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Alaska House panel hears push to raise tobacco age to 21, tax vapes at 25%
The House Finance Committee heard testimony Monday on Senate Bill 24, which would raise Alaska's legal tobacco purchase age from 19 to 21 and impose a 25% retail price tax on vapor products, drawing support from public health advocates and opposition from retailers who warn the tax structure could fuel illicit markets.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAIAlaska Legislature Forms Conference Committee on $14B Operating Budget
Six lawmakers convened Monday to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of Alaska's fiscal year 2027 operating and mental health budgets, adopting identical items and requesting limited negotiating powers.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Senate Finance considers $1M teacher loan repayment pilot program
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee heard testimony Monday on a three-year pilot program that would repay up to $5,000 annually in student loans for teachers in high-need fields, part of a broader education funding package addressing the state's severe teacher shortage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
House Finance advances pharmacist prescribing bill with drug restrictions
Alaska House Finance Committee approved amendments restricting pharmacists from prescribing high-risk drugs including opioids and abortion medications, while requiring naloxone prescriptions alongside opioid prescriptions over three days.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Wrangell Assembly adds mystery item to May 12 agenda at last minute
The Wrangell Borough Assembly amended its May 12, 2026 meeting agenda on May 11 to add Item 13i without disclosing its content, giving residents less than 24 hours' notice before the meeting.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAIAlaska Senate Passes Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
The Alaska Senate voted 15-5 Monday to require manufacturers to provide repair access for consumer electronics, advancing legislation that supporters say will keep money in Alaska and reduce electronic waste.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
House committee hears bill to update Alaska commercial law for cryptocurrency
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony Monday on Senate Bill 252, which would update Alaska's Uniform Commercial Code to govern transactions involving cryptocurrency, NFTs, and electronic promissory notes.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska House rejects optional school district healthcare pooling plan
The Alaska House narrowly defeated an amendment that would have allowed school districts to join the state's AlaskaCare healthcare system, potentially saving major districts millions annually.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Navy eyes return to Adak amid Arctic security concerns
The U.S. Navy is gathering information to potentially reestablish operations at Adak, marking a significant shift in Arctic military posture as adversary activity increases in the region.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
House rejects Senate's $1,000 PFD budget, sets up conference talks
The Alaska House unanimously rejected the Senate's operating budget Friday, which cut the dividend from $1,500 to $1,000 and reduced education funding, sending both chambers toward conference committee negotiations.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska House panel debates insurance gaps for gig delivery drivers
The House Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony Friday on Senate Bill 35, which would require delivery network companies to provide $1 million in liability coverage when drivers are actively delivering, but leaves a coverage gap when the app is open but no delivery is accepted.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
House Finance begins review of Alaska LNG tax bill with competing rate proposals
House Finance Committee held its first hearing on legislation to replace traditional property taxes on the Alaska LNG pipeline with a volumetric tax, with the House Resources version proposing 15 cents per thousand cubic feet versus the administration's 6-cent proposal.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska Senate Advances Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
The Alaska Senate advanced legislation requiring manufacturers to provide repair tools and documentation for consumer electronics after narrowing the bill's scope and pushing back its effective date.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Senate panel advances bill adding faculty member to university board
The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved legislation to add a faculty representative to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, updating implementation dates to 2027 with a 2033 sunset clause.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
U.S. Education Secretary Tours Mat-Su Career and Charter Schools
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited two Mat-Su schools on May 7 as part of a 50-state tour celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAIAlaska Native Women Face Trafficking Risks Across Rural and Urban Areas
Alaska Native women and girls face trafficking and missing persons risks from rural villages to urban areas, with federal reports documenting foster care failures and recent arrests in Anchorage.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min readAIAlaska House Finance Rejects Cemetery, School, Energy Amendments
The House Finance Committee rejected multiple capital budget amendments Friday, including funding for an Eagle River cemetery, Galena school repairs, Arctic Winter Games, and the West Susitna Access Road, citing budget constraints despite acknowledging merit in the proposals.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
New rockfish rules require Yakutat anglers keep fish intact longer
New Alaska regulations effective May 7, 2026, require Yakutat sport fishers to keep rockfish, lingcod, and king salmon identifiable and measurable until offloading, preventing immediate filleting on boats.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIAnchor River Chinook Peak Shifts Two Weeks Later, Data Shows
Anchor River Chinook salmon runs now peak approximately 12 days later than historical patterns, shifting from mid-June to late June and early July according to ADFG data analyzed by local residents.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIKarluk River Chinook Collapse Triggers First Subsistence Closure
Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed Karluk River subsistence Chinook salmon fishing through December 2026 after escapement fell to 93 fish in 2025, 98 percent below the 3,000 to 6,000 fish goal.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIHalibut Landings Lag 80% Behind Quota as Prices Hit $7/lb
