Government
RSSAlaska News tracks coverage of Alaska government including state legislature, municipal assemblies, and state agencies addressing public policy and community.
Alaska House doubles bulk fuel loan cap to $1.5 million
The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation raising the bulk fuel loan cap from $750,000 to $1.5 million for communities under 2,000 people, responding to soaring fuel costs driven by overseas conflict and the coldest Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta winter in 15 years.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Senate passes cryptocurrency kiosk consumer protection bill unanimously
The Alaska Senate voted 20-0 Tuesday to pass legislation requiring licensing, transaction limits, and fraud protections for cryptocurrency kiosks after Alaskans lost over $26 million to online fraud in 2024.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska Senate passes bill to expand early intervention for delayed children
The Alaska Senate unanimously approved legislation Wednesday to expand access to developmental services for infants and toddlers by lowering the eligibility threshold, a change supporters say could save the state $38.9 million annually.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska Senate Passes Right to Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
The Alaska Senate passed Senate Bill 111 on May 11, 2026, requiring manufacturers to provide repair documentation, tools, and parts for consumer electronics to owners and independent technicians.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min readAlaska House panel advances penny-rounding bill to standardize cash transactions
The Alaska House State Affairs Committee unanimously advanced legislation requiring retailers to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, addressing inconsistent business practices as pennies disappear from circulation.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAssembly Approves $64.8M Bond Appropriation for Capital Projects
The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved appropriating $64.86 million in voter-approved bond proceeds for public safety, transit, fire protection, roads, parks and other municipal improvements.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min read
Senate panel advances bill barring felons from school boards
The Alaska Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously advanced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit convicted felons from serving on school boards statewide and allow board members to substitute teach.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Alaska House passes education funding reform despite split votes on transparency
The Alaska House passed HB 261, a major education funding reform using multi-year enrollment averaging, but narrowly rejected amendments requiring public meetings and website posting of mental health curriculum.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate panel advances autonomous vehicle restrictions despite industry opposition
The Alaska Senate Transportation Committee advanced a bill Tuesday requiring human safety operators in commercial autonomous vehicles over 10,000 pounds, drawing opposition from tech companies who warned Alaska would become the only state to effectively ban the technology.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Cordova Seeks Rock Extraction Deal to Fund New Public Safety Building
Cordova is accepting proposals for exploratory excavation that could lead to a rock-for-site-preparation trade arrangement to fund a new Public Safety Building outside the tsunami-inundation zone.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago2 min readHome care worker pay mandate divides Alaska lawmakers over rural access
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee heard testimony Tuesday on legislation requiring agencies to spend 80 percent of Medicaid rates on direct caregiver wages by 2030, with provider groups warning the mandate could force rural agency closures while worker advocates argued built-in safeguards would prevent disruption.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance considers $1M teacher loan repayment pilot program
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee heard testimony Monday on a three-year pilot program that would repay up to $5,000 annually in student loans for teachers in high-need fields, part of a broader education funding package addressing the state's severe teacher shortage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
House Finance advances pharmacist prescribing bill with drug restrictions
Alaska House Finance Committee approved amendments restricting pharmacists from prescribing high-risk drugs including opioids and abortion medications, while requiring naloxone prescriptions alongside opioid prescriptions over three days.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Wrangell Assembly adds mystery item to May 12 agenda at last minute
The Wrangell Borough Assembly amended its May 12, 2026 meeting agenda on May 11 to add Item 13i without disclosing its content, giving residents less than 24 hours' notice before the meeting.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAlaska Senate Passes Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
The Alaska Senate voted 15-5 Monday to require manufacturers to provide repair access for consumer electronics, advancing legislation that supporters say will keep money in Alaska and reduce electronic waste.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
House committee hears bill to update Alaska commercial law for cryptocurrency
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony Monday on Senate Bill 252, which would update Alaska's Uniform Commercial Code to govern transactions involving cryptocurrency, NFTs, and electronic promissory notes.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska House rejects optional school district healthcare pooling plan
The Alaska House narrowly defeated an amendment that would have allowed school districts to join the state's AlaskaCare healthcare system, potentially saving major districts millions annually.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
House rejects Senate's $1,000 PFD budget, sets up conference talks
The Alaska House unanimously rejected the Senate's operating budget Friday, which cut the dividend from $1,500 to $1,000 and reduced education funding, sending both chambers toward conference committee negotiations.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate Advances Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
The Alaska Senate advanced legislation requiring manufacturers to provide repair tools and documentation for consumer electronics after narrowing the bill's scope and pushing back its effective date.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Senate panel advances bill adding faculty member to university board
