disapproving the recommendations of the State Officers Compensation Commission; and providing for an effective date.

HB 83 rejects all recommendations from Alaska's State Officers Compensation Commission regarding state officer pay for 2025. The bill directly blocks the commission's proposed changes to compensation levels without creating new salary rules. It takes immediate effect under existing law, preventing the recommended salary adjustments from being implemented. This is a procedural disapproval of the commission's report, not a new policy change.

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 86: An Act relating to unauthorized publication and use of communications; and relating to eavesdropping.

HB 86 strengthens privacy protections by making it illegal to share private communications without consent, except for specific authorized uses like court orders or emergency services. It bans using eavesdropping devices to record conversations without all parties' permission and restricts sharing illegally obtained audio. The law directly affects individuals, businesses, and organizations handling private communications, including phone calls or messages. Key provisions include requiring consent for disclosure, prohibiting misuse of illegally recorded content, and listing exemptions such as public broadcasts, emergency services communications, and accidental phone line interceptions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 68: An Act relating to the sale of alcohol; and relating to the posting of warning signs for alcoholic beverages.

HB 68 updates Alaska's alcohol licensing rules for restaurants and eateries. It requires license holders to ensure minors under 21 cannot obtain alcohol (with specific dining-only access rules for 16-20 year olds, including supervision and parental consent for under-16s), and mandates that food and drink sales remain under the licensee's sole control. The bill also shortens permitted alcohol sales times at theaters from two hours to one hour before/after events. These changes directly affect restaurants with alcohol licenses, minors seeking dining access, and restaurant employees aged 16-17.

in committee · Alaska · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 61: An Act relating to employment; relating to voluntary flexible work hour plans; relating to the employment of minors; and relating to hours worked by minors employed in the state.

HB 61 updates Alaska's employment laws for two key groups. For adult workers, it creates a new "voluntary flexible work hour plan" allowing up to 40 hours weekly (with written agreements and state approval), requiring overtime pay for hours beyond that. For minors under 16, it reduces the daily work limit from 10 to 9 hours (including school time), sets weekly caps of 23 hours during school and 40 hours when school is out, and exempts family-owned businesses from needing special permits for minor employees under direct family supervision. The bill also removes outdated requirements for minor employment authorizations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results