The Alaska State Legislature is the bicameral legislative body that makes state law and sets the budget for Alaska. Its Senate and House of Representatives meet in Juneau to decide the state budget, oil and gas policy, school funding and the Permanent Fund Dividend.
Photo by Bernt Rostad, via Flickr · Photo source · CC BY 2.0
akleg.gov ↗120 4th St, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
Inside Alaska State Legislature
Places and topics in this news
Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
Have a story about Alaska State Legislature? Send a tip
Friday, May 1
Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority
House Bill 299 would let judges override prosecutors to place veterans in misdemeanor treatment courts, but prosecutors and court officials warned of separation of powers litigation.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska Senate Panel Advances Social Media Ban for Minors Under 16
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill banning social media for under-16s despite court challenges blocking similar laws nationwide.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska marks 50 years of regional education attendance areas
Alaska marked 50 years of Regional Education Attendance Areas, the system that brought local control to rural schools serving 15 percent of students across more than half the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House passes bill shifting prepaid legal plans from insurance to consumer protection
Alaska House passed a bill moving prepaid legal plans from insurance rules to consumer protection, aiming to expand affordable legal access for Alaskans who cannot afford traditional attorney fees.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Thursday, Apr 30
Alaska Senate passes bill to ease classic car import registration
Alaska Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday letting collectors register legally imported classic cars 25 years or older, aligning state law with federal rules.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska Senate passes bill restoring defined benefit pensions for public workers
Alaska Senate passed a bill Wednesday allowing public workers to choose defined benefit pensions starting July 2027, the first such measure to clear both chambers in 20 years.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House panel advances penny rounding bill amid federal mint halt
Alaska House panel advanced a bill Thursday requiring businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, responding to the federal government's halt of penny production in 2025.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances health care compacts bill despite sovereignty concerns
Senate panel voted 3-2 to advance a bill expanding interstate health care compacts, adding genetic counselors and respiratory therapists to licensed professions despite sovereignty concerns.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House Finance hears divided testimony on $95M West Susitna road allocation
House Finance heard divided testimony on a 95 million dollar West Susitna road project. • Opponents cited habitat risks while supporters argued for economic growth. • The committee also reviewed funding for homeless programs and the Arctic Winter Games.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
House Finance Hears Sharp Divide Over $95M for West Susitna Road
House Finance heard sharp debate Wednesday on a $95 million appropriation for the West Susitna Access Road, with opponents calling it a mining subsidy and supporters touting economic development.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance advances $2.8B operating budget to Rules Committee
Alaska Senate Finance advanced the $2.8 billion operating budget to the Rules Committee on Thursday, moving it closer to final passage after a contentious House debate marked by close votes.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House panel advances statewide evacuation alert system
House panel unanimously advanced a bill that would lock in Alaska's three-level color-coded evacuation alert system, green for ready, yellow for nearby danger, red for get out now.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House committee advances insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover expensive treatments for PANDAS and PANS, pediatric brain disorders triggered by infections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House advances bill requiring 30-day state payments after heated debate
Alaska House advanced a bill requiring the state to pay contractors and nonprofits within 30 days, adopting a one-year phase-in after removing language that risked federal Rural Health funds.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances gas pipeline tax overhaul with $610M revenue target
Alaska Senate panel voted to replace property tax on gas pipelines with a volumetric tax projected to generate $610 million annually once Alaska LNG reaches full capacity.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House Finance hears respiratory therapist licensing bill, Alaska's last-state gap
Alaska is the only U.S. state without licensing for respiratory therapists, and HB 362 would fix that gap by establishing a state licensing program with fees covering all costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
About Alaska State Legislature
Photo by Bernt Rostad, via Flickr · Photo source · CC BY 2.0
akleg.gov ↗120 4th St, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
The Alaska State Legislature is the bicameral body that makes state law and sets the budget for Alaska. Its Senate and House of Representatives meet in Juneau, with much of the work done in committees such as House Finance and Senate Finance and in the Legislative Council.
The Legislature decides the operating and capital budgets, school funding, the Permanent Fund Dividend and oil and gas policy. Recurring questions include taxes on oil and gas, the terms of the proposed Alaska LNG gas line, how much the state pays toward school construction debt, and election and voting law. It also meets in special sessions called outside the regular calendar.
The Legislature works with and against the governor, who proposes bills and can veto spending, and with state agencies that ask lawmakers to change the laws they enforce. Its legislative audit office reviews how state agencies and boards spend money and follow the law.
