Sen. Cathy Giessel

Maddy summaryHB 39 requires Alaska public school districts to provide parents of deaf or hard of hearing students with unbiased information about hearing technology, communication methods (like sign language or spoken language), and support services. It mandates that districts allow parents to choose the communication method for their child and deliver services using that method through trained professionals. The bill also requires the state to support programs for deaf students, including residential options, and sets procedures for school districts operating these programs while maintaining special education responsibilities.

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 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 summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 4) commemorates the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding on July 4, 2026, and encourages Alaskans to participate in related events. It urges educational institutions to strengthen civics education, focusing on foundational U.S. principles like liberty, federalism, and citizen participation. The resolution has no binding effect - it is a symbolic gesture to honor historical milestones and promote civic learning.

Maddy summarySB 24 raises Alaska's minimum age to purchase, possess, or exchange tobacco products, electronic smoking devices, and nicotine products from 19 to 21 years. It prohibits individuals under 21 from possessing these products, with exceptions for FDA-approved nicotine cessation products prescribed by a healthcare professional or provided through state-approved programs. The bill also updates rules for vending machines in licensed businesses and includes provisions related to funding for tobacco education and cessation programs and taxation of electronic smoking products.

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.

Maddy summarySB 23 requires Alaska public high schools to implement a standardized civics curriculum covering U.S. and Alaska government, founding documents, citizenship rights, and global governance systems. Students must complete a semester-long civics course and pass two assessments: a 100-question test based on the U.S. citizenship exam and a civics project-based assessment to earn a high school diploma. The bill directly affects all Alaska public high school students, with exemptions for transfers after 10th grade, students with prior history credits, or those with disability waivers. Schools must document passing scores on transcripts and may allow retakes for the assessment.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Alaska's regulations for physician assistants (PAs). It requires PAs with less than 4,000 hours of postgraduate clinical experience to maintain a written collaborative agreement with a physician, detailing oversight methods, competency assessments, and specialty training. The agreement must specify specialties the PA is learning and allows telehealth oversight for PAs in remote areas. Additionally, the bill mandates that PA applicants graduate from American Medical Association-accredited programs and updates the State Medical Board to include one licensed PA member.