Politics & Government
RSSPolitics & Government in Alaska is the activity of state and local elections, lawmaking and public administration. It covers campaigns, ballot measures, ethics and campaign finance, legislative and executive action, and municipal and borough council decisions across Alaska communities.
Inside Politics & Government
Places and organizations in this news
Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
Have a story about Politics & Government? Send a tip
Sunday, Apr 26
State employee per diem frozen since 2010 despite 40% inflation
House Bill 300 would raise state employee per diem rates frozen since 2010 from $60 to $82 per day, with automatic adjustments every three years starting in 2029.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House panel hears Fairbanks road service area reform proposal
House panel heard a bill to let second-class boroughs reshape road service areas without two concurrent elections, a process that has failed 60 percent of the time.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska expands background checks to all medical professionals
Alaska Senate Health Committee voted to require criminal background checks for all medical professionals licensed by the state, expanding a requirement that previously applied only to doctors.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readFrom 
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Saturday, Apr 25
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House panel cuts cryptocurrency kiosk limits to protect seniors from scams
House panel cut cryptocurrency kiosk limits to $500 daily and $1,500 monthly to protect seniors from scams, which attorney general reports say account for 93 to 98 percent of kiosk transactions.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House Extends West Coast Disaster Declaration After Heated Debate
Alaska House extended the West Coast disaster declaration 30 days with a $63.83 million funding plan, but Republicans argued lawmakers should pass a bill instead to ensure proper oversight.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
More from Politics & Government
Alaska Senate passes wildfire evacuation color-code system
Alaska Senate unanimously passed a bill establishing a statewide color-coded wildfire evacuation system, green for ready, yellow for set, red for go, to replace confusing local variations.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Kodiak Trooper Uses Surfboard to Rescue Teen from Island Lake Ice
A Kodiak trooper used a surfboard to rescue a hypothermic teenager from Island Lake ice on April 25, paddling across thin ice while a sergeant towed them to shore.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readHouse committee advances Local Boundary Commission expansion bill
House committee advanced a bill to add one seat to Alaska's Local Boundary Commission and guarantee representation from the unorganized borough.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Legislative Council approves $70,200 Bethel office lease renewal
Alaska Legislative Council voted unanimously Tuesday to renew the Bethel office lease for one year at $70,200, with four more one-year options available through 2031.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
House committee hears bill to reclassify emergency dispatchers as first responders
A House committee heard testimony on a bill to let emergency dispatchers retire after 20 years instead of 30 and classify them as first responders.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House committee hears bill to reclassify emergency dispatchers as first responders
A House bill would let emergency dispatchers retire after 20 years instead of 30 by reclassifying them as first responders with police and firefighter benefits.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Psychologist who lost son to fentanyl urges Alaska lawmakers to support prevention
A psychologist whose son died from fentanyl poisoning urged Alaska lawmakers to fund education and demand reduction, citing 339 overdose deaths statewide in 2024.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska right-to-repair bill draws fire over broad scope and safety concerns
Alaska lawmakers raised safety concerns Thursday about a right-to-repair bill that would let consumers fix everything from iPhones to aircraft, warning it could endanger remote communities.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
About Politics & Government
Politics and government in Alaska takes in state and local elections, lawmaking and public administration. It covers campaigns, ballot measures, campaign finance, legislative and executive action, and decisions by municipal assemblies and borough and city councils.
Recurring questions include how campaigns are funded and who pays for outside spending and political messages, which candidates qualify for the ballot, and how state agencies write and repeal regulations. Local governments such as the Anchorage Assembly and the Ketchikan assembly weigh spending on roads, water systems and police programs.
The subject reaches across the Legislature, state agencies and municipal governments. Advisory boards and councils that take public comment on matters such as state parks and disability policy are part of it as well.
