Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Matt Claman
Senator · Alaska State Senate · District H
50 articles · 20 transcripts · 5 clips
Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska State Senator representing Anchorage. Former attorney and Anchorage Assembly member.
Affiliations
Late food aid applications drive Alaska's costly SNAP error rate, official says
Alaska's SNAP error rate could cost up to $49 million a year, and the state's director blames late applications for most of it. Below 6% costs nothing.
About 775 noncitizens lose full Alaska Medicaid, and just over half are children
About 775 refugees, asylees and other noncitizens lost full Alaska Medicaid coverage as of Oct. 1 under a new federal law. Just over 400 are children.
Housing agency has no set plans for proposed state land transfers, CEO tells senators
AHFC has no firm plans yet for over 400 acres of free state land DNR proposes giving it for housing. Legislature's lawyers say such giveaways are likely unconstitutional.
Giessel says free AIDEA land transfer takes over the Legislature's appropriation power
Giessel says giving 20,000 acres near Houston to AIDEA free takes the Legislature's power of the purse. Her math: a lease could bring in $14 million a year.
One Democrat, three Republicans, and two months to go
The left consolidated behind Kreiss-Tomkins. The right split three ways. That is the shape of Alaska's governor race with two months to go.
Enstar tells legislators it's 18 days short of gas for winter
Enstar told legislators it's 18 days, about 3 Bcf, short of gas for a normal winter after two supplies fell through, with deals underway still leaving a gap.
Alaska Senate passes HB 381 oil and gas tax bill 11-8, with dissenters signaling more work ahead
“it's not a Hillcorp loophole, it's almost every business in Alaska loophole. The only real exception is marijuana businesses.”
Claman's exit narrows the Democratic field in Alaska's wide-open governor race
Alaska's 17-candidate governor scrum got a deadline to shrink. It shrank by one Democrat — while a dozen Republicans eyed each other and nobody blinked.
McGuire campaign says Sara Rasmussen will replace Elizabeth Rexford as lieutenant governor running mate
Alaska's deadline could have thinned its 17-way governor race. It barely did: the GOP field stayed packed, and the headline move was just a McGuire running-mate swap.
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 files telemedicine rules with July 4 effective date
“Telehealth services are vital for Alaskans with chronic diseases or disabilities or in rural areas or with limited transportation options.”
Kreiss-Tomkins picks Anchorage Assembly member Zac Johnson as running mate
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democratic-aligned candidate for Alaska governor, selected Anchorage Assembly member Zac Johnson as his running mate on the final filing day Monday.
Lesil McGuire filing adds ranked-choice Republican voice to crowded Alaska governor race
Former state Sen. Lesil McGuire filed to run for governor Friday, joining a crowded 2026 race shaped by Alaska's open primary and ranked choice voting system that she defended in 2024.
Walker filing, running-mate picks turn Alaska governor race toward June deadline
Former Gov. Bill Walker filed to run for Alaska governor Thursday, four days before the June 1 deadline, reshaping a race where three other candidates also announced running mates this week.
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.
Former state senator Lesil McGuire files for Alaska governor
Former state senator Lesil McGuire filed an APOC Letter of Intent for governor on May 29 and rounded out a Lesil McGuire and Elizabeth Rexford ticket by the June 1 deadline. The Alaska Division of Elections listed 17 governor and lieutenant governor tickets as of Monday evening, spanning Republicans, Democrats, and nonpartisan pairings. The August 18 primary advances the top four tickets to a ranked-choice general election November 3.
Alaska Senate passes special education funding and Palmer judge bills
Alaska Senate unanimously passed bill increasing special education funding by 16 percent per student. • Senate also approved adding a fifth Superior Court judge in Palmer to reduce case backlog from 680 to 540 cases per judge.
Alaska Senate adds telehealth parity and disability coverage to benefits bill
“This amendment would ensure pay parity for telehealth services, requiring health insurers to reimburse at the same rate— payment rate for telehealth services as in-person care.”
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 passes special education funding and Palmer judge bills
Alaska Senate unanimously passed bill raising special education funding by 16 percent per student. • Senate also unanimously approved adding a fifth Superior Court judge in Palmer to cut case backlogs from 680 to 540 cases per judge.
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 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 gas pipeline tax bill after 36 hearings
Alaska Senate panel advanced a gas pipeline tax bill Monday after 36 hearings, despite senators saying they lack expert information and the governor's administration has offered no support.
