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Dear Friends and Neighbors: After roughly 24 hours of debate and consideration of 137 amendments, the House passed the operating and mental budgets last week. Leading up to passing the budget on the House Floor there were weeks of subcommittee hearings, where each agency’s budget was scrutinized, amended, and then passed to the Finance Committee for consideration. As a reminder, my subcommittees were the Departments of Public Safety, Corrections, Education and Early Development, and Fish and Game. In the Finance Committee each agency’s budg...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: The House Finance Committee wrapped up debate on amendments to the operating budget Thursday evening and moved the budget out of subcommittee on Friday. Amendments to the budget are being considered on the House floor this week. After we consider over 100 amendments the budget will be debated and voted on. If there is support, the budget will pass the House and then be considered by the Senate. Usually, the differences between the House and Senate versions of the operating budget are worked out in a conference...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: After a lovely and restful Easter weekend the House is continuing to debate the operating budget. The House Finance Committee is working through nearly 100 amendments, but so far very few have passed. After the committee finishes the amendment process, they will vote on whether to pass the operating budget out of committee. After the bill moves from the House Finance Committee it will be another opportunity for members to offer budget amendments on the House Floor before the budget package is debated and voted on....
Dear Friends and Neighbors: In a frantic week last week, and a busy day Monday, the House met twice in joint session with the Senate. Yesterday we held a joint session for the purpose of overriding Governor Dunleavy’s veto of SB 140, the omnibus education bill, and last Tuesday we held a joint session to consider a dozen Executive Orders the governor introduced at the beginning of session. As you have likely heard, Governor Dunleavy vetoed SB 140 last week, and Monday afternoon, by a vote of 39 for to 20 against the legislature failed by on...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: It feels like everyone in the Capitol is holding their breath as we count down the days until March 14, the deadline for the governor to sign, veto, or allow SB 140 to become law by taking no action. As a reminder, SB 140 is the bipartisan education bill that will increase the Base Student Allocation by $680, provide assistance and a faster timeline for charter school approval, adds funding for student transportation, internet speed increases in remote schools, charter schools, and the Individual Reading...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: Last week the House debated amendments to House Joint Resolution 7, which would add language to the Constitution that would obligate the state to pay out a dividend in the amount in state law. We will continue to debate the resolution this week. In order for this constitutional amendment to go into effect, it must pass the House and Senate by a two thirds vote and then be approved by a majority vote of Alaskans in a referendum. Bills that Passed the House last Week HB 148, AK PERFORMANCE SCHOLARSHIP, ELIGIBILITY...
In the middle school where I teach, it’s now commonplace to have two or three classes report to the gym each day where they play basketball, read books, or do nothing, because there is no substitute to cover for absent teachers. How can our schools improve outcomes like grades, test scores, and mental health if they can’t afford adequate staffing? The Legislature has a constitutional obligation to maintain a system of public schools. This year, the legislature approved a one-time $175 million increase in school funding. Our schools need a rel...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: It has been an honor to serve as your representative for the first session of the 33rd Alaska State Legislature. Some good things are happening. A Budget Deal is Reached —The final budget is balanced, provides a $1300 PFD, and includes additional funding to support childcare and Head Start programs across the state. These early childhood education additions are a great way to help build Alaska’s economy, improve education outcomes, and support working families. The Senate budget that was eventually adopted didn...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Thriving public schools are the foundation of our economy and the heart of our communities. The statute establishing Alaska's schools reads "All students will succeed in their education and work, shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values of society, and be effective in improving the character and quality of the world about them." Please take a moment to thank the educators you know, and the...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: Things in Juneau have slowed in some ways and accelerated in others. There are fewer stakeholder meetings at the moment, but more bills are on the move, and this week we will be considering the operating budget on the House Floor. It’s never slow in the Capitol! On Education — In the House Fisheries Committee on Tuesday, March 28th, we again heard HB 95, NATL. RES. WATER NOMINATION/DESIGNATION, a bill that would codify the legislative process as the way to designate an outstanding natural resource water or tier...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: The Gold Medal Basketball Tournament last week was a welcome break from the Capitol and I enjoyed spending time with constituents watching some outstanding basketball. Congratulations to Hydaburg for playing with incredible heart against Southeast’s biggest city in the championship game – regardless of outcome, it was inspiring to watch all the teams play with such sportsmanship. On SNAP Benefits — As many of you have heard, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-in...
Dear Friends and Neighbors: I was encouraged to see the support for HJR 5 during the House Floor session on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The resolution urging the Federal Government and the State of Alaska to continue to defend the troll fishery and do what they can to keep the fishery open, passed by a vote of 35 to 1. It is clear my colleagues in the House will join me in doing everything within our power to keep the troll fleet fishing. The resolution now goes to the Senate for consideration. I am hopeful that the resolution will send a...