More from Politics & Government
House panel advances Local Boundary Commission expansion bill
A House committee advanced a bill to add a sixth seat to the Local Boundary Commission. The new seat would represent the unorganized borough in future boundary and incorporation decisions.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
House Finance sets amendment deadline for police, firefighter disability bill
House Finance set an April 23 amendment deadline for a bill raising disability pay for injured police and firefighters from 40 percent to 75 percent of salary.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Friday, Apr 24
Alaska lawmakers hear testimony on four ballot initiatives
Alaska lawmakers heard testimony Thursday on three November ballot initiatives covering citizenship voting requirements, campaign finance limits, and ranked choice voting repeal, with no votes taken.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Brain science experts brief legislators on early childhood development
Brain experts told lawmakers that early childhood programs save $227,000 per child, as the state weighs restoring $5.72 million in cuts to the Infant Learning Program.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate Finance hears bill expanding civil rights protections to nonprofits
A bill heard Monday would grant 44,000 nonprofit workers state discrimination protections. It closes a gap for those outside Anchorage and Juneau.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel hears refuse utility rate reform bill
A Senate panel heard a bill that would let trash haulers use faster rate-setting procedures, cutting delays from three years to months and reducing the large rate increases customers now face.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Senate Finance hears bill to add faculty regent to University board
House Bill 10 would add a tenured faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, expanding it from 11 to 12 members with full voting powers.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance adopts $13.8B budget with $150 energy payments, school grants
Alaska Senate Finance approved a $13.83 billion budget Thursday with $150 energy payments for every resident and up to $100 million in school grants, leaving a $51.3 million surplus.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate Finance hears tax modernization bill, sets aside for further review
Senate Finance heard testimony on House Bill 280, which would shift corporate income tax to market-based sourcing and generate roughly $15 million annually, but deferred a vote.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readFrom 
Alaska judicial conduct commission to hold rare probable cause hearing this spring
Alaska's judicial conduct commission will hold a rare public hearing this spring to decide whether misconduct charges against an unnamed judge should advance to formal proceedings.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readHouse 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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House committee advances bill adding unorganized borough seat to boundary panel
House committee advanced a bill to add an unorganized borough seat to Alaska's Local Boundary Commission, giving 74,448 residents a voice in decisions about city and borough incorporation.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel approves $163.8 million judiciary budget with lease, staff additions
Alaska's Senate Finance Subcommittee approved a $163.8 million judiciary budget on April 15, adding $722,000 in lease, staff, and travel costs the courts had requested.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate panel approves $139.2 million budget for Department of Law
Alaska Senate panel approved a $139.2 million operating budget for the Department of Law for fiscal year 2027, a modest increase from the prior year's $136.8 million.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate cuts House domestic violence funding additions in half
Alaska Senate cut domestic violence funding additions in half Tuesday, reducing House support for survivors by $1.45 million total and setting up a budget fight before final passage.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate Finance subcommittee recommends $1.17 billion university budget
Senate Finance subcommittee approved a $1.17 billion University of Alaska budget for fiscal year 2027, adding $2.25 million for student recruitment and employee raises.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate Panel Advances Nine Board Nominees After Confirmation Hearings
Alaska Senate committee advanced nine board nominees for confirmation, after hearings on rural healthcare access, pharmacist scope of practice, and COVID-era business practices.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago6 min read
Senate panel advances $349 million administration budget
Senate panel approved a $349.4 million budget for the Department of Administration but blocked the governor's plan to decentralize payroll services, citing risks to employee pay.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate panel cuts jail funding in half, seeks out-of-state inmate housing
Alaska Senate panel cut jail funding in half to $2.8 million and ordered the state to explore housing inmates out of state, signaling a major shift in corrections policy.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate panel advances $535 million corrections budget with jail funding cut
Alaska Senate panel approved a $535 million corrections budget Wednesday but cut jail funding in half and ordered a study on housing inmates out of state.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
Senate panel approves $441 million education budget with teacher incentives
Senate panel approved a $441 million education budget for fiscal 2027, adding $450,000 for teacher incentives and $2 million for Head Start matching funds.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate panel approves $485 million Department of Revenue budget
Senate Finance Subcommittee approved a $485.1 million Department of Revenue budget for fiscal year 2027, rejecting a proposal to consolidate Permanent Fund Corporation spending into a single account.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
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.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
