Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Jesse Kiehl
Senator · Alaska State Senate · District B
50 articles · 20 transcripts · 14 clips
Affiliations
Juneau pushes state to keep a second Douglas Island bridge in its road plan
Juneau told the state a second bridge to Douglas Island is "a must" for its next road plan. The state's draft has no money for it. DOT says it's still active.
Prince William Sound faces a winter without ferry service as the Aurora is overhauled
Prince William Sound faces a winter with little or no ferry service while the 1977-built Aurora is overhauled. New docks are the fix, and they're years away.
Lawmakers press state on Safer Seward Highway project's size and funding as DOT reopens comment
Lawmakers pressed DOT on the Safer Seward Highway's size and funding. DOT pointed to open houses, new data online and 30 more days of public comment.
Alaska Legislative Council approves $851,400 for KTOO's Gavel Alaska coverage
Alaska lawmakers voted 8-0 to pay KTOO up to $851,400 to keep streaming their own floor sessions after federal public broadcasting funds were cut.
Dunleavy vetoes hunting residency bill and university fee bill
“the Senate, please come to order for the purposes of a technical session. Because we are in a technical session, the roll call is waived today”
Betting apps take bets in Alaska as a Senate panel weighs the fallout
“They are built for addiction.”
Kodiak Assembly splits over what a marijuana tax should pay for
Kodiak's Assembly is fighting over what a proposed 3% marijuana tax should fund before deciding whether to even put it to voters in October.
A union-labor fight is breaking out over who builds Alaska's gas line
“They reduce risk. They reduce cost overruns. If nothing else, they make labor costs predictable.”
Alaska Senate passes S-corp LNG tax with 2028 effective date
Alaska Senate passed a tax on oil and gas pass-through entities, effective 2028, after rejecting an immediate start date. The state estimates the tax will recover more than $400 million annually once the LNG project reaches full production.
Juneau donors are giving the Legislature 16 more apartments for lawmakers
Juneau donors are giving the Alaska Legislature 16 more apartments for lawmakers to live in during session, in a capital where housing is scarce and costly.
Senate Finance presses Alaska LNG spur line: who builds, who pays, who regulates
Senate Finance gets into the numbers of the LNG line in a hot and spicy day of meetings
Senate Finance demands Phase 1 pipeline math before Alaska LNG tax vote
Senator Stedman blocked a vote on a $750 million annual tax break for Alaska LNG's Phase 1 pipeline until the Department of Revenue shows whether the project actually needs the 2-mill property tax cut to work financially.
Senate Finance weighs Alaska LNG tax worth $124M a year — and whether it's enough for host communities
Governments are making compromises on the amount of property tax they'll receive - not all are happy about it
All three major North Slope producers have signed Alaska LNG Phase 1 sale agreements — and they want their ownership to stop at the lease line
All three major North Slope producers have signed Alaska LNG Phase 1 sale agreements — and they want their ownership to stop at the lease line
Department of Revenue presents Senate Finance with Alaska LNG breakeven modeling across cost and tax scenarios
Alaska LNG needs $9.07 per thousand cubic feet to break even under current law, or $10.69 if capital costs reach $60 billion. • Senate Bill 2001 would lower those breakeven prices to $8.54 and $9.97 respectively, but reduce state revenue from North Slope gas. • Department of Revenue presented the modeling to help Senate Finance evaluate the tax restructuring tradeoff.
Department of Revenue presents Senate Finance with 25-scenario sensitivity analysis on Alaska LNG fiscal impact
Department of Revenue modeled Alaska LNG's fiscal impact under SB 2001 across 25 scenarios through 2062. • Baseline scenario projects $29 billion in net state revenue gains. • Worst-case scenario with $100 per barrel oil and major production losses would cost the state $16.2 billion.
North Slope has two fields cleared for gas sales, AOGCC tells Senate
Alaska's oil regulator told lawmakers that only Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson fields have approval to supply gas to the Alaska LNG project, which aims to start deliveries in 2029.
Glenfarne's own cost estimate for Alaska LNG is now significantly higher than AGDC's — and the state's equity option sits in the middle of the new math
Glenfarne raised Alaska LNG cost estimate to 44.5 to 54.5 billion dollars, up from state agency's 38.7 billion. • Legislature can buy 5 to 25 percent equity stake within 180 days after final investment decision. • Property tax reform is central to project financing, with current rates costing roughly 380 million dollars yearly during construction.
Consultant warns Senate Finance that Alaska LNG faces megaproject risks
Consultant warns Senate Finance that Alaska LNG faces megaproject risks, citing data showing 67% of LNG projects exceed budgets by 70% on average.
Senate Finance hears $18 billion revenue trade-off for Alaska LNG tax break
Senate Finance heard the proposed Alaska LNG tax break would cut state and municipal revenues by $18 billion over 30 years, but the estimate rests on construction costs that may range from $45 billion to $90 billion.
Senate Finance Committee: how do you analyze a $46.2 billion pipeline without the numbers?
“how much help will your department be able to give a future legislature in this scenario? Will you be able to see all the way down into the corporate structures, all the way into the —gas sales agreements, potential gas supply arrangements, the equity terms on which other investors are entering. What— will you, will the Department of Revenue be able to give us fully informed advice, or will you be modeling based on what we mostly think?”
Alaska LNG could cost $70 billion; state's 25% stake faces dilution
Alaska’s LNG project may have just gotten a $24 billion “whoops.” The state has been planning around a $46 billion price tag, but lawmakers were told the real number may be closer to $70 billion — which is less of a budget update and more of a financial jump scare.
