Rep. Bill Elam

Maddy summaryHB 318 requires social media platforms to default to non-addictive content delivery systems for minors (residents of Alaska under 18) without parental permission. It bans targeted advertising, excessive data collection, public account visibility, and notifications during school hours or late at night (10 PM-7 AM) for minors, unless parents opt out. Parental consent for addictive features must be verifiable and privacy-protective. The law directly affects social media platforms operating in Alaska and empowers parents to control their minor children's online experience while prohibiting manipulative design practices.

Maddy summaryHB 358 creates a grant program to support career and technical education mobility for Alaska secondary school students. It establishes grants for pre-apprenticeship training and work-based learning opportunities, directly affecting high school students seeking career pathways. The bill requires the Department of Education to coordinate with businesses and labor unions to develop programs preparing students for apprenticeships or employment. Key provisions include funding for student mobility between educational programs and aligning training with workforce needs, as amended into Alaska Statute 14.07.020. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to expand career training access without specifying funding levels or outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 3 requires the Alaska legislature to convene annually in Anchorage for regular sessions starting on the third Tuesday in January. It prohibits legislators and legislative employees from soliciting campaign contributions in Anchorage during regular sessions and restricts candidates for governor or lieutenant governor from doing so in Anchorage during any legislative session. The bill allows special sessions to be held anywhere in the state, with the governor or presiding officers designating the location. Additionally, it updates lobbying registration requirements and provides travel expense reimbursement for legislators attending regular sessions in Anchorage.

Maddy summaryHB 240 requires Alaska public school districts to adopt written policies prohibiting digital harassment and nonconsensual digital impersonation (defined as fake digital content that misrepresents an identifiable person to deceive others). These policies must be shared with students, parents, and staff, and school districts must report related incidents to the state education department annually. The bill also mandates that state-provided training materials include specific guidance on addressing these digital harms. It directly affects all Alaska school districts and their students by establishing clear standards for preventing and responding to online abuse.

Maddy summaryHB 160 allows Alaska's local municipalities to set their own election terms for municipal school board members through local ordinances. Currently, school board members serve three-year terms by default (per AS 29.20.300(a)), but this bill gives municipalities the authority to change that term length if they choose. The key provision amends Alaska Statutes to explicitly permit municipal governing bodies to alter school board terms via ordinance, without requiring state-level approval. This directly affects all municipal school districts across Alaska, giving local communities more flexibility in how they structure school board elections.

Maddy summaryHB 161 requires most Alaska employers to provide paid sick leave: businesses with 50+ employees must offer 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (capped at 56 hours yearly), while smaller businesses (fewer than 15 employees) must offer 1 hour per 30 hours (capped at 40 hours yearly). Employees can use this leave for their own medical care, family health needs, or domestic violence situations, with accrual starting at hire or July 1, 2025. Unused leave carries over annually but cannot exceed the yearly caps. The law applies to private sector workers and allows cashing out accrued leave upon request.

Maddy summaryHB 359 reserves the state of Alaska's exclusive authority to regulate pesticides, preventing local governments from creating or enforcing their own pesticide rules. It specifically prohibits municipalities from regulating pesticide sales, use, applicator training, disclosure of pesticide information, or market competition. The bill applies to all cities and boroughs, including home rule and general law municipalities, and takes effect immediately upon passage. This shifts regulatory control from local to state level for all pesticide-related activities covered under the law.

Maddy summaryHB 319 clarifies rules for municipal educational service areas and bond elections in Alaska. It requires municipalities to publish detailed debt information - including current bonded indebtedness, debt service costs, and property values - before bond votes, with separate figures for the municipality and any educational service area. The bill also establishes that educational service areas (geographic zones for school funding) must cover at least 25% of a municipality’s residents, set debt limits, and specify allowable taxes or assessments. Additionally, it ensures that debt incurred by an educational service area remains the responsibility of that area’s property owners, even if the area’s formation is later challenged.

Maddy summaryHB 320 allows Alaskans to register to vote by completing their Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) application form. The bill amends election laws to require the Department of Revenue to forward PFD application details - including address and identification - to election officials for voter registration processing. Applicants must provide standard registration information (like address) or acceptable ID (e.g., driver’s license, birth certificate) if they lack required state numbers. This directly affects PFD applicants who wish to register to vote through the same form they use for the annual dividend. The law creates a streamlined pathway for voter registration tied to the state’s PFD program.

Maddy summaryHB 177 requires the Alaska Board of Fisheries to hold at least one meeting annually in each of five geographic regions: Upper Yukon-Kuskokwim-Arctic, Western Alaska (including Kodiak), Southcentral (including the Kenai Peninsula), Prince William Sound (including Yakutat), and Southeast. It also clarifies that both the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game must hold at least one meeting per year, with additional meetings as needed, to ensure broader public engagement across the state. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.