Justin Ruffridge

Soldotna planning director drafts code change to replace court citations with civil fines

The state ordered Cook Inlet setnetters onto gear their permits don't allow

Alaska LNG tax bill advances to floor on split conference committee votes

“Not hearing from the Department of Revenue about a large-scale change to our income tax structure seems a little irresponsible and maybe premature.”

Conference draft keeps oil-and-gas pass-through tax, delays it to 2029

Alaska LNG tax bill advances as working draft, disputes unresolved

“In effect, by taking out Section 3, you are saying that the Senate version did not allow AVT to be required to apply to required local contribution, and the House version did not require AVT to apply to local contribution, but now you're saying by the removal of Section 3 that AVT can apply to require local contribution, thereby making a substantive change in this conference committee to the effect of the bill on required local contribution.”

Gas-line developer warns Alaska's Senate terms could drive it off

Alaska's gas-pipeline bill now carries a tax on Hilcorp and others

State economist: even with tax breaks, the gas line barely works

“none of the items I'm looking at on that screen seem to be even in the definition of marginal. It seems like they don't work.”

Alaska's gas-line tax bill stalls in committee

A leaked plan to fire Alaska's gas-line developer surfaces in Juneau

Alaska Senate digs in on gas tax bill, sends it to conference

Alaska House recesses 10 days as gas line conference committee begins

Alaska House raises unemployment benefits, expands telehealth coverage

Alaska Passes Age of Consent Bill After Weeks-Long Senate Delay

Alaska House passes tobacco age increase, vape tax, cigar lounge exemption

Alaska House passes education funding reform despite split votes on transparency

House advances expanded disability benefits for all public workers

“One of the issues that we see, especially with volunteer firefighting departments, as mentioned by the amendment sponsor, is that they have a significant cost that they have to go through in order to have their individuals that are covered under this disability component to be able to qualify for that disability”

House panel hears confirmation for physician assistant to State Medical Board

House panel advances tribal victim advocate confidentiality bill

“I appreciate what seems to be a very elegant solution, and I cannot believe that Representative Gray did this on his own. You had to have it. It's very eloquent. Two words and it does a whole lot.”

Residential Schools Seek Doubled Funding Tied to Base Allocation

Alaska House panel advances dental insurance transparency bill

“I think it, it actually is a consumer protection metric. So a consumer who was looking to purchase a dental insurance plan could then say, which is what one of the invited testifiers said, this would be a thing that they say, listen, this plan offers, you know, a 90% or an 80%, or, you know, you potentially wouldn't want to be investing in a plan that's a 20% because you would have less, you know, bang for the buck”

House Passes Polystyrene Ban for Restaurants Despite Business Concerns

“this bill does actually not— contrary to what we're hearing on the floor today— it does not ban polystyrene. It doesn't. It is not a polystyrene ban. This is a ban on certain— one industry, food service, not using polystyrene. This is narrowly— and I think the key word here is targeted— is targeted for Alaskan businesses specifically.”

House panel hears bill to extend confidentiality to tribal victim advocates

House Judiciary adopts committee substitute for infant safety device bill

House advances bill requiring 30-day state payments after heated debate

Task Force Hears Federal Assessment Rules, NAEP Context, and AKSTAR Demo