Alaska's bicameral legislature — 20-member Senate and 40-member House — meeting in Juneau from January to May each year. Sets the state budget, oil and gas policy, school funding, and the annual Permanent Fund Dividend calculation.
120 4th St, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
Video Clips
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Elvi Gray-Jackson
“That is simply, simply not what SB 41 would do. The bill wouldn't create a state takeover of local classrooms.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
Gary Stevens
“38 Yeas, 22 nays. And so by a vote of 38 yeas and 22 nays, the joint legislative session has failed to override Senate Bill 41.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
Gary Stevens
“36 Yeas, 24 nays. Thank you. The joint legislative session has failed to override the governor's veto of House Bill 52.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
Elvi Gray-Jackson
“Alaska has the highest suicide rate in the nation. In many rural communities, suicide rates are nearly 4 times that average, the national average. Teaching our students how to recognize mental health challenges, seek help, and support one another is one of the most basic and meaningful steps we can take to address this crisis.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
Elvi Gray-Jackson
“our children are watching. They are watching. They are hoping that we hear their voices and understand their pleas for help. They're looking to us for leadership, compassion, and action.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
Gary Stevens
“by a vote of 43 yeas and 17 nays, the joint legislative session has overridden the governor's veto of CSRA House Bill 195 Finance.”Alaska Legislature: MISC-20260619-1230
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 read
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 read
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 read
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 readAG 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 read
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 read
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 read
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 read
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 readAlaska 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 read
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 readHouse 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 read
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 read
Alaska House passes dementia training bill for nursing aides
The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation requiring certified nursing aide training programs to include competencies in dementia care, communication skills, and behavioral health as the state's senior population rapidly grows.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago2 min read
Alaska LNG project could tap Defense Production Act for federal support
The Alaska Senate Resources Committee heard testimony on how the Defense Production Act, invoked by President Trump in April, could provide unprecedented federal support for the $47 billion Alaska LNG project through grants, loan guarantees, or offtake agreements.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Youth Suicide Prevention Bill
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on SB 206, legislation requiring schools to notify parents when students express suicidal thoughts and establishing a grant fund to provide free gun locks to families.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago5 min read
Alaska House Committee Advances Five Bills in Single Session
The House Labor and Commerce Committee moved five bills through the legislative process in one afternoon, covering tax discounts, industrial hemp, foreign worker visas, rideshare insurance, and electronic gaming.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Rural Alaska fuel prices could hit $25/gallon, lawmaker warns
A state senator warned that rural Alaska communities face fuel prices potentially reaching $20 to $25 per gallon, with western Alaska facing up to $500 million in additional costs from the global fuel shortage.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
House panel ties Alaska gas line tax breaks to Fairbanks spur line
House Resources Committee advances substitute bill requiring Alaska LNG project to build spur line to Fairbanks North Star Borough as condition for receiving tax incentives, ensuring Interior residents pay same tariff as Southcentral customers.
by Alaska News5mo ago4 min read
Alaska House Weighs $113M Education Funding Overhaul
House Finance Committee debates education funding bill using three-year enrollment averaging to provide budget certainty, but faces questions about $113 million fiscal note and lack of long-term modeling.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 299, which would allow veterans convicted of misdemeanors to enter therapeutic programs over prosecutor objections, with state officials warning of litigation risks over separation of powers.
by Alaska News5mo ago5 min read
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16
The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee advanced Senate Bill 262, which would prohibit social media companies from allowing Alaskans under 16 to have accounts and ban algorithmic content for those under 18, despite warnings the measure is unconstitutional.
