SFLR-20260515-1030

Will the Senate please come to order? And will members please signify your presence by voting.

The roll shows 19 members present. Thank you. With 19 members shown as present, we have a quorum to conduct business. The invocation this morning will be given by Major Peter Janoshek with the Salvation Army. Members, please rise.

Good morning. In deepest respect for the religious belief of each person here, I invite you into a time of prayer and reflection. Let us pray. Gracious God, we are reminded in the Gospel of John that you are the vine and we are the branches. If we remain in you and you in us, we will bear much fruit, but apart from you we can do nothing.

This world is trying to dictate what is success and what kind of fruit we should bear. What are the right decisions and what should be visible outcome of our lives. But I pray today that we would stay faithful to you so that we can bear much fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, because against such things there is no law. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Thank you, Major. Senator Dunbar, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Senator Dunbar. Will the Secretary please certify the journal? I certify as to the correctness of the journal for the 115th legislative day and House and Senate Joint Journal Supplement Number 20. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the journals be approved as certified by the Senate Secretary.

Hearing no objection, the journals have been approved. Senator Hoffman. Good morning, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread on the journal. Thank you.

Seeing no objection, the prayer has been spread upon the journal. At this time, are there guests for introduction?

Seeing none, Madam Secretary, messages from the Governor? I have no messages from the Governor this morning, Mr. President. Thank you. Messages from the House. Concur message dated May 14th stating the House passed Senate Bill 41 with the following amendment.

Senate Bill 41 amended House Public Schools Mental Health Education, and it is returned for consideration. Thank you. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur with the House amendments and recommend the Senate vote yes. Thank you.

Senator Gray Jackson, would you explain the changes?

Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to— excuse me— start off by saying how honored I am that the bill passed the House yesterday at around 10 o'clock. Sen. Bill 41 returns before the body for concurrence with one House amendment. The amendment adopted in the House further clarifies that the mental health education guidelines developed by the State Board of Education must be medically and scientifically based and may not include political, ideological, or advocacy-oriented content that's unrelated to student mental health. The legislation continues to support the development of age-appropriate mental health education for Alaska students while also maintaining parental notification and opt-out rights.

The core intent of the bill remains unchanged. The House amendment just simply provides additional clarifying, um, clarity regarding the purpose and the scope of the legislation. And I'd also at this moment, Mr. President, I just want to thank everyone who worked so hard on this bill over the past 6 years, especially the member from District H who offered the initial bill when he was serving in the House, and the member in the other body who carried the bill in the House for it. Late last evening. I'm extremely, extremely proud to see this legislation advance, knowing the positive impact that it will have on Alaska students and families for years to come.

At a time when mental health challenges continue to affect communities around our.

State and our kids. This bill represents an important step in ensuring youth, young Alaskans have access to education, awareness, and support. I respectfully ask for your concurrence on SB 41. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Gray Jackson.

If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall the Senate concur in the House amendments to Senate Bill 41? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 17 Yeas, 3 nays. So by a vote of 17 yeas and 3 nays, the Senate has concurred in the House amendments to Senate Bill 41.

At this time, I'd like to take up the House concur message for Senate Bill 86. Relating to money transmissions. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur with the House amendments and recommend the Senate vote yes. Thank you.

Senator Keogh, would you please explain the changes? Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning. The changes made in the other body to Senate Bill 86 were all made collaboratively and were largely cleanup and good catches. We worked together with members of the other body and with folks from the administration. Half a dozen changes, Mr. President.

First and easiest, we updated the effective dates. That wasn't too tough. We also removed an overly broad exemption. It had the potential to create a regulatory loophole, so that was tightened up. The bill stays with its one-regulator model, but we don't think we have any zero-regulator situations anymore.

It clarified in the permissible investments that virtual currency is allowable to cover virtual currency, but you can't use it to cover cash. Mr. President, that fits the original intent of the bill and was a good clarification. We separated the civil penalty into two parts, only one of which required a court rule change. Didn't change what the civil penalties are from the version the Senate passed. But, uh, with this, only the one that actually changes the court rules is subject to that two-thirds vote.

Uh, the other body removed a blanket exemption for all payroll processors, um, and instead, as, uh, the bill now has a more fine-grained approach. Uh, large payroll processors will need to be licensed as money transmitters, uh, but the department will, by regulation, exempt the smaller money transmitters— mom-and-pop bookkeepers, a local CPA firm, they will not need to get this type of license. Finally, Mr. President, the bill added provisions to ensure that virtual currency is covered under Alaska's unclaimed property laws. We didn't have that in the bill when it left our body, but it was pointed out that a number of Alaska's unclaimed property laws did not fit well with virtual currency, crypto. And so this puts in provisions.

