Alaska Legislature: Senate Floor Session, 4/7/26, 2pm

Will the Senate please come to order, and will members please signify your presence by voting.

There are 19 members present.

Thank you. With 19 members shown as present, we have a quorum to conduct business. The invocation this morning— this afternoon will be given by the Reverend Guy Crockcroft with Love Incorporated. Members, please rise.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day. and for allowing us to live in this beautiful place called Alaska. Thank you for this body, the Alaska Senate. Lord, thank you for your unconditional love for all people, and may you help each senator as they work together for all Alaskans. Help them to love one another. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13, love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, Love never fails. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Thank you, Reverend Krakrow. Senator Clayman, 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, The indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Senator Klayman. Will the Secretary please certify the journals?

I certify as to the correctness of the journals for the 72nd through 76th legislative days.

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. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread on the journal. I can see no objection. The prayer has been spread upon the journal. At this time, are there guests for introduction? Seeing none, are there— Madam Secretary, are there messages from the governor?

A letter dated April 6th stating a need to again extend the 2025 West coast storm disaster emergency and requesting a concurrent legislative resolution as required by AS2623020. The letter has been copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs. A declaration of disaster emergency dated March 25 regarding extreme cold temperatures that led to widespread infrastructure damage in the Northwest Arctic Borough and an accompanying letter was received pursuant to AS2623020 The declaration and letter have been copied to the Finance Committee co-chairs. A message dated April 6th stating, I have noted the following resolution passed by the 34th Alaska Legislature, and I am transmitting the engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's Office for permanent filing. HCR 11, extending the governor's October 9th declaration of a disaster emergency in response to the 2025 West Coast storm. Legislative Resolve Number 24, Those are all the messages from the Governor this afternoon, Mr. President.

Thank you. Are there messages from the House?

A message dated April 1st stating the House has passed and is transmitting for consideration. CS for House Bill Number 117, Resources, by the House Resources Committee, an act relating to commercial set gillnet fishing and providing for an effective date.

Referred to the Resources Committee.

CS for House Bill Number 239, Judiciary, by the House Judiciary Committee, An act relating to criminally negligent homicide, relating to the duty of an operator immediately after an accident and providing for an effective date.

Referred to Judiciary and Finance.

Those are all the messages from the House this afternoon, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there communications?

I have no communications today.

Reports of standing committees?

There are no standing committee reports today.

Thank you. Reports of special committees?

I have no reports of special committees, Mr. President.

Are there Senate resolutions for introduction?

There are no Senate resolutions for introduction today.

And are there Senate bills for introduction?

No Senate bills for introduction today also.

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Please read the first item on today's calendar.

CS for Senate Bill 185, Labor and Commerce, an act relating to the business of insurance, relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates, relating to the powers of the director of the Division of Insurance, relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance, and providing for an effective date. Before the Senate in third reading on final passage.

Thank you. Senator Bjorkman to carry the bill.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Senate Bill 185 fixes the problem that exists because our laws in Alaska regarding insurance do not allow insurance companies to offer incentives in the form of devices like a smoke detector or a wearable or other things that insurance companies believe will encourage their insureds to lower their risk and to take actions that would mitigate potential costs in the future. The bill before you is an NAIC model act. NAIC stands for the National Association of Insurance Controllers, or I'm sorry, Insurance Commissioners. And they have come up with this to match federal laws so that the insurance companies can do just as I explained, provide things that would reduce costs and encourage better habits, better behaviors from their insured to reduce risk and encourage better patterns in the future to prevent losses. That's very simply what the bill does, Mr. President. I urge members, vote yes.

Thank you, Senator. Is there discussion? If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall CS for Senate Bill 185, Labor and Commerce, 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, CS for Senate Bill 185, Labor and Commerce, 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.

Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

Senate Joint Resolution Number 30 by the Senate State Affairs Committee, expressing gratitude for the United States military and supporting increased defense readiness through infrastructure development and public-military partnerships. The State Affairs Committee considered the resolution and recommended it be replaced with a State Affairs Committee substitute. New zero fiscal notes, signing do pass. Senator Kawasaki, chair. Senators Wilkowski, Gray Jackson, Bjorkman, Tilton. There is a State Affairs Committee substitute.

Thank you. Senator Kawasaki.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the State Affairs Committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 30 be used in lieu of the original bill.

Thank you, Senator. Would you explain the changes?

Thank you, Mr. President. There's only a couple minor technical changes. One would expand the definition of a dual-use infrastructure to include things like utilities, power, communications, air and seaport development, aircraft hangars, roads, and railways. And these changes in the language were brought to us by the military defense community. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Senator Kawasaki. Hearing no objection, the Senate State Affairs Committee substitute has been adopted, and this resolution will advance to third reading on our next legislative calendar. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

There is a special order of business citation on members' desks in memoriam William Lee Aviak Ruxford.

Thank you. Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate take up the special order of business citation on today's calendar.

Hearing no objection, the special order of business citation is before the Senate. Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the special order of business citation be adopted.

Thank you. Hearing no No objection. The special order of business citation is approved.

Madam Secretary, there are no further items for consideration on today's daily calendar.

Thank you. Is there unfinished business at this time? Unfinished business? Moving on to committee announcements. Senator Clayman.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow, that I think on the calendar is scheduled for 1:45, will actually convene at 2:30.

2:30. Thank you, Senator Clayman. Any additional committee announcements? Moving on to any other announcements. Seeing none, are there special orders? Again, seeing none, Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment until tomorrow at 11:00 AM. That's Wednesday, April 8th, 2026.

Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Senate Meeting is adjourned.