Alaska state government's executive branch, headed by the Governor and 15 cabinet departments. Oversees education, public safety, transportation, health, commerce, and natural resource management for the 49th state.
Photo by Bernt Rostad, via Flickr · Photo source · CC BY 2.0
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Week of Apr 20
Senate panel adopts changes to health care compact bill
Alaska Senate panel approved changes to join four interstate medical licensing compacts aimed at recruiting rural health providers, adding background check requirements for medical professionals.

House panel debates $113M education funding formula shift
House panel heard testimony on a bill that would shift school funding to a three-year enrollment average, costing $113 million annually but giving districts budget certainty earlier in the year.

Senate Education Committee Advances Opioid Awareness Bill, Hears Tribal School Compact Proposal
Senate Education Committee advanced a bill requiring opioid prevention curriculum in grades 6-12. • Committee heard first presentation on allowing tribes to operate public schools through state-tribal compacts, with second hearing scheduled Monday.

3-Year-Old Dies After Falling Through Ice in Goodnews Bay
A 3-year-old boy died Thursday after falling through thin ice on the Goodnews River in Goodnews Bay, a remote village in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta about 400 miles west of Anchorage.
Kodiak Trooper Uses Surfboard to Rescue Teen from Island Lake Ice
A Kodiak trooper used a surfboard to rescue a hypothermic teenager from Island Lake ice on April 25, paddling across thin ice while a sergeant towed them to shore.
House committee hears bill to reclassify emergency dispatchers as first responders
A House committee heard testimony on a bill to let emergency dispatchers retire after 20 years instead of 30 and classify them as first responders.

Alaska Sustainable Energy Corporation reports progress on green financing
Alaska's new green financing nonprofit secured $4.7 million and plans residential energy efficiency loans by mid-2027, but operates with just two staff and faces questions about its scale.

Alaska lawmakers hear testimony on four ballot initiatives
Alaska lawmakers heard testimony Thursday on three November ballot initiatives covering citizenship voting requirements, campaign finance limits, and ranked choice voting repeal, with no votes taken.

House Resources Committee debates LNG equity stakes, rejects wildlife refuge amendments
Alaska House Resources Committee heard testimony on state equity stakes in the Alaska LNG project and rejected five wildlife refuge bill amendments on 5-4 party-line votes Friday.

Senate panel examines regulatory questions on gas pipeline tax plan
Senate panel debated tax breaks and regulatory oversight for a proposed natural gas pipeline, with municipalities seeking clearer cost projections and more local control.

Senate panel hears setnet cooperative bill, sets aside land transfer
Senate panel advanced a bill allowing setnet fishermen to work cooperatively, addressing enforcement conflicts, while postponing a land transfer proposal pending more details.

Senate panel hears refuse utility rate reform bill
A Senate panel heard a bill that would let trash haulers use faster rate-setting procedures, cutting delays from three years to months and reducing the large rate increases customers now face.

Alaska Advances Mental Health Education Guidelines Without Mandates
The House Finance Committee advanced a bill to create voluntary mental health guidelines for schools to address Alaska high youth suicide rates.
Senate Finance hears tax modernization bill, sets aside for further review
Senate Finance heard testimony on House Bill 280, which would shift corporate income tax to market-based sourcing and generate roughly $15 million annually, but deferred a vote.

Senate cuts House domestic violence funding additions in half
Alaska Senate cut domestic violence funding additions in half Tuesday, reducing House support for survivors by $1.45 million total and setting up a budget fight before final passage.

Senate panel advances $349 million administration budget
Senate panel approved a $349.4 million budget for the Department of Administration but blocked the governor's plan to decentralize payroll services, citing risks to employee pay.

Coming up
State Bond Committee Meeting
Telephonic meeting, call-in (907) 202-7104, Conference ID: 633 711 677#
Meeting
Alaska LNG Project Right-of-Way Lease Conversion - In-Person Public Hearing
Hearing
Public Comment Deadline: State Underground Storage Rights Claim
Public notice
Local Government Protest Deadline: Eden Growth Group LLC Marijuana License Renewal
Public notice
Effective: Alaska; Wildlife, Harvest, and Access
Public notice
About State of Alaska
Photo by Bernt Rostad, via Flickr · Photo source · CC BY 2.0
alaska.gov ↗Alaska
The State of Alaska is the executive branch of Alaska state government, headed by the Governor and organized into cabinet departments. Those departments oversee education, public safety, transportation, health, commerce and natural resource management across the state.
State agencies issue permits, leases and land decisions, regulate liquor licenses and utilities, plan highway projects and rank school construction requests. Its stories return to public comment on state proposals, from roundabouts and gravel sites to water rights and the statewide transportation plan, and to the work of the Alaska State Troopers.
Boards and authorities attached to the state, such as the Board of Fisheries, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, make many of its decisions. The state also runs statewide elections and works with tribal organizations on village public safety.
More from State of Alaska
Senate panel approves $485 million Department of Revenue budget
Senate Finance Subcommittee approved a $485.1 million Department of Revenue budget for fiscal year 2027, rejecting a proposal to consolidate Permanent Fund Corporation spending into a single account.