We worked with the folks at the Department of Revenue who implement that and should make that process smooth and pretty comparable to our unclaimed property provisions for money and other things. Mr. President, all good changes. I recommend the members vote yes on concurrence. Thank you, Senator Kiel. If you are ready for the question, the question being: Shall the Senate concur in the House amendment to— amendments to CS for Senate Bill 86 Finance?

Senators may proceed to vote. The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays.

And so by a vote of 20 yeas and 0 nays, the Senate has concurred in the House amendments to CS for Senate Bill 86 Finance. There are court rule changes, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the court rule change. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the court rule change has been adopted.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the concurrence be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted. And there is also a title change.

Madam Secretary.

HCR 17, the title change, before the Senate on final passage. Thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being: Shall the title change resolution HCR 17 pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce a vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays, the title change resolution HCR 17 has passed the Senate.

Madam Secretary, are there communications? I have no communications today, Mr. President. Thank you. And are there reports of standing committees?

The Judiciary Committee considered Senate Bill 190, Uniform Act Guardianship/Conservatorship, and recommended it be replaced with a Judiciary Senate Committee substitute. New fiscal and indeterminate fiscal notes. Signing do pass: Senator Clayman. Chair Senator Keele. Signing no recommendation: Senators Stephen, Tobin, Tilton.

The bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee.

The State Affairs Committee considered Senate Bill number 287, Alaska Native Languages Academic Task Force, and recommended it be replaced with a State Affairs Committee substitute, new indeterminate fiscal note. Signing amend, Senator Kawasaki, chair. Signing do pass, Senator Gray Jackson. Signing no recommendation, Senator Tilton.

The bill has no further referral. The bill is in the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee has placed the bill on today's calendar.

The State Affairs Committee considered CS for sponsor substitute for House Bill 13, Community and Regional Affairs Municipal Property Tax Exemptions, and recommended it be replaced with the State Affairs Senate Committee substitute, new title with SCR 14. New zero fiscal note. Signing amend, Senator Kawasaki, Chair. Signing no recommendation, Senators Gray, Jackson, Tilton. The bill has no further referral.

The bill is in the Rules Committee. Those are— oh, there is one more standing committee report today, Mr. President. The State Affairs Committee considered CS for House Bill 202, State Affairs, name state vegetable giant cabbage, previous zero fiscal note. Signing do pass, Senator Kawasaki, Chair, Senators Gray, Jackson, Tilton. The bill has no further referral.

The bill is in the Rules Committee. Those are all the standing committee reports this morning, Mr. President. Thank you. I bring that ease. Liz.

Will the Senate come back to order, please? I'm adding a finance referral to Senate Bill 287 as it has picked up official note. Madam Secretary, are there reports on special committees? I have no special committee reports today, Mr. President. Thank you.

And are there Senate resolutions for introduction? Senate Resolution Number 31 by the Senate Finance Committee, recognizing the sovereign decisions of the communities of Kipnuk and Quigillingok to relocate in the wake of the devastation caused by Typhoon Halong, affirming the right of Alaska Native communities to self-determination and urging full state and federal support for relocation of those communities. Senate Bill 30, Senate Joint Resolution Number 31, referred to the Finance Committee. Those are all the Senate resolutions for introduction today, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Are there Senate bills for introduction? I have no Senate bills for introduction today. Madam Secretary, please read the first item on today's calendar.

Senate Bill 250 by Senator Tobin, an act relating to data centers and relating to utility service for data centers. The Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Community and Regional Affairs Committee substitute, new zero fiscal note. Signing no recommendation, Senator Dunbar, Vice Chair Senator Yunt. Signing do pass, Senator Gray Jackson. The Labor and Commerce Committee considered the bill, recommended the adoption of the previous Community and Regional Affairs Committee substitute, previous zero fiscal note.

Signing no recommendation, Senator Bjorkman, Chair, Senators Merrick, Yunt. Signing do pass, Senator Gray Jackson. There is a Community and Regional Affairs Committee substitute. Thank you. Senator Merrick.

Thank you. Good morning, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Community and Regional Affairs Committee substitute of Senate Bill 250 be considered and adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you. Would you please explain the changes?

