
Alaska State Legislature · Photo source · US government work
Mia Costello
Representative · Alaska State House · District 23
26 articles · 9 transcripts
Affiliations
Independent groups report spending more than the candidates raised in Kodiak's House race
A retired teacher and a young fisherman want Kodiak's open House seat. Groups backed by unions and national party money have spent more than the two raised.

Alaska's 2026 races have drawn at least $210 million, mostly in the Senate race
Alaska's 2026 races have drawn at least $210 million. If turnout matches 2022, that's about $790 per voter. Three-quarters is in the Senate race.

DLCC-funded group reports $172,748 against five Republican Alaska House candidates
A DLCC-funded group in D.C. has spent or owes $172,748.70 against five Alaska House Republicans. None of its listed true sources has an Alaska address.

Labor-funded committee backs Republican Ruby Jones and opposes both her rivals in Eagle River House race
A labor-funded group picked a Republican in Eagle River's House race and is buying ads against the other two candidates, one Republican and one Democrat.

Wasilla group reports $93,850 in September spending for six Republican legislative candidates
A group funded entirely by a national Republican committee has spent $93,850 on six Alaska House races, including $50,800 to a Wyoming canvassing firm.

A new Wasilla group spent $43,000 on six House candidates with D.C. money
A Wasilla group registered Sept. 1, took $250,000 from a national Republican committee Sept. 9, and spent $43,000 on six House candidates Sept. 10.

Hilcorp says opposing the tax isn't opposing the gas line
Hilcorp told the gas-line caucus that opposing a targeted tax on the company isn't opposing the pipeline, even as that tax deadlocks the bill in Juneau.

Enstar tells Alaska Gas Line Caucus it could be 18 days short of gas this winter
Enstar told lawmakers it could run 18 days short of gas this winter if Cook Inlet supply stays low, but the Alaska LNG pipeline pitched to fix the problem won't arrive in time to help.

Legislators to hear the case for a gas line as the effort stalls
“from the communities, industries, and utilities that stand to benefit from the project”

Alaska asks 3,500 voters to confirm citizenship weeks before the primary
Alaska flagged 3,500 voters as possible noncitizens and made them inactive weeks before the primary. A phone call fixes it — if the letter arrived in time.

Daniel J. Sullivan sued the state today over a denied Senate ballot spot
Denied a Senate ballot spot, Daniel J. Sullivan sued today. Lawmakers held a hearing on the same question the same afternoon.

Alaska's filing deadline turned the 2026 election from rumor into a real race
So many candidates, so little time left

Costello-Wells rematch puts Southwest Anchorage House seat back in play
Rep. Mia Costello, a Republican, faces a rematch against Democrat Denny Wells in Southwest Anchorage House District 15 after beating him by 529 votes in 2024.

Alaska Auto-IRA Bill Lets Workers Save PFD for Retirement
Alaska passed auto-IRA bill letting workers save Permanent Fund Dividend checks for retirement. • Program auto-enrolls private workers with paycheck deductions, costs employers nothing. • Targets half of Alaska workers without employer retirement plans. • Addresses senior poverty as Social Security falls short of Alaska living costs.

Alaska House passes bill creating Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission
Alaska House voted 38-0 Wednesday to pass HB 278, creating a nine-member Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission to support economic and cultural ties between the two regions.

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.

House Finance Committee advances PFD restoration for wrongfully convicted
House Finance Committee advanced a bill to restore Permanent Fund Dividends to Alaskans whose convictions were wrongfully vacated, with a two-year deadline to apply after exoneration.
House panel withdraws AI personhood amendment after legal questions arise
“the level of expertise and like surveying of what's happening across the country with AI needs a little more in-depth discussion that we can't actually achieve in this bill”

Alaska House panel hears testimony on statewide spay-neuter program, no vote taken
The House Finance Committee heard testimony on a statewide spay and neuter program to address rural animal overpopulation.

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.

Veterans sentencing bill advances despite concerns over court authority
House Bill 299 would let judges override prosecutors to place veterans in misdemeanor treatment courts, but prosecutors and court officials warned of separation of powers litigation.

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 House panel hears retirement savings bill for small business workers
“Work and Save is an auto individual account program for savings account for an IRA. This bill would allow a PFD option where checks could go automatically towards your retirement.”

House Judiciary rejects consumer data privacy bill after 3-3 vote
The House Judiciary Committee deadlocked 3-3 on the Alaska Data Privacy Act. The bill would have let Alaskans control how companies collect and sell their personal data.

House Judiciary Advances Bill Restoring PFDs for Wrongfully Convicted
House Judiciary advanced a bill Wednesday allowing Alaskans whose convictions were overturned to claim missed Permanent Fund Dividends, including the Fairbanks Four.

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.
