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19-year-old homeschool graduate appointed to State Medical Board
Hannah Milkey, who graduated high school in 2025 and has no medical training, was appointed to Alaska's State Medical Board one week before her confirmation hearing, prompting questions from legislators about her ability to evaluate physician disciplinary cases.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Senate Finance forwards Anchorage attorney to State Assessment Review Board
The Senate Finance Committee advanced Jana Walsheen's nomination to the State Assessment Review Board to a joint legislative session for confirmation Monday.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
House Finance Advances Education Funding Bill Despite Fiscal Concerns
The Alaska House Finance Committee narrowly advanced HB 261, an education funding reform bill using three-year student count averaging, after rejecting amendments to mandate averaging for special needs students and cap administrative spending at 15 percent.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Ice Jam Near Kalskag Threatens Flooding Along Lower Kuskokwim River
An ice jam near Kalskag on the Kuskokwim River has prompted a flood warning through May 7, affecting communities including Bethel after spring breakup caused water to overflow roads and force early school release.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIEngine Trouble Strands Columbia Ferry at Whittier Dock for Four Hours
The AMHS ferry Columbia experienced engine trouble that kept it docked at Whittier for over four hours on May 5, stranding passengers and vehicles bound for Prince William Sound communities.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAISmoke from Boundary Fire Settles Over Tanana, Residents Report Health Impacts
Heavy smoke from the Boundary Fire settled over Tanana on May 4, prompting health complaints from residents and disrupting subsistence activities in the village of 300.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIHouse panel holds wildfire evacuation bill over cost, scope concerns
The House Transportation Committee held HB 317, which would require DOT to prioritize maintenance of roads and airports in wildfire-prone areas for evacuation purposes, after concerns emerged about potentially $100+ million implementation costs and unclear scope affecting thousands of miles of roads and 237 airports.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
House advances expanded disability benefits for all public workers
The Alaska House advanced legislation that broadens occupational disability benefits to all public employees and teachers, increases benefit rates from 40% to 75% of salary, and adds healthcare coverage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Alaska bill would require human operators in autonomous freight trucks
The Alaska Senate Transportation Committee heard House Bill 217, which would mandate human safety operators in commercial autonomous vehicles while exempting personal vehicles under 10,000 pounds.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Senate panel proposes doubling Dalton Highway surcharge in gas line bill
Senate Resources Committee introduced a new version of the gas pipeline bill with a 30-cent Dalton Highway maintenance surcharge, double the governor's proposal, while senators question whether $1 billion in property tax breaks would save average Anchorage households only $55.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Board of Fish Nominees Face Questions on Public Process Erosion
Three Board of Fisheries nominees pledged commitment to transparent public process during legislative questioning focused on recent out-of-cycle decisions that changed Cook Inlet gear types despite overwhelming public opposition.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAIAlaska Legislature Staff Debate AI Use for Official Records
Legislative staff discussed concerns about unauthorized AI use for meeting minutes and public data scraping, while working to incorporate AI tools into official planning without compromising accuracy standards.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska Legislature Falls Two Votes Short of Overriding Elections Bill Veto
The Alaska Legislature failed to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of Senate Bill 64, a comprehensive elections reform bill, falling two votes short of the required 40-vote supermajority in a 38-22 vote during a joint session Monday.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Alaska House panel considers doubling bulk fuel loan cap amid price crisis
The House Finance Committee heard testimony Tuesday on legislation to raise the maximum bulk fuel loan from $750,000 to $1.5 million as rural communities face doubled fuel prices and supply shortages.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Senate panel debates $1B tax break for Alaska LNG amid cost secrecy
Alaska Senate Resources Committee heard testimony Tuesday on a proposed 55-cent per MCF volumetric tax for the Alaska LNG project, with Glenfarne calling it potentially prohibitive while lawmakers demanded cost transparency before committing to tax breaks that could cost communities $1 billion annually.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
House panel hears tax proposal for Alaska LNG project
The House Resources Committee received a Department of Revenue presentation on House Bill 381, which would replace property taxes on the Alaska LNG project with a 15-cent per thousand cubic feet volumetric tax on the pipeline, reducing the project's annual tax burden from nearly $750 million to roughly $200 million by 2033.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Senate panel advances behavioral health crisis surcharge bill
The Senate Finance Committee advanced a bill establishing a surcharge to fund behavioral health crisis services after adding exemptions for low-income phone users.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAI
Dunleavy says Alaska gas pipeline depends on property tax overhaul
Governor Mike Dunleavy urged the legislature to pass a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes bill within three weeks, calling it essential to financing what he described as the largest project in Alaska history, an LNG pipeline from the North Slope.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readAI
House panel advances retirement savings program with PFD deposit option
The House Labor and Commerce Committee approved Senate Bill 21 creating Alaska Work and Save, a state-sponsored retirement program for workers without employer plans, after adding an amendment allowing Alaskans to deposit Permanent Fund dividends into any investment account.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
House Finance advances education fund amendment, rejects gas pipeline revenue tie
The House Finance Committee passed a constitutional amendment creating a public education fund 8-3 but rejected linking it to future gas pipeline revenues.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Senate panel doubles oil surcharge for Dalton Highway maintenance in gas pipeline bill