Yes, Mr. President. The Community and Regional Affairs Committee amended the bill to include a water usage plan submitted by a data center to a municipality, include financial security language should a utility incur capital investment costs in order to serve a data center, decrease the size of data centers subject to this legislation,.

Amend language so small data centers on microgrids are not subject to this legislation. These changes were all made at the request of the sponsor. Thank you, Senator Merrick. Hearing no objection, the Senate Committee on Regional Affairs Committee Substitute has been adopted, and this bill will advance to third reading in our next legislative calendar. Madam Secretary, the next item on our calendar, Senate Bill number 287, is not in the Senate's possession.

House Bill number 36 by Representatives Gray, Fields, Burke, Jimmy, Foster, Tomaszewski, Story, Mena, Eichide, Bynum, Galvin, Hannan, Josephson, Stutes, Ruffridge, Schragi, Costello, Mears, Sadler. An act relating to the placement of foster children in psychiatric hospitals relating to the care of children in state custody placed in residential facilities Outside the state and amending Rule 2012B, Alaska Child in Need of Aid Rules of Procedure. The Health and Social Services Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with the Health and Social Services Committee substitute. New zero fiscal note, previous zero fiscal note. Signing do pass: Senator Dunbar, Chair.

Senators Hughes, Giesel. Signing no recommendation: Senators Clayman, Tobin. The Judiciary Committee considered the bill, recommended it be redacted, recommended it be replaced with the Judiciary Committee substitute. Previous zero fiscal notes. Signing do pass: Senator Clayman, Chair, Senators Kiel, Tobin.

Signing amend: Senator Myers. The Finance Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Finance Senate Committee substitute. New zero fiscal notes. Signing do pass: Senator Hoffman, Co-Chair, Senators Merrick, Kiel. Signing no recommendation: Senators Olson, Steadman, Hoff— Olson, Steadman.

Co-chairs: Senators Kaufman, Cronk. There are 3 Senate committee substitutes. Thank you, Senator Hoffman.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 36 be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you, Senator Hoffman. And if you please explain the changes. I'd be glad to do so, Mr. President.

Language changes: removes language related to consent for behavioral and mental health treatment for minors, minors 16 years of age or older. This was added at the request of the sponsor. Update the identification of treatment foster home to remove a cap in statute. This can be done via regulation.

Update the effective date to July 1st, 2028 for various sections of the Department of Health to pursue an amendment to the state's plan for medical assistance coverage. The health note was updated to reflect the adoption of the finance CS but remains a zero fiscal note. The judiciary, uh, Note remains zero as well. Thank you, Senator Hoffman. Hearing no objection, the Senate Finance Committee substitute has been adopted, and this bill will advance to third reading in our next legislative calendar.

Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

See as for House Bill 117, Resources, by the House Resources Committee, an act relating to commercial set gillnet fishing and providing for an effective date. The Resources Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with the Resources Senate Committee substitute, new title with SCR 29, new zero fiscal notes. Signing do pass: Senator Giesel, Chair, Senators Dunbar, Clayman, Wilkowski. Signing no recommendation: Senators Rauscher, Myers, I move and ask unanimous consent for the signing amend. Senator Kawasaki, there is a Resources Senate Committee substitute.

Thank you. Senator Giesel. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Resources Committee substitute for House Bill 117 be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you, Senator Giesel. If you would please explain the changes.

Yes, Mr. President. The committee substitute for House Bill 117 makes these changes. Number 1, removed provisions authorizing cooperative salmon gill— set gillnet operations, including the commingling and single delivery of fish by multiple permit owners. For clarity, that was removed. It creates a new Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission administrative area consisting of 6 statistical areas that make up the Cook Inlet East Side setnet fishery and authorizes the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, to establish the number of permits in that area.

This is similar to Senate Bill 158 offered by the member from District D. It also— also— it also lastly authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to require electronic monitoring for state commercial trawl fisheries under specific conditions. The fiscal note had no changes. Thank you, Senator Giesel. Hearing no objection, the Senate Resources Committee substitute has been adopted, and this bill will advance to third reading on our next legislative calendar. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

Senate CS for House Bill number 10, Finance, an act relating to the Board of Regents of the University of Alaska and providing for an effective date before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you. Senator Kawasaki to carry the bill. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm thrilled to carry House Bill 10 on behalf of the member from the House from the University District in Fairbanks.

