Government
RSSGovernment in Alaska is the network of state agencies, the legislature and municipal councils and assemblies that set public policy. It covers boards, commissions, ordinances, appointments and budget decisions in cities and boroughs across the state.
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Week of May 11
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House Finance advances pharmacist prescribing bill with drug restrictions
Alaska House Finance advanced a bill expanding pharmacist prescribing authority Monday, but blocked them from prescribing opioids and other high-risk drugs requiring federal safety oversight.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Wrangell Assembly adds mystery item to May 12 agenda at last minute
Wrangell Assembly added an unexplained agenda item with less than 24 hours notice before its May 12 meeting, giving residents little time to prepare comment.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readAlaska 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.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House rejects optional school district healthcare pooling plan
Alaska House rejected a plan that would have let school districts join the state healthcare program, turning down potential savings of $31 million to $42 million annually for major districts.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Week of May 4
House rejects Senate's $1,000 PFD budget, sets up conference talks
House rejected Senate's $1,000 PFD, sending budget to conference committee before May 20 deadline to resolve $477 million gap.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska Senate Advances Right-to-Repair Bill for Consumer Electronics
Alaska Senate advanced a right-to-repair bill Friday requiring electronics makers to provide repair tools and manuals to independent shops, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
More from Government
Senate panel advances bill adding faculty member to university board
Alaska Senate Finance Committee unanimously advanced a bill to add a faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, with implementation delayed to February 2027.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Industry groups oppose Dalton Highway toll targeting oil and gas traffic
Industry groups warned that a toll on the Dalton Highway near Deadhorse could cost Alaska millions in federal funding and unfairly target oil and gas companies.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance advances early intervention services expansion
Alaska Senate Finance Committee approved legislation to expand early intervention services for children with developmental delays, giving the state more time to update its Medicaid plan.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min read
State Defends Transboundary Mining Oversight as Stakeholders Demand Stronger Protections
Alaska says water monitoring shows no mining damage from B.C. projects upstream of Southeast Alaska salmon rivers. • Fisheries groups and tribes say the state isn't doing enough to stop pollution threats or comment on new mine permits.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Legislature advances $347M fire station grant program
Alaska House Finance Committee advanced a bill creating a $347 million matching grant program to help communities rebuild aging fire stations that no longer meet modern safety standards.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readComing up
Denali Fish and Game Advisory Committee Meeting & Elections
Cantwell School library, 2nd Avenue, Cantwell, AK 99729 and Over Zoom
Meeting
Middle Yukon River Fish & Game Advisory Committee: Middle Yukon River Fish & Game Advisory Committee Special Meeting Sunday November 15th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Meeting
Mobile DMV Services – Aleknagik
Community event
Elected Officials Management Course in Anchorage
Class
Kodiak Island Borough School District: Board of Education Special Meeting
Meeting
About Government
Government in Alaska takes in the state agencies, the Legislature and the city councils, borough assemblies and school boards that set public policy. It reaches from the governor's office and statewide departments to the boards and commissions of single towns.
Its work includes ordinances and resolutions, appointments to boards and commissions, agency rulemaking and the review of permits and licenses. State departments such as Environmental Conservation and Education propose, revise and repeal regulations, while local bodies handle liquor and marijuana license renewals, plan review rules and the naming of public buildings.
Recurring questions concern how vacant seats on elected bodies are filled, whether members are elected by district or at large, and which rules agencies keep or drop. Government overlaps closely with elections, public budgets, personnel decisions and the courts.