Senate panel reviews oil tax floor increase projecting $132M annual gain
Senate panel reviewed modeling showing a higher oil tax floor would generate $132 million annually on average, though some years could see revenue decline.
Senate Passes Insurance Gap Fix for Gig Economy Drivers
Alaska Senate passed a bill requiring delivery app companies to provide insurance coverage for injured gig workers, closing a gap that left drivers with no protection after accidents.
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 cuts community impact fees for gas pipeline by half
Alaska Senate cut community impact fees for the Alaska LNG pipeline to $500,000 per mile, halving projected municipal payments from $740 million to $370 million during construction.
House panel withdraws AI personhood amendment after legal questions arise
Alaska House Judiciary Committee withdrew an amendment that would have blocked AI systems from being recognized as legal persons after lawmakers worried it could create gaps in criminal law.
House panel advances telehealth pay parity bill with wage protections
A House committee advanced a bill requiring equal pay for telehealth and in-person care. It includes protections against moving Alaska healthcare jobs to lower-wage states.
Senate panel advances judicial nominee who sued judges over abortion questions
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Mike Miller to the Alaska Judicial Council despite his past lawsuit over judicial abortion views.
Senate Panel Advances Bill Tying Hunting Rights to 180-Day Residency
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill tying resident hunting licenses to a 180-day residency standard, matching Permanent Fund Dividend rules to stop non-residents from claiming cheaper resident tags.
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.
House committee hears bill to update Alaska commercial law for cryptocurrency
Alaska House committee heard testimony on a bill to update state commercial law for cryptocurrency, aligning with 34 states that have already adopted the changes.
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 LNG Tax Bill Stalls as Lawmakers Demand Project Cost Data
Alaska lawmakers lack confidential cost data to set taxes on the proposed Alaska LNG project with only days left in the session.
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.
19-year-old homeschool graduate appointed to State Medical Board
Alaska Senate committee questioned 19-year-old Hannah Milkey's qualifications to serve on the State Medical Board, noting she has no medical training, CPR certification, or investigative experience.
Senate panel debates $1B tax break for Alaska LNG amid cost secrecy
Alaska Senate panel split on tax breaks for $46 billion LNG project, with one lawmaker refusing to vote without cost details and warning the state could lose $1 billion annually in taxes.
AG Nominee Cox Defends 110+ Amicus Briefs, Faces Questions on Alaska Priorities
“in Alaska, we have an article in our constitution, Article 6, about how we do our elections and how we do our apportionment. And every time I've read Alaska Supreme Court opinions about apportionment, including the most recent one, you were in state, but you weren't in the attorney general's office, that decision was based entirely on the Alaska constitution.”
Senate panel advances two nominees to Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board
Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two nominees to the Violent Crimes Compensation Board, which processes about 1,000 payment requests yearly for crime victims' funerals and medical care.
Senate panel advances property tax assessment cap bill
Senate panel advanced a bill letting cities cap annual property tax increases on owner-occupied homes, despite assessors warning it creates unfair burdens between longtime and new homeowners.
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.
Senate Judiciary hears testimony on crime omnibus combining five bills
The Senate Judiciary Committee is weighing a crime omnibus bill that targets sexual assault, hit-and-run crimes, and AI abuse.
Senate panel advances fishing co-op bill with electronic monitoring
The Senate Resources Committee advanced a bill to legalize set gillnet cooperatives and mandate electronic monitoring on trawl vessels.
Senate panel advances fishing cooperative bill with electronic monitoring
Alaska Senate panel unanimously advanced a bill legalizing fishing cooperatives for set gillnet permit holders, with a five-permit cap and electronic monitoring for trawl vessels.
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.
Oil industry opposes tax provisions in Alaska gas pipeline bill
Alaska's oil and gas industry opposes tax provisions in SB 280, warning they could make some wells uneconomic and create antitrust risks, even if the gas pipeline project never happens.
Senate panel advances Lambertson to Police Standards Council despite questions
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Veronica Lambertson to the Police Standards Council despite concerns over her residency.
Senate panel hears setnet cooperative bill, sets aside land transfer
Senate panel advanced a bill allowing setnet fishermen to work cooperatively, addressing enforcement conflicts, while postponing a land transfer proposal pending more details.
Senate panel advances Salazar to Human Rights Commission
Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Grace Salazar's nomination to the Alaska State Commission on Human Rights to a joint session for confirmation.
