Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Kelly Merrick
Senator · Alaska State Senate · District L
17 articles · 7 transcripts · 1 clips
Affiliations
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.
Alaska Legislature proclaims May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month
Alaska Legislature unanimously proclaimed May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month to highlight a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle inflammation and weakness.
Alaska Senate Passes Education Bill With 4% Property Tax Cap
Senate passed education bill with 4% cap on required local contribution growth, limiting property value increases that shift school funding from state to local governments. • Bill includes energy grants for schools and teacher loan repayment up to $5,000 yearly for STEM and special education teachers. • Cap could cost state $41.6 million by 2035 but prevents districts from losing millions in revenue.
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.
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 panel advances compromise on fish processor sick leave
“We heard an introduction of this bill last week on March 19th, where we took invited and public testimony”
House panel advances daylight saving time bill with Western Alaska carve-out
Alaska House panel advanced a bill to stop clock changes starting March 2028, but would split Western Alaska into a separate time zone if the state moves to Pacific Standard Time.
Alaska House Committee Advances Five Bills in Single Session
“Department of Revenue estimates that this bill could raise nearly $500,000 a year for the state.”
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.
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 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.
Senate Finance advances pension bill with municipal opt-in provision
The Senate Finance Committee advanced a pension bill on April 24 that lets municipalities choose whether to pay higher rates for the new plan.
Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance
Alaska Senate added $156 million to the capital budget for deferred maintenance at schools, universities, and state facilities after oil prices rose beyond the governor's projections.
House committee hears bill to eliminate tax discounts
Alaska House committee heard a bill to eliminate five obsolete tax discounts and deductions that would raise nearly $500,000 annually for the state.
Senate passes capital budget focused on school maintenance
Alaska Senate passed a capital budget prioritizing school maintenance over new construction, targeting roughly 15 projects from a $401 million statewide list.
Senate panel hears data center safeguards, tribal education bill
Senate panel heard testimony on a bill requiring data centers to cover their own infrastructure costs and protect Alaska ratepayers from fuel supply risks and rate increases.
Alaska Senate adjourns technical session after committee report
Alaska Senate advanced its FY27 capital budget bill to the Rules Committee after a Finance Committee substitute, reconvening April 20.
