Transportation

SB 148 regulates autonomous vehicles in Alaska by requiring them to meet federal safety standards for public roads. It prohibits autonomous vehicles from transporting goods or passengers for commercial purposes unless used for personal noncommercial travel or with a human safety operator physically present and able to intervene. The bill establishes that the human safety operator is presumed liable for accidents involving autonomous vehicles, unless software, hardware, or vehicle modifications caused the incident, with liability progressing to modifiers, programmers, and manufacturers only after the operator. This directly affects owners, operators, and manufacturers of autonomous vehicles operating in Alaska, particularly those seeking to use such vehicles for commercial transport.

SB 244 clarifies Alaska's tax rules for travel insurance premiums. It defines key terms like "group travel insurance" and "primary certificate holder" (Section 1), then specifies that travel insurers must tax premiums paid by: (1) Alaskan residents buying individual policies, (2) Alaskan residents buying group policies, or (3) Alaskan residents/businesses purchasing blanket policies (Section 2(q)). The bill requires insurers to document policyholder residency/business location and report only travel insurance premiums (not travel assistance fees or cancellation waivers) (Section 2(r)). This directly affects travel insurers and Alaskan customers purchasing travel insurance policies.

SB 235 prevents Alaskan municipalities from banning automated traffic safety cameras, reserving this regulatory authority to the state instead. The bill applies to all cities and boroughs (both home rule and general law), ensuring local governments cannot prohibit these cameras unless state law specifically allows it. Key provisions define "automated traffic safety cameras" as devices that photograph vehicles for running red lights, failing to stop at railroad crossings, or speeding, and explicitly state that municipalities cannot restrict their use. This law directly affects local governments' ability to manage traffic enforcement technology within their jurisdictions.

SB 165 allows Alaska residents to obtain electronic identification cards and electronic driver's licenses on mobile devices, while requiring them to retain their physical ID card. It establishes rules for law enforcement to verify these digital IDs without accessing other phone contents and provides legal immunity for officers handling devices. The bill updates requirements for physical ID cards, including a $20 fee for federally-compliant versions, and clarifies that electronic licenses meet the state's legal requirement to carry a valid ID. This directly affects all Alaskans who need state-issued identification or driver's licenses.

Alaska's Senate Joint Resolution 11 urges Congress to waive the Jones Act, which requires U.S.-built vessels for domestic cargo transport, to enable shipping domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) between Alaska ports. The resolution addresses an impending natural gas shortage in Southcentral Alaska (home to most residents and military bases) by seeking to move LNG from North Slope reserves to population centers. Currently, the Jones Act prevents using non-compliant tankers for this transport, despite Alaska having significant gas reserves and facing supply shortfalls starting in 2027. The resolution requests this waiver as a near-term solution, citing precedents where similar waivers were granted after natural disasters.