What this bill does is it accomplishes the goal by adding a tenured faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents. 11-Member commission will then have 12 members. That member of faculty will serve for a 2-year term as opposed to the 8-year term that the current Board of Regents each serve. Over the last decade, we've seen the University of Alaska face some really difficult fiscal and social challenges. Over those last 8 years, the Board of Regents has really been in the driver's seat making sure that they are successful and that the students are successful.

And I'll say that the university just over last weekend was able to graduate over 12, or confer over 1,200 degrees for over 1,000 students from across the United States and across the world. And so the university is growing, university's in a growth position, and adding a tenured faculty member to this Board of Regents will help facilitate that for future growth too. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Kawasaki. Is there further discussion?

If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall Senate CS for House Bill 10 finance pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 18 Yeas, 2 nays. So by a vote of 18 yeas to 2 nays, Senate CS for House Bill 10 Finance has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted. A brief at ease.

Will the Senate please come back to order? Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that House— the Senate committee substitute for House Bill 93 be moved to the bottom of the bill agenda today. Thank you. Without objection, so ordered.

Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

Senate CS for CS for House Bill 184, Finance, an act relating to financing by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority for workforce housing development projects relating to a mandatory exemption from municipal property taxes for certain assets of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and providing for an effective date by repealing the effective date of Section 2, Chapter Senate Bill 64, SLA 2018, before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you. Senator Dunbar to carry the bill. Thank you, Mr. President. This is a bill that's familiar to most folks in this room.

The only major change made by Senate Finance, which the co-chair mentioned yesterday, was the addition of new tax exemptions— or extension, rather, of tax exemptions exemptions for certain properties around Red Dog Mine and Ketchikan. In both cases, the relevant boroughs are in favor, and I certainly am in favor of those additions. The underlying bill is our attempt to make some progress at the ongoing housing crisis in Alaska. If you have been speaking with your constituents, and I know you have, there's no part of this state where folks feel satisfied with the affordability of their current housing stock. Building new housing stock and renovating existing housing stock is one of the ways that we help to address the housing crisis in Alaska.

This bill allows ADA, the Development Authority, to offer certain financing for workforce housing construction, that is multi-family housing construction. In conversations with AHFC and ADA, we have realized that there is a certain segment that AHFC cannot serve, cannot offer, financing for, and ADA could fill that breach. There is an argument that ADA could do this already, and indeed they did do it up until the late '80s. However, they haven't done it for a number of decades, and while that is the current leadership's interpretation, we don't know if that will be the case for future leadership. So this bill makes it explicit that ADA can do financing for certain workforce housing.

Mr. President, there are relatively few levers that the state government can pull to spur housing construction and to deal with housing affordability. This is one of those levers that's not in the hands of the local government, but in our hands. Because our constituents are expecting us to help lead the way on housing construction, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Dunbar.

Is there further discussion? Sen— Sen. Yunt.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'll keep it brief, but I'll just say that when this bill first came to be, I had grave concerns that it might actually have a negative impact on Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. It took some time, some conversations with the sponsor, conversations with the board member at AHFC, and come to find out that it wasn't anything that was going to hurt them. Refreshing my memory on some of that now, I think in the long run, whatever it takes to make housing more affordable for Alaskans, I'm going to support. And so I'll be a yes on the bill.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator Young. Further discussion?

And wrap up, Senator Dunbar, any comments? Okay, thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall CS— shall Senate CS for CS for House Bill 184 Finance pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 17 Yeas, 3 nays. And so by a vote of 17 yeas to 3 nays, Senate CS for CS for House Bill 184 Finance has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the The vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted.

Yes, Senator Dunbar. Thank you, Mr. President. I apologize, I failed to do this before. I would like to move and ask unanimous consent that I be added as a cross-sponsor to House Bill 184, ADA Housing Finance. Without objection, so ordered.

Along with Senator Kawasaki, Senator Clayman, Senator Steadman. Senator Wielekowski, thank you. Then we also have a title change.

Madam Secretary, the title change resolution SCR 24 before the Senate in final passage. Thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being the title change resolution SCR 24, shall it pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays, the title change resolution, SCR 24, has been adopted.

Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill 216, Community and Regional Affairs, an act approving the transfer of land owned by the Alaska Railroad Corporation to the City of Whittier and providing for an effective date, before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you. Senator Giesel. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, House Bill 216 is about conveyance of parcels of land to the City of Whittier.

