Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Zack Fields
Representative · Alaska State House · District 20
50 articles · 20 transcripts · 5 clips
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Affiliations
Anchorage road planners take up $34 million more for repairs and a twice-stalled map
Anchorage road planners vote Thursday on floating $34 million more for road repairs, a planning map that stalled twice and a study of traffic deaths.
Late food aid applications drive Alaska's costly SNAP error rate, official says
“We actually funded half of them because we knew it would produce delays in error rates. The governor then vetoed those positions.”
About 775 noncitizens lose full Alaska Medicaid, and just over half are children
“intentionally cruel”
Alaska's respiratory therapists would pay $350 for a first license under proposed rules
Alaska proposed its first license for respiratory therapists, costing $350, under a law taking effect Jan. 1, 2027. Alaska is the only state with no such license.
Giessel says governor kept DNR commissioner from legislative hearing on AIDEA land transfers
Governor blocked the DNR commissioner from testifying at a legislative hearing on state land transfers to AIDEA, leaving lawmakers without answers on nearly 20,000 acres north of Houston.
Legislative attorneys say Houston land transfer to AIDEA may fail public-purpose test
Legislative attorneys say giving AIDEA 20,000 free acres near Houston may not pass the public-purpose test. AIDEA's director says state law already settles it.
Legislative committee hires Guidehouse for $650,000 corrections cost study
Lawmakers hired Guidehouse for up to $650,000 to find out what drives Alaska's corrections spending and where the state could save some money.
Fairbanks diesel hit a record $6.70 a gallon this weekend
“So this winter, GVA had to burn a bunch of diesel at a very significant cost increase to interior consumers.”
Alaska lawmakers weigh whether to keep boards licensing dentists and barbers
Alaska lawmakers are weighing whether to keep the boards licensing dentists, chiropractors and barbers, and released the audits that will guide that call.
Alaska moves to open child care assistance to more working families
“the cost of the expansion from 85 to 105% state median income is over $6 million a year. So it's a meaningful increase in support for childcare”
Alaska lawmakers order audit of Board of Fisheries process
Alaska lawmakers voted unanimously to audit the Board of Fisheries' process after the Attorney General overturned five regulations citing ethics violations.
Alaska legislative auditor resigns after 34 years, replacement process underway
Alaska's legislative auditor Chris Curtis is resigning after 34 years, effective Aug. 30. The Legislature is hiring her replacement through a process that aims to seat a new auditor by August.
A Wasilla surgery center just raised $2.65M in private equity. Here is what that pattern means for Mat-Su healthcare.
Surgery Center of Wasilla raised $2.65 million from five investors across two private equity rounds in 2026, according to SEC filings, but did not disclose how it plans to use the money.
Chugach and Glenfarne Alaska LNG signed a non-binding LOI — a step, not a contract
Chugach and Glenfarne signed a non-binding letter of intent. The pipeline still hasn't broken ground. One of many Chugach hedges.
GVEA files 62% cost-of-power increase with regulators
“Fairbanks has already seen the impact of this where we don't have adequate gas supply today to meet demand up in Fairbanks.”
Alaska House passes pay-card wage bill after fee provision removed
Alaska House passed a bill allowing employers to offer pay cards as an alternative to paychecks, with protections against merchant fees and free cash withdrawals. A provision to stop credit card companies from charging fees on restaurant tips and taxes was removed during committee review.
Alaska House passes corporate income tax bill for digital-era businesses
Alaska House approved a bill updating corporate income tax rules for digital businesses, passing 28-11. The measure lets Alaska collect revenue from out-of-state companies that operate without physical locations in the state.
Alaska House raises unemployment benefits, expands telehealth coverage
“Our current, before passage of this bill, our current maximum weekly benefit of $375 is almost 4 times lower than the state of Washington. So one of the reasons we've been losing skilled trades workers is they can't make ends meet”
Alaska House passes five healthcare licensure compacts in single bill
Alaska House unanimously approved five healthcare licensure compacts for physicians, physician assistants, EMS personnel, psychologists, and social workers to help the state compete for federal rural health funding.
House votes to eliminate tax filing discounts worth $500,000 annually
Alaska House voted to eliminate four tax discounts worth $500,000 yearly, including a cigarette stamp break that persisted two decades after the equipment it subsidized was paid off.
Alaska Passes Age of Consent Bill After Weeks-Long Senate Delay
Alaska raised age of consent from 16 to 18 after Senate delay sparked public outcry. • Omnibus crime bill also criminalizes AI-generated child abuse images and requires sex offender registration. • New rules make sexual assault by healthcare workers a standalone crime and expand parole board. • Lawmakers worried about compressed timeline but voted yes anyway.
Alaska House passes tobacco age increase, vape tax, cigar lounge exemption
Alaska House passed bill raising tobacco and vape purchase age from 19 to 21, matching federal law. • New statewide tax on vaping products will fund smoking education programs. • Bill includes exemption for premium cigar lounges meeting strict requirements. • Penalties for underage possession lowered to $100 with no court appearance required.
Alaska Energy Conference Highlights Gas Pipeline Progress Amid Legislative Tax Debate
Alaska LNG pipeline signed contracts, targets 2029 delivery, but governor and legislature split on tax framework. • Southcentral consumers could pay $22.96 per thousand cubic feet if exports fail, double current rates. • Federal officials highlighted critical minerals and $1 billion in funding, but permitting takes 15 to 18 years. • Rural Alaska pays $6.63 per gallon with no pipeline relief in sight.
Alaska Legislature fails to override veto of pension bill
Alaska Legislature fell seven votes short of overriding the governor's veto of a bill that would have restored pension options for public employees and teachers, voting 33-27 when 40 votes were needed.
Alaska House Passes Paid Parental Leave, Exempts Seasonal Workers from Sick Leave
Alaska House passed the state's first paid parental leave program but exempted seasonal workers from a voter-approved paid sick leave mandate.
Alaska House Committee Advances Cryptocurrency Kiosk Regulations After Scam Victims Lose Millions
Alaska House advanced a bill requiring cryptocurrency kiosk licenses and $1,000 daily limits after Alaskans lost $26 million to online scams in 2024.
Alaska Lawmakers Advance Electronic Pull-Tab Gaming Bill
Alaska House committee advanced a bill allowing pull-tab games on tablets, but capped manufacturer costs in ways the sponsor warns could give one company a market edge.
House panel rejects gaming price caps after industry debate
“After some further research, I think I am— I am no longer going to support that amendment and just appreciate the opportunity to revote on it.”
House panel advances bill to expand early intervention for delayed infants
House committee advanced a bill to let more Alaska infants access early intervention services by lowering the eligibility threshold from 50% to 25% developmental delay.
Wasilla Senator's Mother Scammed, Sparks Crypto Kiosk Crackdown
Alaska Senate unanimously approved regulations for cryptocurrency kiosks, requiring licenses and fraud warnings, after scammers stole from seniors including a lawmaker's mother.
Alaska House passes education funding reform despite split votes on transparency
House passed education funding reform using three-year enrollment averaging to stabilize school budgets and reduce teacher layoffs, 31-9. • House split 20-20 on requiring public review of mental health curriculum, defeating both transparency amendments.
House panel hears electronic pull-tab bill with 35% manufacturer cap
House panel heard testimony on a bill capping electronic pull-tab manufacturer fees at 35 percent, which operators say is too high compared to Minnesota's 20 percent.
Alaska House panel debates insurance gaps for gig delivery drivers
“this change actually came at the request of one of the DNC companies because they thought there was the most clarity just tracking when the app was open. And that they thought that was easier to administer than us trying to judge when a delivery run starts and ends.”
House Judiciary advances consumer data privacy bill with 'duty of loyalty'
Alaska House Judiciary advanced a consumer data privacy bill giving Alaskans control over personal data collection and a new duty of loyalty requirement borrowed from Utah law.
House panel hears bill to ease farmland leasing, lower costs for Alaska growers
House panel advanced a bill to let Alaska farmers lease state land at below-market rates instead of costly appraisals, after one Homer grower's lease fee jumped from $1,000 to $9,360 annually.
House panel hears tax proposal for Alaska LNG project
House panel heard a proposal to cut Alaska LNG's property tax burden from $750 million yearly by 2033 to about $200 million through a volumetric tax on gas volume.
Alaska House Committee Advances Five Bills in Single Session
House Labor and Commerce Committee advanced a tax bill raising $500,000 annually and passed hemp regulation amendments protecting existing producers. • Committee set May 6 deadline for a resolution supporting visa programs that employ 183 teachers in Alaska schools. • Insurance bill for delivery drivers stalled over coverage gaps and cost concerns, while charitable gaming modernization continued without final action.
Alaska House passes dementia training bill for nursing aides
Alaska House unanimously passed a bill requiring nursing aides to receive dementia and behavioral health training as the state's senior population grows rapidly.
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.
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.
Alaska LNG Tax Bill Walks Tightrope Between Project Viability and Local Needs
House committee approved a three-part tax on Alaska LNG with a six-year break, but Senate wants rates up to 55 cents per thousand cubic feet. • The bill requires community benefit agreements and revenue sharing with municipalities, but lacks enforcement details. • North Slope and Kenai Peninsula boroughs could take equity stakes instead of tax payments, a structure unlike other major LNG projects.
Alaska House panel hears retirement savings bill for small business workers
Alaska House panel heard testimony on HB 338, which would create automatic retirement savings accounts for workers at small businesses that lack retirement plans.
House Finance considers multi-year school funding averaging bill
House Bill 261 would let Alaska school districts know enrollment by July 1 instead of October, using three-year averaging to give them budget certainty and time to hire teachers earlier.
House panel hears confirmation for physician assistant to State Medical Board
House committee heard confirmation testimony from physician assistant Norman Walker for the State Medical Board. • UAA proposed a $30 million academic medical center to expand residency training for Alaska's growing medical school.
Alaska Energy Survey Shows Strong Support for Renewables, Mixed Views on Nuclear
Survey shows 70% of Alaskans support renewable energy and natural gas pipelines, but backing drops if costs rise or state investment is needed. • Rural Alaska faces energy crisis. Fairbanks burned 250,000 gallons of diesel daily last winter when natural gas power became unavailable. • Nuclear awareness grew from 25% to 40% between 2023 and 2025, with support rising as residents learned about microreactors.
House panel cuts cryptocurrency kiosk limits to protect seniors from scams
House panel cut cryptocurrency kiosk limits to $500 daily and $1,500 monthly to protect seniors from scams, which attorney general reports say account for 93 to 98 percent of kiosk transactions.
House panel fast-tracks insurance coverage for PANDAS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover PANDAS treatment after families testified they paid tens of thousands out of pocket when coverage was denied.
House Finance advances bill extending professional licensing board
House Finance advanced a bill extending Alaska's professional licensing board and adding registered interior designers, after revising language that prompted a gubernatorial veto last year.
Alaska releases FY25 Single Audit after closed-door review
Alaska's Legislative Budget and Audit Committee unanimously released the state's FY25 Single Audit, a federal requirement that examines how Alaska spends and manages federal funds.
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.