The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved legislation to add a faculty representative to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, updating implementation dates to 2027 with a 2033 sunset clause.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
House Judiciary advances consumer data privacy bill with 'duty of loyalty'
The Alaska House Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 Friday to advance HB 367, which would give Alaskans new rights over their personal data and require companies to act in consumers' best interests.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Senate Judiciary advances ethics bill with complaint disclosure changes
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 298 after adopting amendments that allow subjects of ethics complaints to request public disclosure.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Industry groups oppose Dalton Highway toll targeting oil and gas traffic
Industry representatives testified against a bill to establish tolls on a two-mile stretch of the Dalton Highway near Deadhorse, warning the measure could jeopardize federal funding and create unfair taxation on oil and gas operations.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance advances early intervention services expansion
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee approved legislation Thursday to expand early intervention services for children, with amendments giving the Department of Health more time to implement required Medicaid changes.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min read
State Defends Transboundary Mining Oversight as Stakeholders Demand Stronger Protections
Alaska officials testified that water quality monitoring shows no pollution from British Columbia mines crossing the border, but fishing groups, tribes, and conservation organizations argued the state is not doing enough to protect Southeast Alaska's salmon rivers from upstream mining risks.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min read
Alaska House passes disability pay increase for injured public workers
The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation raising occupational disability benefits from 40% to 75% of salary for state employees injured on the job, while restoring their healthcare coverage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Senate Passes Budget Balanced at $73 Oil, Rejects House's $320M Deficit Plan
The Alaska Senate approved an operating budget Wednesday that balances at $73 per barrel oil with a $47.5 million surplus, fundamentally different from the House version that carries a $320 million deficit at $75 per barrel oil.
by Alaska News4mo ago4 min read
Legislature advances $347M fire station grant program
The Alaska House Finance Committee heard testimony Wednesday on Senate Bill 140, which would create a 50-50 matching grant program to address over $347 million in fire station construction needs and $22 million in renovation needs statewide.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min readAlaska Senate Passes Operating Budget With Energy Relief
The Alaska Senate approved a fiscally conservative operating budget that balances at $70/barrel oil, includes $150 energy relief payments, and avoids drawing from the Constitutional Budget Reserve—contrasting sharply with the House version.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances travel insurance modernization bill
The Senate Transportation Committee moved forward Thursday with legislation to update Alaska's travel insurance laws, aligning the state with 42 others that have adopted similar reforms.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska House passes gold, silver legal tender bill unanimously
The Alaska House of Representatives voted 40-0 Thursday to recognize gold and silver specie as legal tender and exempt such transactions from borough and city sales taxes.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Senate Committee Advances Healthcare Licensing Compact Bill
The Alaska Senate Labor and Commerce Committee advanced House Bill 110, which includes five interstate healthcare licensing compacts and scope of practice changes for respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska House Panel Hears Push to Raise Tobacco Age to 21
The Alaska House Finance Committee heard testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 24, which would raise the legal age to buy, sell, use and possess tobacco and e-cigarette products from 19 to 21 and establish a sales tax on vaping devices.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
House Committee Hears Divided Testimony on Electronic Pull-Tab Bill
Alaska House Labor and Commerce Committee heard sharply divided testimony on HB 386, which would allow electronic pull-tabs on tablets, with operators warning of reduced charity proceeds and manufacturers citing Minnesota's revenue growth.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min readHouse passes ethics reform to clarify complaints and strengthen oversight
The Senate Judiciary Committee held its first hearing on House Bill 298, which strengthens Alaska's legislative ethics oversight and passed the House 37-3, with discussion focusing on potential amendments to campaign-period complaint procedures.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to hold contractors liable for unpaid wages
The Alaska House Finance Committee heard testimony on House Bill 260, which would make general contractors jointly liable for unpaid subcontractor wages and shift enforcement from criminal to administrative penalties.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Alaska Senate panel hears bill requiring 7-day review for foster youth in psychiatric hospitals
The Senate Finance Committee heard legislation Wednesday that would require judicial review within seven calendar days when foster children are placed in psychiatric hospitals, down from the current 30-day standard.
by Alaska News4mo ago5 min read
House panel advances daylight saving time bill with Western Alaska carve-out
The House State Affairs Committee adopted a modified version of Senate Bill 26 that would split Alaska into two time zones if the state joins Pacific Standard Time, addressing concerns from Western Alaska while attempting to end twice-yearly clock changes.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
Senate Finance forwards Anchorage attorney to State Assessment Review Board
The Senate Finance Committee advanced Jana Walsheen's nomination to the State Assessment Review Board to a joint legislative session for confirmation Monday.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
House advances expanded disability benefits for all public workers
The Alaska House advanced legislation that broadens occupational disability benefits to all public employees and teachers, increases benefit rates from 40% to 75% of salary, and adds healthcare coverage.
by Alaska News4mo ago3 min read
