Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Bert Stedman
Senator · Alaska State Senate · District A
50 articles · 20 transcripts · 24 clips
Affiliations
A new Deering school is estimated at $64 million, and the building isn't funded yet
“there's $6 million added to begin the Deering School replacement”
State budget sends $24.3 million to fix up Mt. Edgecumbe's aging Sitka campus
“to try to get that facility in, in a more livable condition for the kids”
Alaska LNG lease filing lists state gasline corporation as 25 percent owner
“We need to clearly understand when that 75% can change ownership either through dilution or just sale”
Alaska's trade school in Seward can't turn out graduates fast enough
“There was $2.3 million added to AVTEC equipment modernization facilities, upgrades in Seward AVTEC.”
Alaska LNG tax bill advances to floor on split conference committee votes
“There's been a lot of marketing around the state that this is the, you know, the hinge that's going to open the door and we're going to get a project. That's complete marketing nonsense. It does not get this project economic. There's more hurdles that have to be crossed.”
Conference draft keeps oil-and-gas pass-through tax, delays it to 2029
A House-Senate conference committee draft of HB 381 keeps a proposed income tax on oil-and-gas pass-through entities but delays collections to 2029.
Alaska's diesel-to-renewables fund reopens, but the money reaches few
“We dealt with renewable energy, the Renewable Energy Fund. We added— or they added $9.3 million. That gets to the top 9 projects on the Renewable Energy Fund list.”
Alaska LNG tax bill advances as working draft, disputes unresolved
“if you take the tax rate to zero, it still doesn't get this project over the line financially. So there's more work to be done by the developer to get this project economic.”
Gas-line developer warns Alaska's Senate terms could drive it off
“on this amendment, the rate would be the highest in the country for states that don't have income tax. I think the other one is maybe 7% range or something like that, and this is a little over 9%.”
Alaska's gas-pipeline bill now carries a tax on Hilcorp and others
“with their interest cost and their depreciation, there's gonna be no net income, taxable net income for 2 decades. Literally, 2 decades. So I don't know how that, I guess, will wind up into a tax conversation later on the next couple of days, but you don't pay taxes unless you have a net income.”
State economist: even with tax breaks, the gas line barely works
“The price that they can sell the gas for doesn't change.”
A leaked plan to fire Alaska's gas-line developer surfaces in Juneau
A "stolen" state document laying out how Alaska could fire Glenfarne from its $44B gas line leaked — and the developer says it's now wondering whether Alaska can keep a secret.
A pass-through tax, not the pipeline, is the real fight in Juneau
A conference committee spent two days on Alaska's $44B gas line, and the sharpest fight was over a pass-through tax on Hilcorp that doesn't need the pipeline to exist.
Alaska Senate digs in on gas tax bill, sends it to conference
Alaska Senate refused to back down on HB 381, sending the natural gas pipeline tax bill to a conference committee to resolve how to tax the Alaska LNG Project and fund municipalities and schools.
Dunleavy called a second special session over the unresolved LNG tax bill
Long Friday in Juneau: LNG tax bill stuck, second special session called, two vetoes overridden, three failed. Round three starts Saturday.
Senate Finance presses Alaska LNG spur line: who builds, who pays, who regulates
Senate Finance gets into the numbers of the LNG line in a hot and spicy day of meetings
Senate Finance demands Phase 1 pipeline math before Alaska LNG tax vote
“The issue at the table is the gas line. And what would be nice if we could see an analysis on the gas line itself and also the marginal impact of the change in property tax from the 20 mills to, you know, the— to the 2 mills, which is basically what's on the table. And the delta dealing with financing, if it's 80% leverage, 70% leverage, different interest costs, looking at the cash flows just like we do when we get into the oil stuff.”
ENSTAR Caps the Price. Stedman Eyes the Debt.
ENSTAR is locking in a $16 price ceiling, but Sen. Bert Stedman argued the costs may have just moved upstream, to the tune of $3.3 billion over 30 years.