Mr. President, why is this important? I recognize I recognize that probably most of the people on this floor have never been to Whittier, but it is a lovely, in fact beautiful community on Prince William Sound. It is connected to Anchorage and the rest of Alaska through the Anton Anderson Tunnel, which is the longest such tunnel through a mountain in North America. Whittier is also unique in that the Alaska Railroad has significant land holdings within the city limits. In fact, 85% of Whittier's developable land is owned by the Alaska Railroad.

In the past, the railroad has agreed to lease land to the city. However, the leasing of the land still prohibits or discourages investment on the part of the city and others who would like to open businesses there. So in 2024, negotiations began to transfer ownership of parcels of land from the railroad to the city. This bill negotiates, uh, is the result of negotiations for a final transfer of land. This is undeveloped land that is not being used by the Alaska Railroad right now.

The railroad has submitted a conditional letter of intent to proceed with the sale. Legislative approval is a critical element. It is in fact part of our law. So, Mr. President, HB 216 would authorize the railroad to transfer the 5 parcels to the city for fair market value According to the statute, it describes the 5 parcels authorized for the transfer. It recognizes that further platting and surveying is necessary to complete the exchange, subject to agreement by the parties, and it ensures that this section meets the requirements for dispensation of land under statutes governing the railroad.

Mr. President, I urge a yes vote to increase the productive use of land in the city of Whittier. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Giesel. Is there further discussion? If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall Senate CS for House Bill 216, Committee on Regional Affairs, pass the Senate?

Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 20 Ayes, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 ayes to 0 nays, Senate CS for House Bill 216, Committee on Regional Affairs, has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date has been adopted. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

CS for House Bill 221, State Affairs, an act establishing the first Friday of every October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day and providing for an effective date before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you. Senator Young to carry the bill. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity today to share House Bill 221 with you guys.

So House Bill 221 would establish the first Friday of each October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day. Alaskans know how many amazing resources our state offers and that these resources make Alaska the greatest place in the world to live. Alaskans regularly honor some of these resources with special days, such as the Alaska Wild Salmon Day, the Alaska Mining Day, and the Alaska Agriculture Day. Mr. President, the October date is particularly apt for an Arts and Culture Day. The first Friday of October aligns the day with its goals of educating Alaska's younger generations and raising widespread awareness of our arts and our arts and culture.

For one, this date ensures that Arts and Culture Day will occur on a school day, allowing teachers to participate with their classrooms. October is already the special— already a special month for the arts nationally. In 1993, our federal government established October as Arts and Humanities Month. However, since then, Alaska has only irregularly acknowledged its creative culture through through the governor's proclamations. By setting a date on the first Friday of October, we would more regularly remind Alaskans of our role in this national art celebration and facilitate avenues for participation in classrooms.

Mr. President, I respectfully ask for a yes vote. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Young. Is there further discussion?

Seeing none, are you ready for the question? Question being Shall CS for House Bill 221, State Affairs, pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas and 0 nays, CS for House Bill 221, State Affairs, has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause— the effective date has been adopted. Brief adies.

Will the Senate please come back to order? Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar. House Bill number 314, amended, an act relating to registered interior designers and interior design, relating to project costs for the construction, enlargement, or improvement of airports, extending the termination date of the State Board of Registration For Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, relating to the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, establishing requirements for the practice of registered interior design, relating to the practice of architecture, engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, and registered interior design, relating to the scope of the certification requirements for architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and registered interior design.

Designers relating to immunity for design professionals relating to the cost of construction for recreation centers relating to liens for labor or materials furnished, furnished relating to the procurement of landscape, architectural and interior design services relating to the cost of construction of safe water and hygienic sewage disposal facilities in villages and providing for an effective date before the Senate in third reading on final passage. There is an amendment number 1 by Senators Wilkowski, Clayman, Kaufman on members' desks. Thank you, Senator Wilkowski. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to go back to second reading for the purpose of offering a specific amendment.

And thank you. No objection. Um, House Bill 314 amended is back in second reading and will remain in second reading until all amendments have been considered. Senator Wilkowski, move amendment number 1.

There is no objection. Hearing no objection, Amendment Number 1 has been adopted. I have no further amendments. That brings the bill back before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you.

Senator Wielechowski to carry the bill.

I'm sorry, it's going to be over here. Senator Clayman to carry the bill. Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 314, I would note that to quote Yogi Berra, this may feel a little bit like déjà vu all over again, but it isn't quite. House Bill 314 largely mirrors and is consistent with last year's Senate Bill 54, but it addresses 3 issues that were identified in the Governor and his veto of Senate Bill 54.