More from Government
Senate Passes Budget Balanced at $73 Oil, Rejects House's $320M Deficit Plan
Senate passed a $73-per-barrel budget with a $47.5 million surplus, rejecting the House plan that would need a $320 million draw from reserves.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House passes disability pay increase for injured public workers
Alaska House unanimously passed a bill raising disability pay for injured public workers from 40% to 75% of salary and restoring their health insurance, effective immediately if the Senate approves.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel advances travel insurance modernization bill
Alaska Senate panel advanced a bill to replace 13-year-old travel insurance rules with updated standards matching 42 other states, adding consumer protections and clearer regulatory authority.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House passes gold, silver legal tender bill unanimously
The Alaska House voted 40-0 to allow gold and silver as legal tender. The bill exempts metal value from sales tax but keeps tax obligations for fees.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate Committee Advances Healthcare Licensing Compact Bill
Alaska Senate committee advanced a bill letting doctors, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and paramedics licensed in other states practice in Alaska without separate licenses.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House Panel Hears Push to Raise Tobacco Age to 21
A House panel is considering raising the tobacco age to 21. The change would align state law with federal standards and unlock millions in prevention funding.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House Committee Hears Divided Testimony on Electronic Pull-Tab Bill
HB 386 would allow electronic pull-tabs on tablets for charitable gaming. • Operators warned the bill's costs could cut charity proceeds in half, especially in rural areas. • Manufacturers and veterans groups backed the change for revenue growth and accountability.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min readHouse 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.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska House panel hears bill to hold contractors liable for unpaid wages
Alaska House panel heard testimony on a bill making project owners and general contractors liable for unpaid wages when subcontractors fail to pay workers.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
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.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate Finance forwards Anchorage attorney to State Assessment Review Board
Senate Finance Committee advanced Anchorage attorney Jana Welsheen's nomination to the State Assessment Review Board to a joint legislative session for confirmation.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
House advances expanded disability benefits for all public workers
Alaska House advanced a bill raising occupational disability benefits to 75 percent of salary and adding healthcare coverage for all public employees and teachers.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel proposes doubling Dalton Highway surcharge in gas line bill
Senate committee doubled the Dalton Highway maintenance surcharge to 30 cents per barrel in the gas pipeline bill, but questioned whether $1 billion in tax cuts justify the cost to Alaska.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska Legislature Falls Two Votes Short of Overriding Elections Bill Veto
Alaska Legislature fell two votes short of overriding Gov. Dunleavy's veto of a bill that would have let voters track ballots online and fix envelope errors before rejection.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel advances retirement savings program with PFD deposit option
Alaska House committee approved a retirement savings program for 105,000 workers without employer plans and expanded options to deposit Permanent Fund dividends into existing investment accounts.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
AG nominee Cox faces criticism over grand jury access policies
Attorney General nominee Stephen Cox faced criticism Monday for blocking Alaskans from bringing complaints directly to grand juries, contradicting research he himself commissioned.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Attorney General Cox Defends 'Counter-China Initiative' Amid Jurisdiction Questions
Attorney General Cox defended a counter-China initiative at his confirmation hearing, but lawmakers questioned whether it strays into federal territory.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Alaska AG nominee Cox declines to commit to defending same-sex marriage
Alaska Attorney General nominee Stephen Cox declined to commit to defending same-sex marriage if challenged in court, drawing concern from LGBTQ lawmakers during a confirmation hearing Monday.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate advances farm tax bill, carves out Anchorage exemption
Alaska Senate advanced a farm tax bill Monday that restores property tax breaks for S corporation farms, but exempts Anchorage from having to offer the deferral.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readWeek of Apr 27
Alaska Senate panel hears proposal for immigrant integration office
Alaska Senate panel heard testimony on a bill to create a Welcoming Alaska Office to help immigrants and foreign-born teachers settle in state communities and schools.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage Park Foundation opens $300,000 challenge grant program
Anchorage Park Foundation is offering up to $300,000 in matching grants for community park and trail projects, with dollar-for-dollar matches from the Rasmuson Foundation and applications open now.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Assembly considers smart taxi meters, $6 fare cap for Anchorage cabs
The Anchorage Assembly is considering a mandate for smart taxi meters and a fare cap increase to 6 dollars per tenth mile.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