The Senate Resources Committee adopted a new version of the Alaska gas pipeline bill that doubles a proposed oil surcharge to 30 cents per barrel to fund Dalton Highway maintenance, though the revenue falls short of estimated needs.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAIAG nominee Cox faces criticism over grand jury access policies
Multiple citizens testified against Attorney General nominee Stephen Cox at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Monday, alleging he commissioned academic research supporting direct citizen access to investigative grand juries but then implemented policies blocking that access.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Alaska residential schools seek doubled stipends to cover rising costs
The Senate Education Committee heard testimony on SB 257, which would double residential school stipends and tie them to the base student allocation to address a funding gap that forces programs to operate at half their actual costs.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
Attorney General Cox Defends 'Counter-China Initiative' Amid Jurisdiction Questions
Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox defended his proposed 'counter-China initiative' during a House Judiciary confirmation hearing, describing it as focused on reviewing Chinese-made technology in state infrastructure while lawmakers questioned whether the effort crosses into federal jurisdiction.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Alaska AG nominee Cox declines to commit to defending same-sex marriage
Attorney General nominee Stephen Cox told lawmakers he has no plans to challenge same-sex marriage but would not directly commit to defending it if challenged by others, raising concerns among LGBTQ legislators.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI
House Finance cuts West Susitna road funding from capital budget
The House Finance Committee adopted a $2.5 billion capital budget that removes $94 million in federal receipt authority for the West Susitna Access Road project, sparking partisan debate over resource development priorities.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Senate panel advances resolution urging federal reclassification of 911 dispatchers
The Alaska Senate Labor and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced a resolution Monday urging Congress to reclassify emergency dispatchers from clerical workers to protective service workers, giving them access to federal benefits currently available only to other first responders.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAILands committee advances KEA land transfer despite cost concerns
The Kodiak Island Borough Lands Committee voted 5-0 to recommend transferring 1,584 acres valued at $1.2 million to Kodiak Electric Association at no cost for the Terra Lake Hydroelectric project, despite one member's objection that KEA has the financial capacity to pay.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office
The Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 169, which would create a Welcoming Alaska Office to help immigrants and newcomers integrate into Alaska communities and address workforce shortages.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Senate advances farm tax bill, carves out Anchorage exemption
The Alaska Senate advanced legislation Monday requiring municipalities to provide property tax deferrals for agricultural operations, with an exemption for Anchorage.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIHouse panel advances Alaska Native language task force bill
The House Education Committee heard testimony on House Bill 387, which would create a legislative task force to review Alaska Native language instruction and preservation efforts through 2027.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAI
Flash flood inundates Anderson home as water rises over 6 feet overnight
A flash flood in Anderson, Alaska, caused water to rise more than 6 feet overnight on May 3-4, flooding at least one home in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area village of 250 residents.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAIAnchorage budget crisis mirrors national school funding squeeze
The Anchorage School District's $90 million deficit and proposed cuts reflect broader national trends of flat state funding, rising costs, and structural budget pressures facing urban districts.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min readAI
Chignik King Salmon Meets Escapement Goal After Six-Year Drought
Chignik River king salmon reached the biological escapement goal in 2025 for the first time since 2019, raising questions about whether aggressive conservation measures should continue.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago6 min readAI
Board restricts Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery to protect coho salmon
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 4-2 to significantly restrict the Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery through new fishing windows, area closures, and a 2-mile shoreline buffer to protect struggling northern Cook Inlet coho salmon populations.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min readAI
Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance
The Alaska Senate added $156 million to the governor's lean capital budget, directing most new spending toward deferred maintenance at K-12 schools, universities, and state facilities following an uptick in oil revenue.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago5 min readAI
Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up
The Juneau School District is reviving a $10 million bond proposal for critical maintenance including roofs at three schools, HVAC upgrades, and security systems after years of minimal state capital funding left the district unable to address mounting infrastructure needs.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago3 min readAI
Fairbanks Borough mails 2026 property assessment notices
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assessing Department sent annual property assessment notices to all property owners at the end of January, showing current and previous year values that may increase based on neighborhood sales prices.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago1 min readAI
Anchorage faces mobile home park crisis as South Park Estates closes
Municipality officials presented proposals for resident-owned communities and modular cottage developments to address the closure of South Park Estates mobile home park and the broader crisis of aging parks across Anchorage.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min readAI
Anchorage Park Foundation opens $300,000 challenge grant program
The Anchorage Park Foundation announced its annual challenge grant program offering up to $300,000 in matching funds for community-driven park and trail projects, with applications now open and a grantee kickoff scheduled for May 15.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago2 min readAI