First, the bill keeps current statutes regarding design-build projects for DOT. Those operations remain uninterrupted. Second, we worked on the language for the exemption for certified wastewater installers based on drafting concerns raised by Department of Law and by the Department of Environmental Conservation. And finally, the bill maintains an 11-member board but increases the governor's flexibility on who they can appoint, removing the requirement to choose specific disciplines for the engineering seats. The governor can basically pick from the more than 10 engineering disciplines that are regulated by this board.

This is a board extension bill and will renew the board for 8 years. This bill also provides a pathway to licensure for interior designers, which— what allows them to become registered. It fortifies the workforce and will allow qualified professionals to provide services independently without the need for customers to hire a higher-cost architect to do certain circumstances. Or do certain kinds of work. I appreciate your support and urge a yes vote on House Bill 314.

Thank you, Senator Clayman. Senator Gray Jackson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be shown as a co-sponsor on HB 314. Thank you, Mr. President.

Without objection, so ordered. Senator Gray Jackson, along with Senator Bjorkman, Senator Dunbar, Senator Cronk, Is there further discussion? If you are ready for the question, question being, shall House Bill 314 as amended in the Senate pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote. The secretary will lock the roll.

Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 16 Yeas, 3 nays. So by a vote of 16 yeas to 3 nays, House Bill 314, as amended in the Senate, has passed the Senate. Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted. Brief at ease.

Will the Senate please come back to order. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar. There is a special order of business citation calendar on members' desks. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate take up the special order of business citation calendar.

Thank you. Hearing no objection, the special order of business citation calendar is before the Senate. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the special order of business citation be approved. Now, hearing no objection, the special order of business citation calendar is approved.

Madam Secretary.

At ease, Mr. President. Uh, brief at ease.

Well, let's take them back to order, please. Senator Giesel. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that House Bill 93 be held until tomorrow. Without objection, so ordered.

At this time, is there unfinished business? Unfinished business? Senator Giesel. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that Senator Olson be excused from May 21st AM plane time through May 24th PM plane time for personal business and not subject to a call of the Senate. Thank you, Senator Giesel.

Senator Gray Jackson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be shown as a co-sponsor on House Bill 202, designating the giant cabbage as the Alaska State Vegetable. Thank you, Mr. President. Without objection, so ordered.

Along with Senator Kaufman.

Very well. Senator Clement, under unfinished business. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be added as a cross-sponsor to House Bill 36 relating to the placement of foster children in psychiatric hospitals. Without objection.

So ordered, along with Senator Dunbar.

Senator Kaufman, unfinished business? Yes, sir. We ain't done yet. I move and ask unanimous consent to be shown as a co-sponsor on Senate Bill 55, TRS contribution rate, PERS/TRS Social Security, or SPS. Thank you.

Without objection, so ordered, Senator Kaufman, along with Senator Cronk. Senator Kaufman, please go ahead. I also have a motion to be excused. Move and ask unanimous consent to be excused from a call of the Senate from June 13th AM plane time to July 14th PM plane time and for personal business. Without objection, so ordered, Senator Kaufman.

Senator Yunt. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be added as a cross-sponsor to House Bill 221. An act establishing Arts and Culture Day. Any objections?

So ordered. Along with Senator Kawasaki, Senator Dunbar.

Thank you. And then Senator Keele, under unfinished business. Under unfinished business. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that I be excused and not subject to a call from morning plane time Thursday the 21st of this month through morning plane time Monday the 25th.

Thank you, Senator Keele. Without objection, so ordered. Senator Dunbar. Thank you, Mr. President. I move an.

Unanimous consent to be listed as a cross-sponsor for House Bill 79, naming Vic Fisher Chute Bay Marine Park. Thank you. Any objection? So ordered. Along with Senator Tobin, Senator Kawasaki, Senator Olson, Senator Clayman, Senator Gray Jackson, and Senator Stevens.

Thank you. Any additional unfinished business? Moving on to committee announcements. Senator Clayman. Thank you, Mr. President.

Senate Judiciary today is canceled. Thank you, Senator Clayman. Senator Tobin. Thank you, Mr. President. Unfortunately, today Senate Education is not canceled.

We will be meeting at 3:30 PM. We will also be meeting tomorrow at 1 PM. Senate Education will be meeting tomorrow at 1 PM in Belts 105. Thank you, Senator Tobin. Any additional committee announcements?

Are there other announcements? Seeing none, are there special orders?

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment until 1 PM tomorrow. That's Saturday, May 16th, 2026. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Senate is adjourned.