HB 149 expands regulatory oversight of pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and third-party administrators in Alaska. It amends insurance code to explicitly include PBMs and third-party administrators in the director’s authority to conduct examinations, requiring them to be inspected under the same standards as other insurance entities. The bill also clarifies examination fees and licensing requirements for these entities, ensuring they must be licensed to operate in Alaska and pay reasonable costs for regulatory reviews. This focuses on strengthening accountability for entities managing pharmacy benefits, directly affecting PBMs and third-party administrators operating in the state.
HB 146 prohibits public employers in Alaska from disclosing specific personal information of public employees, directly affecting state and local government workers. The bill bars disclosure of home addresses, dates of birth, personal phone numbers (except for business use under written agreements), personal email addresses, labor union membership details, communications with union representatives, and charitable payroll deduction information. It creates a new exception to the Public Records Act for these protected details, requiring public employers to notify an employee's union representative if a disclosure request is denied. Exceptions allow disclosure when required by law, authorized by the employee, or necessary for business purposes under written agreements.
HB 114 amends Alaska's Permanent Fund law to change how dividend payments are calculated and manage fund income. It sets a rule that 21% of the fund's average net income over the last five years (capped by the previous year's income) is available for annual dividends to Alaskans. The bill also directs income from the Amerada Hess settlement to the Alaska Capital Income Fund instead of being used for dividends or inflation adjustments, and limits how much can be taken from the earnings reserve account for inflation adjustments (excluding the settlement amount). These changes affect how the state calculates dividends and allocates revenue from oil-related income.
HB 158 creates a new process for issuing temporary professional licenses in Alaska to qualified individuals. It allows the state to grant temporary licenses to professionals already licensed in other states with equivalent requirements, military members with relevant service credentials, and their spouses, without requiring full state licensing. Temporary licenses are valid for up to 180 days with one possible extension, subject to conditions like clean disciplinary records and payment of fees. The bill specifically excludes certain occupations regulated under other statutes (AS 08.54 or AS 08.62) from these provisions. This directly affects licensed professionals seeking short-term work in Alaska, military personnel relocating with their families, and their employers.
HB 171 prohibits payment processors from charging merchants interchange fees on the tax or tip portion of card payments when merchants provide documentation of those amounts during transaction processing. Merchants must submit tax/tip records to the payment processor within 180 days, triggering a 30-day refund of any fees charged on those portions. Violations carry $1,000 penalties per transaction, and processors cannot raise fees on other transaction parts to offset lost tax/tip fees. This directly affects restaurants, retailers, and other businesses accepting card payments in Alaska, ensuring they aren't overcharged on taxes or tips.
This bill requires Alaska museums to follow specific notice procedures before acquiring title to property they hold without clear ownership (undocumented property). Museums must publish a notice for four consecutive weeks on their dedicated website and in a local newspaper or social media, including property details, acquisition date, and contact information. The notice must state that title will be acquired if no valid ownership claim is received within 45 days of the last publication. This applies directly to museums holding such property and gives potential owners a clear, 45-day window to claim it.
HB 6 prohibits Alaska's state retirement funds, the Alaska Retirement Management Board, and the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation from making investment decisions intended to advance social, political, or ideological goals. Specifically, it bans actions like divesting from companies over climate policies, restricting investments based on diversity initiatives, limiting access to abortion or gender-affirming care, or avoiding firearm-related businesses. The bill defines prohibited actions as those "committing to" reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enforcing diversity criteria, divesting over environmental standards, or restricting firearm industry investments. These restrictions apply to all investment decisions by the affected boards, overriding any voluntary efforts to align portfolios with such interests. The bill directly affects how Alaska's public retirement and permanent funds manage investments.
HB 156 requires employers in Alaska to include salary ranges in all job postings and prohibits them from stopping employees or applicants from discussing or asking about pay. It also bans employers from asking about previous salary or punishing workers for sharing pay information. The law protects employees from retaliation (like firing or demoting) if they discuss pay or file a complaint about violations. Employers who break these rules face fines of $100-$2,000 per violation, with potential reductions for self-audits. This directly affects all employers (including state agencies and universities), employees, and job applicants in Alaska.
HB 186 requires that for public construction projects over $2.5 million, contractors must use at least 15% of labor hours from registered apprentices in 23 specific trades (including electricians, welders, plumbers, and carpenters), where feasible. It mandates that the Department of Transportation and Administration report project details - including contractor names, project value, and apprentice percentages - to the Labor Commissioner for data collection. The law exempts projects where compliance would risk losing federal funding. This directly affects state construction contractors and apprenticeship programs by creating a formalized requirement for apprentice labor participation in major public projects.
HB 43 amends Alaska's voter registration rules to require individuals registering within 30 days of an election to submit an affidavit verifying 30-day residency in both Alaska and their voting district, along with proof of address (like a utility bill or government document). This affects voters registering close to an election who must now provide additional documentation to qualify for an absentee, in-person, or special needs ballot. The bill changes deadlines for processing registration forms and limits same-day registrants to specific ballot types rather than standard voting. It directly impacts voters seeking to register late, adding verification steps for residency and address before they can cast a regular ballot.
HB 207 creates a state matching grant program to fund fire station construction and renovation projects across Alaska. Local fire departments or municipalities can apply for grants covering up to 50% of eligible project costs, with the applicant responsible for the remaining portion. The program establishes a permanent grant fund that rolls over annually without lapsing, requiring the department to spend at least half of the fund’s balance each year on these grants. This directly supports community fire safety infrastructure by providing predictable funding for critical facility upgrades.
SB 122 requires Alaska health insurance companies to maintain provider networks that include a minimum percentage of medical providers in each of six defined regions. Insurers must cover at least 85% of providers in Anchorage, 90% in two other regions, and 95% in the remaining areas for each medical specialty. The bill also mandates that networks include all licensed hospitals, mental health facilities, and Alaska tribal health organizations, along with their employed staff. This ensures Alaskans with health insurance have access to a broader range of in-network health care providers.
