Judiciary

SB 225 updates Alaska's trust laws to increase privacy and streamline dispute resolution. It requires courts to seal trust-related records (protecting settlor and beneficiary privacy) and creates a new process for trust owners, trustees, and beneficiaries to resolve disputes through binding nonjudicial settlement agreements - covering issues like trust interpretation, asset management, trustee actions, and trust modifications - without court approval. These agreements must align with trust purposes and can be later reviewed by a court if requested. The bill directly affects individuals managing or benefiting from noncharitable trusts in Alaska, clarifying how disputes can be resolved privately or through court.

SB 234 replaces Alaska's existing "Alaska Principal and Income Act" with the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act. It directly affects trust administrators, courts, beneficiaries, and estates by changing how trust income and principal are managed and split. The bill updates key rules for court orders in trust and estate cases, clarifying who is legally bound by court decisions (e.g., trustees binding beneficiaries, conservators binding estates). This is a concrete policy change to modernize trust administration procedures under Alaska law.

SB 262 requires social media platforms to prohibit users under 16 years old who are Alaska residents from creating accounts and to terminate existing accounts of such minors within 90 days (allowing time to dispute). It also bans platforms from using personal data of users under 18 for tailored content recommendations and mandates permanent deletion of terminated accounts' data. The law applies to platforms with at least 10% of daily active users under 18 spending two+ hours daily, plus features like endless scrolling or frequent notifications. Affected minors’ parents or guardians may sue for up to $10,000 in damages if platforms knowingly violate these rules.

SB 243 removes silencers (devices that reduce firearm noise) from Alaska's legal definition of "prohibited weapon" by repealing a specific section of state law (AS 11.61.200(h)(1)(B)). This change directly affects firearm owners who currently need special permits to possess silencers, as they would no longer be classified as prohibited under this definition. The bill modifies the state's firearms regulations to clarify that these devices are not automatically banned, aligning with broader state law on firearm accessories. The bill is currently in committee review and has not yet been enacted.

SB 265 amends Alaska's traffic accident laws to clarify and strengthen the duties of drivers involved in collisions. It requires operators to stop, assist injured persons, and provide reasonable assistance after an accident, with penalties increasing based on severity. Failing to comply with basic requirements (e.g., stopping) incurs fines up to $500 or 1 year in jail, while neglecting to assist injured people becomes a class B felony (up to 10 years or $10,000 fine). If a driver’s actions cause a death while operating a vehicle, failure to provide assistance escalates to a class A felony with a mandatory minimum 7-year prison term. The law applies to incidents occurring on or after its effective date.