Alaska's halibut fishery has landed only 3.5 million pounds against a 19 million pound quota by early May 2026, an unusually slow pace despite strong $6 to $7 per pound dock prices across major ports.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago2 min readAISenate panel advances Ketchikan mariculture manager to Board of Fisheries
The Senate Resources Committee advanced Paul Cyr's nomination to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, which would give Southeast Alaska its first seat on the influential regulatory board in years.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
House Judiciary advances consumer data privacy bill with 'duty of loyalty'
The Alaska House Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 Friday to advance HB 367, which would give Alaskans new rights over their personal data and require companies to act in consumers' best interests.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
House panel hears bill to ease farmland leasing, lower costs for Alaska growers
The House Resources Committee heard testimony on HB 296, which would create a merit-based leasing program for state agricultural land at below-market rates and allow DNR to enforce agricultural covenants through civil penalties rather than land repossession.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAIAlaska Senate committee advances sports betting bill with tax revenue promise
The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony Friday on legislation to legalize mobile sports betting in Alaska, with sponsors projecting $12 million to $18 million in annual tax revenue from an industry already operating illegally in the state.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Senate Judiciary advances ethics bill with complaint disclosure changes
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 298 after adopting amendments that allow subjects of ethics complaints to request public disclosure.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Bank of America Files Four Debt Suits Against Kenai Residents in One Day
Bank of America filed four debt collection lawsuits against Kenai Peninsula residents on May 5, 2026, part of a pattern of collection activity that raises questions about whether the bank is pursuing debts it may have already sold.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago1 min readAIIndustry groups oppose Dalton Highway toll targeting oil and gas traffic
Industry representatives testified against a bill to establish tolls on a two-mile stretch of the Dalton Highway near Deadhorse, warning the measure could jeopardize federal funding and create unfair taxation on oil and gas operations.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska House Rewrites LNG Tax Bill, Raising Rate While Empowering Boroughs
The House Resources Committee approved a restructured tax approach for the Alaska LNG project that raises the pipeline tax to 15 cents per thousand cubic feet while allowing North Slope and Kenai boroughs to negotiate property taxes on facilities.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readAI
True North Recovery proposes Fairview behavioral health center
The Anchorage Assembly Public Health and Safety Committee heard a presentation from True North Recovery on a proposed peer-led behavioral health navigation center in Fairview, sparking debate over location and community impact.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readAI
Senate Finance advances early intervention services expansion
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee approved legislation Thursday to expand early intervention services for children, with amendments giving the Department of Health more time to implement required Medicaid changes.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAI
State Defends Transboundary Mining Oversight as Stakeholders Demand Stronger Protections
Alaska officials testified that water quality monitoring shows no pollution from British Columbia mines crossing the border, but fishing groups, tribes, and conservation organizations argued the state is not doing enough to protect Southeast Alaska's salmon rivers from upstream mining risks.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readAI
Shoulder-to-Shoulder Anglers Pack Kenai River as Salmon Runs Peak
Heavy crowds of anglers are packing the Kenai River in combat fishing conditions as late-run sockeye and coho salmon runs peak through September.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAIDouglas man to share journey building traditional Inupiaq qayaq
Douglas resident Lou Logan will present on his 18-month experience building a traditional Inupiaq qayaq at the Alaska State Museum on May 16.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIAlaska bill would penalize state for late payments to contractors
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on HB 133, which would impose 10.5% interest penalties when the state fails to pay nonprofits, municipalities, and tribal organizations within 30 days.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Palmer meeting set for Glenn Highway safety project feedback
Alaska DOT&PF will hold a public meeting June 3 in Palmer to gather feedback on planned safety and capacity improvements to the Glenn Highway between Arctic Avenue and Palmer-Fishhook Road.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAIHouse Finance cuts paid parental leave to 12 weeks, reduces benefits to $524
Alaska House Finance Committee amended paid parental leave legislation to reduce maximum leave from 26 to 12 weeks and cut weekly benefits from $817 to $524, while exempting businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska House bill would tighten hunting, fishing residency to 180 days
The Alaska Senate Resources Committee heard House Bill 93, which would require residents to be physically present in Alaska for at least 180 days annually to qualify for resident hunting and fishing licenses, aligning the standard with Permanent Fund Dividend eligibility.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska LNG Tax Bill Stalls as Lawmakers Demand Project Cost Data
Senate Resources Committee consultant warns legislators lack critical data on Alaska LNG project capital costs and gas pricing needed to fulfill constitutional obligation to maximize resource value, with only 12 days left in session.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readAI
Alaska House passes disability pay increase for injured public workers
The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation raising occupational disability benefits from 40% to 75% of salary for state employees injured on the job, while restoring their healthcare coverage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI