Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Donna Mears
Representative · Alaska State House · District 19
39 articles · 20 transcripts · 1 clips
Affiliations
Alaska House members ask FCC to preserve E-Rate school internet discounts
Twenty-one Alaska House members asked the FCC to preserve E-Rate, which discounts school internet. Alaska's own school broadband grant depends on it.
National conservation fund gives $255,000 to Alaska Center group backing three House candidates
A national conservation PAC gave $255,000 to The Alaska Center IE, about two-thirds of what the group has raised to back three state House candidates.
Giessel says governor kept DNR commissioner from legislative hearing on AIDEA land transfers
“I'm very concerned that we've got a short timeframe with this administration and things are going to get shoved through and that's unacceptable.”
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.
Senate vote to advance data center utility cost bill fails 57-43
“There's news just this week that there's a 1-gigawatt facility being contemplated for the North Slope, which is more than the entire load that we've got now.”
Alaska Center's independent expenditure group spends about $27,900 on mailers for 10 legislative candidates
The Alaska Center's independent expenditure group spent about $27,900 on mailers for 10 legislative candidates, according to its latest state filing.
Alaska household electricity prices rose 5.6 percent from a year earlier in July, federal data show
“Energy prices will be going up for Alaska.”
Labor committee reports $125,000 in ads for four Alaska candidates
Putting Alaskans First reported $125,000 in Meta ads supporting four legislative candidates. Two other committees reported smaller buys.
Southcentral is 3 Bcf short this winter, and producers told lawmakers the gas runs out in 2029
Southcentral Alaska faces a natural gas shortage by winter 2029 unless it imports liquefied natural gas or taps North Slope supplies, Hilcorp and Chugach told lawmakers Thursday.
Homer Electric reports $2.2 million June operating loss as purchased power costs run over budget
“Energy prices will be going up for Alaska.”
Alaska electricity prices eased in June, but not for households
“Energy prices will be going up for Alaska.”
A remote Alaska island is paying $7.55 a gallon to heat its homes
“We had a gentleman from Vitus that supplies fuel by, by barge to western and northern Alaska, and where they'd been getting fuel in South Korea most recently just doesn't have it available because their fuel comes through the Strait of Hormuz from the Middle East.”
Alaska House raises unemployment benefits, expands telehealth coverage
Alaska House raised maximum weekly unemployment benefits from $370 to $470, first increase since 2009. • Expanded telehealth coverage and raised disability pay for firefighters and police from 40 percent to 75 percent. • Updated insurance laws to clarify rebates and ban misleading advertising.
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 House panel hears bill to shield ratepayers from data center costs
“There's news just this week that there's a 1-gigawatt facility being contemplated for the North Slope, which is more than the entire load that we've got now.”
Alaska House panel expands farm tax breaks to flowers, hay
Alaska House panel voted to restore farm tax breaks for flowers and hay production, reversing a 2024 limit that cut non-food crops from the program.
House Finance approves pharmacist prescription bill after rejecting nurse compact
House Finance approved a bill letting pharmacists prescribe basic antibiotics directly, rejecting an amendment to add Alaska to a national nurse licensing compact.
House Resources passes agricultural land lease bill unanimously
House Resources Committee unanimously advanced Senate Bill 208, which expands access to state agricultural land leases with 10-year terms, below-market fees, and a path to purchase after seven years.
Alaska lawmakers debate farm tax break for horses, flowers
Alaska House committee narrowed a farm tax bill Tuesday, removing horses and flowers from eligibility and angering the bill's sponsor.
House rejects Senate's $1,000 PFD budget, sets up conference talks
House rejected Senate's $1,000 PFD, sending budget to conference committee before May 20 deadline to resolve $477 million gap.
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.
Alaska House Rewrites LNG Tax Bill, Raising Rate While Empowering Boroughs
Alaska House raised the LNG pipeline tax to 15 cents per thousand cubic feet and gave boroughs power to negotiate property taxes on gas facilities instead of a uniform state rate.
House panel advances bill to fast-track utility easements in state parks
“One is an automatic issuance of permits. I started off my career as a regulator, and, you know, things can happen. And that practice of automatic issuance of permits is not a path I want to go down at all”
House advances expanded disability benefits for all public workers
Alaska House advanced a bill raising occupational disability benefits to 75 percent of salary and adding healthcare coverage for all public employees and teachers.
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.
House Finance advances education fund amendment, rejects gas pipeline revenue tie
Alaska House Finance advanced a constitutional amendment to create a dedicated education fund but rejected tying it to future gas pipeline revenues that could bring $700 million yearly.
House panel ties Alaska gas line tax breaks to Fairbanks spur line
House panel tied tax breaks for Alaska's LNG project to building a spur line delivering affordable gas to Fairbanks and military bases, shifting the debate over who pays for Interior access.
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.
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 lawmakers hear warnings of rural fuel crisis, weigh loan program expansion
Rural Alaska diesel prices hit $17 per gallon and could jump 30 to 50 percent higher this year due to Middle East supply disruptions. • Lawmakers heard the state's $20 to $22 million bulk fuel loan program may need to double its funding to help communities cope. • A Jones Act waiver expiring in May and a compressed fuel delivery window in June or July add urgency to the crisis.
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 committee advances Local Boundary Commission expansion bill
House committee advanced a bill to add one seat to Alaska's Local Boundary Commission and guarantee representation from the unorganized borough.
Alaska lawmakers urge federal reclassification of 911 dispatchers
Alaska lawmakers are urging Congress to reclassify 911 dispatchers as first responders to give them access to federal training, grants, and mental health resources.
House committee advances bill adding unorganized borough seat to boundary panel
House committee advanced a bill to add an unorganized borough seat to Alaska's Local Boundary Commission, giving 74,448 residents a voice in decisions about city and borough incorporation.
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.
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.
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.
House Labor Committee Advances Travel Insurance Bill, Hears Disaster Pet Plan
House Labor Committee advanced HB 302 updating travel insurance rules to take effect January 1, 2027. • Committee heard HB 335 requiring state disaster plans for pets and service animals after October 2026 typhoon response gaps. • Committee heard SB 180 to repeal 2024 language that created confusion over the Regulatory Commission of Alaska's authority over natural gas import facilities.
House Panel Hears Bill to Waive ID Fees for Homeless Young Adults
House panel heard a bill to waive state ID and birth certificate fees for homeless people aged 18-25, removing a barrier to employment and housing.