Senate Resources advances three bills on agriculture, evacuations, invasive species
Senate Resources advanced three bills Friday: one speeds up agricultural land leases for farmers, one standardizes evacuation color codes statewide, and one creates an invasive species council to coordinate control efforts. • All three passed without objection.

House Education Committee advances CPR training bill with rural flexibility
House Education Committee advanced a CPR training bill Monday with amendments letting rural schools skip hands-on practice and delaying the requirement to July 2027 to pursue grant funding.

House Resources Committee Rejects Wildlife Refuge Amendments
Alaska House Resources Committee advanced a wildlife refuge reorganization bill 5-3 Friday, rejecting amendments that would have loosened habitat protections or expanded hunting and fishing access.

House Resources advances Vogler nomination to Regulatory Commission
House Resources Committee advanced Julie Vogler's nomination to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to the full legislature for confirmation.

Senate panel advances fishing cooperative bill with electronic monitoring
Alaska Senate panel unanimously advanced a bill legalizing fishing cooperatives for set gillnet permit holders, with a five-permit cap and electronic monitoring for trawl vessels.

State regulators extend review periods for Railbelt utility tariffs
Alaska regulators extended review timelines for rate changes from Chugach Electric and Enstar Natural Gas serving Southcentral Alaska.
Alaska mines release toxic metals into rivers, state data shows
Alaska's mines released over 450,000 pounds of mercury in 2018, the most in the nation, contaminating rivers that villages depend on for drinking water and subsistence fishing.
Rural Alaska Electricity Costs Run Three to Five Times Urban Rates
Rural Alaskans pay three to five times more for electricity than urban residents because remote villages rely on expensive diesel microgrids, despite state renewable energy plans.

Week of Apr 13
Alaska Fishermen Report Salmon Declines Amid Bycatch, Management Concerns
Alaska fishermen and subsistence harvesters report salmon declines they blame on bottom trawler bycatch, though federal managers say bycatch stays within sustainable limits.
Interior hunters report early black bear harvests as spring season begins
Interior hunters are reporting early black bear harvests as spring season opens, with the state tracking kills to manage predator populations and protect moose herds.
Alaska residents share bear and moose encounters as spring wildlife season begins
Alaskans are posting spring bear and moose sightings on social media as animals emerge from winter across the Kenai Peninsula and Interior, following typical seasonal patterns.
Remote Alaska villages pay $6.63 per gallon as fuel costs strain budgets
Remote Alaska villages paid an average of $6.63 per gallon for gasoline this winter, straining household budgets as barge transport and small order volumes drive costs far above road-connected areas.
Two Skiers Rescued After Avalanche Near Turnagain Pass
Two skiers were rescued by helicopter Thursday after an avalanche at Falls Creek Trail near Turnagain Pass, with both sustaining injuries requiring hospital transport.
Alaska Lawmakers Propose Legislative Oversight of $80B Permanent Fund Board
Alaska lawmakers proposed legislative confirmation of Permanent Fund Corporation board members for the first time since 1982, as the $80 billion fund now covers over 60 percent of state spending.
Alaska Overhauls School Construction Funding to Help Rural Districts Compete
Alaska is changing school construction funding to prioritize building safety over age. The new rules start for fiscal year 2028.
Alaska School Funding System Favors Wealthy Districts, Senators Say
Alaska senators say the state's school construction funding system favors wealthy districts that can afford architects and engineers, leaving poorer communities waiting years for basic repairs.
Alaska Senate Panel Weighs Tougher Hit-and-Run Penalties
The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee is considering House Bill 239 to set four to seven year prison terms for fatal hit and run crashes.
Alaska Senate Shelves Homemade Food Safety Bill After Complex Debate
Alaska Senate shelved a bill banning homemade foods in vacuum-sealed jars after lawmakers found the botulism-safety rules too complex to define clearly.
Alaska House Rejects 30% Cut to Regional Jail Funding Despite Low Use
Alaska House rejected a proposal to cut a 30% regional jail funding increase, voting 16-24 against the amendment despite data showing many facilities operate at near-zero capacity.
Alaska House Approves $2M for Talkeetna Trooper Post Using ANWR Funds
Alaska House approved $2 million from Arctic refuge revenues to restore a trooper post in Talkeetna, citing a 113-mile law enforcement gap and fentanyl trafficking on the Parks Highway.
Week of Apr 6
Are You Kitten Me? Alaska’s Fish “Waste” Just Found Its Second Life
Alaska fish processors are turning salmon skins and other byproducts into pet food, converting waste that once cost money to dispose of into a new revenue stream.

Alaska House committee reviews $759K in agency requests to fix payment delays
Alaska House committee heard requests for $759,200 to fix chronic late payments, as contractors report business closures from state agencies paying 30 to 65 days behind schedule.
Alaska House committee advances bill to expand early intervention eligibility
A House bill would lower Alaska's early intervention eligibility threshold to match federal standards, potentially saving $34.9 million annually in special education costs.