Five candidates file for Alaska governor in 2026
Five candidates had filed APOC Letters of Intent for Alaska governor through May 29: Tom Begich, Edna DeVries, Dave Bronson, Henry Kroll, and Lesil McGuire. By Monday evening, the field had grown to 17 governor and lieutenant governor tickets on the Alaska Division of Elections list. The August 18 primary advances the top four tickets to a ranked-choice general election November 3.
Alaska Senate passes $13.9B operating budget with $200 energy relief
Alaska Senate approved $13.9B budget with $200 energy relief per person added to Permanent Fund Dividend. • Budget passed 17-3 and includes $11M for heating assistance and $29.1M in school fuel grants. • Operating budget maintains $44M surplus and now goes to House for final vote.
Alaska Senate adds unemployment benefit increase to insurance bill
Alaska Senate raised the state's maximum weekly unemployment benefit to $470 by amending an insurance bill, after rejecting a higher $525 proposal over cost concerns.
Alaska Senate adds telehealth parity and disability coverage to benefits bill
Alaska Senate added telehealth pay parity to a welfare bill, requiring insurers to pay the same rate for remote care as in-person visits. • Disability benefits for injured troopers and firefighters increased from 40 percent to 75 percent of salary, with health insurance restored. • The amendments passed 19-1 and now return to the House for final approval.
Alaska Senate passes bill letting pharmacists treat minor illnesses without a doctor's call
Alaska Senate passed bill letting pharmacists treat strep throat, bladder infections, and manage diabetes without doctor approval first. • Pharmacists cannot prescribe opioids or high-risk drugs but can give naloxone. • Rural areas and emergencies benefit most, with pharmacist visits costing $277 less than clinic visits.
Alaska Senate panel hears gas line bill with $900M annual tax break
Alaska Senate reviewed gas pipeline bill cutting annual taxes from $1 billion to $74 million. • Developer could earn $5 billion yearly while consumers face gas prices more than double current rates. • Bill includes $50 million construction fund and requires Fairbanks spur line. • Senators questioned if impact funds adequately address community needs.
Alaska House Passes Baby Box Bill 35-5
Alaska House passed SB 9 on May 19 with a 35-to-5 vote, authorizing baby boxes at hospitals and fire stations where parents can anonymously surrender infants 21 days or younger without legal penalty.
Senate panel advances education bill with energy relief, loan program
Alaska Senate Finance Committee advanced a bill providing energy cost relief to school districts and expanding teacher loan repayment programs.
Alaska Senate advances university regents reform bill with 2027 start date
Alaska Senate advanced a bill to restructure the University of Alaska Board of Regents, setting it to take effect Feb. 1, 2027, with a sunset review date six years later.
Senate Finance reviews bill to double bulk fuel loan cap to $1.5M
Senate Finance heard a bill to double the bulk fuel loan cap to $1.5 million for rural Alaska communities facing higher seasonal fuel costs.
Alaska Senate panel advances autonomous vehicle restrictions despite industry opposition
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill requiring human operators in commercial autonomous vehicles, making Alaska the first state with such a restriction despite industry warnings.
Home care worker pay mandate divides Alaska lawmakers over rural access
House Bill 96 would require home care agencies to spend 80 percent of Medicaid rates on worker pay over four years. • Rural providers warn the mandate could cut service access; worker advocates say it protects caregivers bearing travel costs. • Lawmakers divided as Alaska's elderly population is projected to surge 500 percent in 25 to 30 years.
Senate Finance hears omnibus crime bill targeting AI child porn, raising age of consent
“First up, the judicial branch, the Alaska Court System trial courts, submitted a fiscal note with a general fund cost of $369,200, so $369,200 of unrestricted general funds and 2 permanent full-time positions for pro tem judge work.”
Senate Finance considers $1M teacher loan repayment pilot program
Senate Finance is weighing a $1 million pilot program to pay off student loans for teachers in high-need fields.
Alaska Senate Passes Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
Alaska Senate passed a right-to-repair bill requiring manufacturers to provide parts and repair information for consumer electronics, advancing to the House with support from repair shops and Google.
Senate Judiciary advances ethics bill with complaint disclosure changes
Senate Judiciary advanced an ethics reform bill that lets people accused of misconduct decide whether their complaints stay private or go public.
Alaska bill would penalize state for late payments to contractors
“The fiscal notes with the fiscal impact, Mr. Chairman, For fun, I added them up. We'll go through and get an aggregated total of just under 1.1 million in 8 full-time positions”
Alaska Senate Passes Operating Budget With Energy Relief
Alaska Senate passed a $70 per barrel operating budget with $150 energy relief payments, avoiding a major Constitutional Budget Reserve draw that the House budget requires.
House passes ethics reform to clarify complaints and strengthen oversight
Alaska House passed ethics reform clarifying anonymous complaints and strengthening oversight of legislators, with the Senate Judiciary Committee now considering amendments before a Friday vote.
Alaska Senate panel hears bill requiring 7-day review for foster youth in psychiatric hospitals
A Senate panel reviewed a bill to cut the psychiatric hospital review window for foster youth from 30 days to 7 days.
Alaska bill would require human operators in autonomous freight trucks
Alaska bill would require a human operator in commercial freight trucks over 10,000 pounds, effectively blocking fully driverless rigs from the state.
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.
AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities
Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox defended his rapid pace of joining national legal briefs as senators questioned his focus on Alaska priorities.
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.
Alaska Senate passes bill restoring defined benefit pensions for public workers
“this bill really moves the needle. There are no perfect solutions to any complicated problem, but this is a material difference.”
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.
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.
Senate advances pension bill without updated actuarial analysis
Alaska Senate advanced a major pension overhaul allowing public employees to choose between retirement plan types, but without an updated actuarial analysis of the final bill version.