by Alaska News5mo ago4 min read
Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas
The House Education Committee honored the 50th anniversary of Alaska's Regional Education Attendance Areas, with former commissioners reflecting on the system's creation and ongoing challenges with facility maintenance.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
House passes bill shifting prepaid legal plans from insurance to consumer protection
The Alaska House of Representatives voted 33-4 to remove prepaid legal plans from insurance regulations and place them under consumer protection statutes, aiming to expand affordable legal access for Alaskans who cannot afford traditional attorney fees.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Alaska Senate passes bill to ease classic car import registration
The Alaska State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 239, which modernizes vehicle registration laws to align with federal standards for imported vehicles 25 years or older.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Senate passes bill restoring defined benefit pensions for public workers
The Alaska Senate passed House Bill 78 to restore a defined benefit pension plan for state workers, teachers, and municipal employees after 20 years and 34 legislative attempts, with the House concurring and sending the measure to the governor.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Alaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt
The House State Affairs Committee heard House Bill 281, which would establish statewide rounding rules for cash transactions after the federal government stopped minting pennies in 2025.
by Alaska News5mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances health care compacts bill despite sovereignty concerns
The Senate Health and Social Services Committee voted 3-2 to advance SB 281, which adds genetic counselors and respiratory care practitioners to state licensing and includes multiple interstate health care compacts, despite objections that the compacts erode state sovereignty.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
House Finance Hears Sharp Divide Over $95M for West Susitna Road
The House Finance Committee heard nearly two hours of testimony on a $95 million appropriation for the West Susitna Access Road, with opponents calling it a subsidy for foreign mining companies and supporters arguing it would unlock economic development.
by Alaska News5mo ago4 min read
House Finance hears divided testimony on $95M West Susitna road allocation
The House Finance Committee heard sharply divided public testimony on a proposed $95 million appropriation for the West Susitna Access Road, with rural residents and environmental advocates opposing what they called a mining subsidy while Mat-Su officials championed it as essential infrastructure.
by Alaska News5mo ago5 min read
Senate Finance advances $2.8B operating budget to Rules Committee
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee unanimously moved the state's operating budget forward on April 30, clearing its final committee hurdle before floor consideration.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
House panel advances statewide evacuation alert system
The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation establishing red, yellow, and green as standardized evacuation alert levels across Alaska.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
House committee advances insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment
The House Labor and Commerce Committee heard testimony on HB 292, which would require insurance companies to cover treatments for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, including expensive IVIG therapy that currently costs families tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago5 min read
House advances bill requiring 30-day state payments after heated debate
The Alaska House of Representatives advanced legislation requiring the state to pay contractors and nonprofits within 30 days, adopting amendments to phase in the requirement and increase transparency while rejecting performance metrics and resource development compliance language.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances gas pipeline tax overhaul with $610M revenue target
The Senate Resources Committee adopted a comprehensive rewrite of gas pipeline taxation combining policy oversight and new tax structures that could generate $610 million annually from Alaska's natural gas resources.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
House Finance hears respiratory therapist licensing bill, Alaska's last-state gap
The House Finance Committee heard testimony on HB 362, which would establish Alaska's first professional licensing program for respiratory therapists, ending the state's status as the only one without such oversight.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
Education Fund Amendment Advances With Key Questions Unresolved
The House Finance Committee heard testimony on a constitutional amendment to create a dedicated education fund, but critical details about what qualifies as public education, how money would enter the fund, and whether the legislature could dissolve it remain undefined.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
Alaska's Right-to-Repair Bill Navigates National Debate on Consumer Access
The House Community & Regional Affairs Committee advanced HB 162, a digital product repair bill, placing Alaska among states wrestling with how broadly to extend repair rights while protecting business models and intellectual property.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago5 min read
House panel hears bill to extend confidentiality to tribal victim advocates
The House Tribal Affairs Committee heard House Bill 384, which would add tribal governments to the definition of victim counseling centers, extending confidentiality protections to survivors who seek help from tribal organizations.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago4 min read
Senate Passes $2.47B Capital Budget Focused on School Repairs
The Alaska Senate unanimously approved a $2.47 billion capital budget Tuesday that directs 94% of new unrestricted general funds to K-12 school maintenance, addressing projects that have waited up to 20 years for funding.
by Alaska Newsadded 5mo ago3 min read