All three major North Slope producers have signed Alaska LNG Phase 1 sale agreements — and they want their ownership to stop at the lease line
All three major North Slope producers have signed Alaska LNG Phase 1 sale agreements — and they want their ownership to stop at the lease line
Department of Revenue presents Senate Finance with Alaska LNG breakeven modeling across cost and tax scenarios
Alaska LNG needs $9.07 per thousand cubic feet to break even under current law, or $10.69 if capital costs reach $60 billion. • Senate Bill 2001 would lower those breakeven prices to $8.54 and $9.97 respectively, but reduce state revenue from North Slope gas. • Department of Revenue presented the modeling to help Senate Finance evaluate the tax restructuring tradeoff.
Department of Revenue presents Senate Finance with 25-scenario sensitivity analysis on Alaska LNG fiscal impact
Department of Revenue modeled Alaska LNG's fiscal impact under SB 2001 across 25 scenarios through 2062. • Baseline scenario projects $29 billion in net state revenue gains. • Worst-case scenario with $100 per barrel oil and major production losses would cost the state $16.2 billion.
State wins option to buy 25% of Alaska LNG after investors commit
Alaska secured the right to buy up to 25% of the Alaska LNG project after private investors commit, with six months to decide whether to invest between $230 million and $1.16 billion.
Glenfarne's own cost estimate for Alaska LNG is now significantly higher than AGDC's — and the state's equity option sits in the middle of the new math
Glenfarne raised Alaska LNG cost estimate to 44.5 to 54.5 billion dollars, up from state agency's 38.7 billion. • Legislature can buy 5 to 25 percent equity stake within 180 days after final investment decision. • Property tax reform is central to project financing, with current rates costing roughly 380 million dollars yearly during construction.
Consultant warns Senate Finance that Alaska LNG faces megaproject risks
Consultant warns Senate Finance that Alaska LNG faces megaproject risks, citing data showing 67% of LNG projects exceed budgets by 70% on average.
Senate Finance hears $18 billion revenue trade-off for Alaska LNG tax break
“we're being told here at the table it may cost 45 billion or it may cost 90 billion. It's not an acceptable answer, just not an acceptable answer”
Kawerak offers CDL scholarships for Bering Strait Tribal members
“spreading it out around the state, trying to give as many of the young Alaskans opportunity as absolutely possible”
Senate Finance Committee: how do you analyze a $46.2 billion pipeline without the numbers?
“we concluded after that meeting that the Department of Revenue and Natural Resources on the state level needs to put together an integrated financial model.”
Alaska LNG faces tax competition from Canadian projects with federal support
Canada landed its big LNG project the old-fashioned way, by quietly stacking tax breaks for investors years before anyone broke ground, and Alaska's Senate spent Wednesday flipping through the recipe to see what's worth copying.
Alaska LNG could cost $70 billion; state's 25% stake faces dilution
“this committee has spent year after year after year dealing with construction projects all across the state and we have massive inflation and cost escalations over the last decade to the point where we've had to put in tens of millions of dollars backfill for OMB— excuse me, not OMB, but our contractors to facilitate the completion of their contracts”
Alaska Senate opens special session on natural gas tax overhaul
“So when we put a package together, we hopefully don't have to suffer from gaposis and find out we missed something of significant— of significance, and that could be very expensive to the state where we can't back up and fix it.”
Dunleavy vetoes transit plan, calls special session on gas pipeline tax
“Senate Finance is scheduled to start on Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. That's Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. The staff is already working with the resource staff in preparing documents and some of the reviews that the Resource Committee has worked on.”
Alaska Senate passes $13.9B operating budget with $200 energy relief
Alaska Senate approved $13.9B budget with $200 energy relief per person added to Permanent Fund Dividend. • Budget passed 17-3 and includes $11M for heating assistance and $29.1M in school fuel grants. • Operating budget maintains $44M surplus and now goes to House for final vote.