More from Alaska State Legislature
Education Fund Amendment Advances With Key Questions Unresolved
A proposed constitutional amendment to create a protected education fund advanced in the House despite missing funding and scope details.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska's Right-to-Repair Bill Navigates National Debate on Consumer Access
Alaska House committee advanced a right-to-repair bill requiring manufacturers to provide repair parts and documentation, pushing the effective date to 2029.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House panel hears bill to extend confidentiality to tribal victim advocates
House Bill 384 would grant tribal victim advocates the same legal confidentiality protections currently held by nonprofit and military counselors.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate Passes $2.47B Capital Budget Focused on School Repairs
Alaska Senate passed a $2.47 billion capital budget Tuesday that directs $88.7 million to fix deteriorating K-12 schools, including a fire suppression system waiting 20 years for repair.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
House Passes Polystyrene Ban for Restaurants Despite Business Concerns
Alaska House passed a statewide ban on polystyrene foam food containers in restaurants, taking effect in over two years, despite business groups warning of higher costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House panel advances ban on heavy fuel oil for cruise ships
Alaska House panel advanced a ban on heavy fuel oil for large cruise ships in state waters, with an effective date of January 1, 2027.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Fairbanks father's testimony drives push for faster body cam release
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill requiring police to release body camera footage within 30 days of serious incidents.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House panel advances income tax on large pass-through businesses
Alaska House panel advanced a bill imposing a 9.4% income tax on pass-through businesses earning over $25 million annually, with the tax taking effect in 2028.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House panel advances dental insurance transparency bill
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring dental insurers to disclose what percentage of premiums pay for actual care, letting consumers compare plans.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel holds Alaska state seal redesign resolution
Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a proposal to create a commission that would redesign the state seal, unchanged since 1913, to better represent Alaska Native people and modern values.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances 10 health board nominees to full Legislature
Alaska Senate committee advanced 10 health board nominees to the full Legislature for confirmation, including reappointments to nursing, pharmacy, and optometry boards.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to overhaul school funding timelines
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts budget using enrollment numbers from July instead of October, letting them offer teacher contracts months earlier when more candidates are available.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Wednesday, Apr 29
Senate Passes Alaska Work and Save Retirement Program 15-4
The Alaska Senate passed a bill creating an automatic retirement savings program for employees at small businesses. It now heads to the House.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate unveils gas pipeline bill with $600M property tax, consumer protections
Alaska Senate rewrote the governor's gas pipeline bill to raise property taxes from $74 million to $600 million at full production and ban passing cost overruns to consumers.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
House passes bill requiring transparency at psychiatric hospitals for minors
The House passed a bill requiring psychiatric hospitals to conduct surprise inspections and allow minors weekly private calls with parents.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Residential Schools Seek Doubled Funding Tied to Base Allocation
Alaska's seven residential boarding schools want legislation to double their per-student funding to $25,700 and tie future increases to the base student allocation.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Denali Borough mayor opposes state control of pipeline tax payments
Denali Borough's mayor opposes SB 280's requirement that pipeline tax payments flow through the legislature, urging direct payments to municipalities before construction starts in 2026.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
House panel advances tribal victim advocate confidentiality bill
House committee unanimously advanced a bill adding two words to Alaska law to give tribal domestic violence advocates the same confidentiality protections as other victim service providers.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Energy consultant: Alaska LNG tax bill could cut delivered cost by 20 cents
A tax overhaul for Alaska LNG could cut delivered gas costs to Asia by 20 cents per unit, an energy consultant told lawmakers, but the Senate is pushing for higher taxes that could change the math.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel hears bill to let small Alaska fishermen process, sell catch directly
House Bill 356 would let small Alaska fishermen process and sell catch directly without industrial processor rules, if they harvest under 10,000 pounds annually.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Oil industry opposes tax provisions in Alaska gas pipeline bill
Alaska's oil and gas industry opposes tax provisions in SB 280, warning they could make some wells uneconomic and create antitrust risks, even if the gas pipeline project never happens.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House advances bills on autonomous vehicles, nurse training, interior design
Alaska House advanced bills regulating commercial autonomous vehicles, requiring dementia care training for nurse aides, and adding interior designers to the state's professional licensing board.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Alaska House Revives Defined Benefit Pensions in Narrow 21-19 Vote
Alaska House voted 21-19 to restore defined benefit pensions for public employees, citing a 30 percent teacher turnover rate and $140 million in annual overtime costs.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House Finance advances mail theft bill despite competing governor's version
House Finance advanced a bill making mail theft a class C felony, though the governor's competing version treats it as a misdemeanor and may be merged before final passage.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read