Rep. Maxine Dibert

Maddy summaryHB 126 allows Native village corporations that were involuntarily dissolved under Alaska law to apply for reinstatement by December 31, 2026, if they missed the original reinstatement deadline. Once reinstated, these corporations and their shareholders regain all legal rights, obligations, and privileges as if dissolution never occurred, with actions taken during dissolution treated as valid. The bill also permits a corporation's board of directors to change its name (if the previous name is unavailable) without following standard corporate amendment procedures. This applies only to Native village corporations, not religious or nonprofit entities as referenced in the title but not detailed in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 96 establishes a Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board within Alaska's Department of Health. The board, composed of 10 members representing home care providers, direct care workers, home care recipients, rate reviewers, seniors, and disability advocates, will advise on payment rates for home care services and investigate workforce conditions like wages and benefits. It requires the board to meet at least three times yearly, include public testimony, and focus on ensuring payment rates meet federal requirements and support a stable workforce. The bill directly affects home care workers, providers, and recipients of home care services in Alaska by creating a structured process to address payment adequacy and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 133 requires Alaska state agencies to pay contractors within 30 days of receiving a compliant payment request for contracts under the State Procurement Code. For grants and reimbursement agreements to nonprofits, municipalities, and Alaska Native organizations, it sets a 30-day payment deadline (21 days if federal funds are used) after a compliant request is submitted. If payments are delayed, agencies must pay interest starting on the 31st day for contracts or the 21st/30th day for grants. Agencies must also provide written notice within eight working days if withholding payment, detailing the reason and required corrections to resolve the issue.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 52 ensures minors receiving inpatient mental health treatment at psychiatric hospitals in Alaska have the right to weekly confidential communication (via phone or video) with parents, legal guardians, or an approved adult, unless prohibited by law or deemed unadvisable by a physician. The bill requires psychiatric hospitals to report all uses of seclusion or restraint to the Department of Health and parents within one business day, and mandates biannual unannounced inspections of hospitals treating minors, including interviews with at least 50% of minor patients. It also requires the Department of Health to publish an annual report detailing seclusion/restraint usage, inspection findings, and data on minors in care, with the report due by November 1 each year. These provisions take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 28 establishes a pilot program to help certain Alaska teachers and state employees repay student loans. It targets full-time public school teachers and state workers who completed degrees outside Alaska (with 12+ months Alaska residency before studying) or at the University of Alaska (with 12+ months outside Alaska before employment), provided they have qualifying student loans. Participants may receive annual grants of up to $8,000 (for loans ≥$24,000) or one-third of their loan balance (for smaller loans), capped at 125 grants yearly with a $1 million total annual limit. The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education will administer the program, require annual reports on its impact on recruitment/retention, and evaluate it through 2027 before the program expires January 1, 2028.

Maddy summarySJR 20 is a non-binding resolution urging federal agencies and Alaska's congressional delegation to increase support for marine debris cleanup. It specifically asks the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide more funding and remove barriers preventing tribes and rural communities from accessing cleanup resources. The resolution also calls on Alaska's U.S. Senators and Representative to advocate for greater federal funding for marine debris prevention, cleanup, removal, and education efforts. This resolution directly addresses Alaska's unique challenges, including its over 30,000 miles of shoreline and remote coastal communities struggling with debris removal logistics.

Maddy summarySB 21 establishes Alaska's Work and Save Program, allowing residents receiving the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) to automatically contribute portions of their PFD payment to retirement savings. The bill creates the Alaska Retirement Savings Board to oversee the program and requires employers without retirement plans to facilitate employee enrollment. Key provisions include automatic enrollment at a default contribution rate, optional annual increases, and a 7% administrative fee (not deducted from PFD payments). The program directly affects PFD recipients and private-sector employees in Alaska who lack employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Maddy summarySB 167 allows Alaskans denied a permanent fund dividend due to a criminal conviction to receive back payments if their conviction is overturned (set aside or reversed) and either the charges are dismissed or they are retried and found not guilty. To qualify, individuals must apply within one year of the dismissal or not guilty verdict, with a special one-year window after the bill's effective date for those who had these events before the law passed. The bill also updates the dividend calculation method to include payments for these individuals in annual computations, ensuring they receive the dividends they were previously denied due to their conviction status.

Maddy summarySB 41 requires Alaska public schools (K-12) to include mental health education in health curricula, mandating that school districts notify parents at least two weeks before any mental health instruction begins. It directs the state Board of Education to develop guidelines for age-appropriate mental health education in collaboration with health departments, tribal organizations, and mental health groups. The bill also expands existing health education requirements to explicitly include mental health topics and creates a state school health specialist position to coordinate curriculum development and teacher training. This directly affects all public school students, parents (who gain notification rights), and school districts tasked with implementing the new requirements.