Alaska Senate adds telehealth parity and disability coverage to benefits bill
Alaska Senate added telehealth pay parity to a welfare bill, requiring insurers to pay the same rate for remote care as in-person visits. • Disability benefits for injured troopers and firefighters increased from 40 percent to 75 percent of salary, with health insurance restored. • The amendments passed 19-1 and now return to the House for final approval.
Alaska Senate passes bill letting pharmacists treat minor illnesses without a doctor's call
Alaska Senate passed bill letting pharmacists treat strep throat, bladder infections, and manage diabetes without doctor approval first. • Pharmacists cannot prescribe opioids or high-risk drugs but can give naloxone. • Rural areas and emergencies benefit most, with pharmacist visits costing $277 less than clinic visits.
Alaska Senate Passes Education Bill With 4% Property Tax Cap
“Some of our communities stay flat for decades.”
Alaska Senate panel hears gas line bill with $900M annual tax break
Alaska Senate reviewed gas pipeline bill cutting annual taxes from $1 billion to $74 million. • Developer could earn $5 billion yearly while consumers face gas prices more than double current rates. • Bill includes $50 million construction fund and requires Fairbanks spur line. • Senators questioned if impact funds adequately address community needs.
Alaska Legislature fails to override veto of pension bill
“This year's payment, like I mentioned, is over a couple hundred million. We have about $6 billion to go, some say $7, depending on, pick your year, time of year you want to measure it. We've paid about $7, we got about $7 to go.”
Alaska Senate advances university regents reform bill with 2027 start date
Alaska Senate advanced a bill to restructure the University of Alaska Board of Regents, setting it to take effect Feb. 1, 2027, with a sunset review date six years later.
Senate panel cuts oil production tax rate from 35% to 17%
Alaska's Senate Finance Committee cut the oil production tax rate in half, from 35 percent to 17 percent, and will hear industry testimony Monday.
House Finance advances fire station grant program after rejecting rural aid amendments
House Finance rejected amendments that would have eased the cost burden on small rural communities seeking fire station grants, keeping the 50 percent local match requirement in place.
Alaska budget fight leaves $40M in senior, disability care hanging
A six-member legislative committee decides by May 20 whether to fund $40 million in senior and disability care that the House backs but the Senate opposes.
Alaska Senate adopts final operating, mental health and capital budgets
Alaska Senate passed fiscal year 2027 operating budget on 17-3 vote, balanced at $75 per barrel oil without drawing from savings. • Mental health budget approved 20-0, adding $3.5 million for behavioral health treatment and $500,000 for crisis call center. • Capital budget concurred 18-2, including $32.5 million for University of Alaska deferred maintenance and school and port projects.
Senate Finance exempts emergency management from contract payment rules
“I move that the Finance Committee adopt the committee substitute for House Bill 133, version U, before the committee committee as our working document.”
Alaska Legislature Forms Conference Committee on $14B Operating Budget
Alaska lawmakers formed a conference committee Monday to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of the $14 billion fiscal year 2027 operating budget and mental health funding bill.
House rejects Senate's $1,000 PFD budget, sets up conference talks
House rejected Senate's $1,000 PFD, sending budget to conference committee before May 20 deadline to resolve $477 million gap.
Senate panel advances bill adding faculty member to university board
Alaska Senate Finance Committee unanimously advanced a bill to add a faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, with implementation delayed to February 2027.
Senate Finance advances early intervention services expansion
Alaska Senate Finance Committee approved legislation to expand early intervention services for children with developmental delays, giving the state more time to update its Medicaid plan.
Alaska Senate Passes Operating Budget With Energy Relief
“what we're doing here, Mr. President, is we are backfilling these funds to help the victims because of the shrinking dividend.”
Legislature advances $347M fire station grant program
Alaska House Finance Committee advanced a bill creating a $347 million matching grant program to help communities rebuild aging fire stations that no longer meet modern safety standards.
Senate Passes Budget Balanced at $73 Oil, Rejects House's $320M Deficit Plan
Senate passed a $73-per-barrel budget with a $47.5 million surplus, rejecting the House plan that would need a $320 million draw from reserves.
