Every year, hundreds of bills are introduced by members of the Alaska Legislature. All of them are listed on this website. Additional information such as who sponsored them, is also available. As the bills get heard in legislative committees, more information is added.
From the moment bills are introduced to the time they are heard in committee, it’s not easy to explain what a bill actually does .
This does not refer to the implications or side effects of a bill. It is about what the actual text of the bill would do, transcribed from all the legalese.
The Alaska Beacon is trying to fill that gap. The Beacon will begin with , the first bills that were prefiled by the 33rd Alaska State Legislature. It will continue until January 2025.
This page will be regularly updated with new bills. It may also include new descriptions, as we learn more about a particular bill.
This is a huge job, with 686 bills being introduced in the 32nd Legislature. But the staff at the Beacon thinks it’s worth it.
Although most bills never become law, the following list will give an insight into the priorities of legislators for the year and be a guide to what is happening during the session.
Jan. 9 saw the unveiling of the first round prefiled legislation. A second round of prefiled legislation was unveiled Jan. 9. After that, bills will be added incrementally to this list.
BILLS FOR HOUSES
(released Jan. 9, 2023)
HB 1 (Rauscher), Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system and open primary system would be abolished, returning the state back to the system used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark currency” would be maintained.
HB 2 (Vance), – The state will not hire contractors who refuse to do business in Israel.
HB 3 (McCabe). Gold and silver coins will be legal currency in Alaska. Local governments would not be allowed to tax the selling or buying of these coins.
HB 4 (Vance), Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system and open primary system would be abolished, returning the state back to the system used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark currency” would not be lifted.
HB 5 (Rauscher). The Alaska Legislature will hold its sessions in Anchorage, instead of Juneau.
HB 6 (Rauscher). The Department of Education and Early Development will have to develop a curriculum for middle-school and high school students to educate them about the dangers of using opioid drugs.
HB 7 (Hannan). Administrative law judges would see their procedures updated and modernized for the first time since 18 years.
HB 8 (Carrick). Bicycles equipped with an electric backup motor will be considered bicycles and not mopeds, or motorcycles.
HB 9 (Carrick), – An University of Alaska faculty member would be included in the university’s Board of Regents.
HB 10 (Carrick). – The University of Alaska would have to take steps to lower the cost of textbooks, course materials, and other supplies.
HB 11 (Josephson). An assault that occurs while a child is near it would be considered a more serious offense under state law.
HB 12 (Josephson). – Trapping would be managed by local governments.
HB 13 (Josephson). The state’s human right commission would have to cover both nonprofits and for-profit businesses.
HB 14 (Josephson). A crime that is committed due to someone’s gender identity, sexual orientation or citizenship will be punished more severely than one that is not.
HB 15 (Josephson). A peer support counseling program for police and emergency services would be permitted.
HB 16 (Josephson). – More services would be provided by the state’s Medicaid program.
HB 17 (Carrick). Insurance companies would have to cover contraception for a year.
HB 18 (Stutes), – The state would support the creation of non-profit regional fishing cooperatives to help develop new fisheries within the state. They would be paid fees by the fishermen.
HB 19 (Stutes). A boat that is registered with the Coast Guard but also registered as a commercial fisherman vessel would not need to register with the DMV.
HB 20 (Stutes). Members of the Board of Fish and the Board of Game would not be automatically excluded by the Board of Game from voting or debating on issues due to conflicts of interest.
HB 21 (Vance). – Local governments, school districts and schools would be eligible to participate in the state’s insurance program.
HB 22 (Josephson), – The state would establish a pension program to support firefighters and police officers.
HB 23 (Mina), October would be Filipino American History Month.
HB 24 (Rauscher). The governor would nominate and the legislature would confirm the members of the Board of Governors of Alaska Bar Association. They will not be elected from the state’s lawyers.
HB 25 (Story). Members of the U.S. Public Health Services or the NOAA Corps would continue to be eligible for the Permanent Fund dividend, even if they are required to leave the state.
HB 26 (Story). The Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council would rename and be expanded.
HB 27 (McKay). Transgender girls will be prohibited from participating in girls’ school sports teams.
HB 28 (Wright). If they relate to marijuana legalization in 2014, older marijuana conviction records will be removed from Courtview.
HB 29 (McCabe). Insurance companies would not be permitted to refuse coverage or charge a customer differently because of their political affiliation.
HB 30 (Ortiz), Alaska’s permanent elimination of daylight saving time.
HB 31 (Story). – The state’s high school scholarship program would pay more scholarships for higher education and increase eligibility.
HB 32 (McKay). The Legislature would establish a working group to increase Alaska’s oil and natural gas production. Anyone dissatisfied by a state administrative decision regarding an oil or gas issue can appeal to Alaska Superior Court.
HB 33 (Josephson). Oil spillages would be punished by harsher penalties, which would rise with inflation.
SENATE BILLS
(released Jan. 9, 2023)
SB 1 (Shower). The Alaska Division of Elections would have to take steps to improve security during elections. It would allow voters to correct their absentee signatures if they are in error, create a ballot tracking system that can be viewed by the public and establish a hotline for Alaskans who need to report any problems.
SB 2 (Shower), Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system and open primary system would be abolished, returning the state back to the system used before 2022. Restrictions on “dark currency” would be maintained.
SB 3 (Hughes). Alaskans will be able sign direct health care agreements. In these agreements, the patient would pay a monthly fee for primary care services. It is similar to keeping a doctor on retainer.
SB 4 (Shower). Members of a legislative committee would be prohibited from requiring others to vote on all issues together as a condition for their membership.
SB 5 (Shower). The Division of Elections will regularly ask Alaskan voters who live outside of the state if they want to register to vote. Additional steps would also be taken to ensure that the voter list is kept up-to-date.
SB 6 (Shower), – The Division of Elections will be required to use voting devices approved by the United States Election Assistance Commission and that use open-source software.
SB 7 (Shower). Using ballot packages or other election equipment to alter the outcome of an election is election fraud. Disclosing confidential information about elections before they close would be a crime.
SB 8 (Wilson). – No longer would new medical facilities need to apply for a state certificate stating that they have a medical need.
SB 9 (Hughes), – A new “Sunset Commission”, created by the state, would be established to assess whether there is a continuing public need for an agency or entity of the state.
SB 10 (Kiehl). An honorably discharged veteran with a disability would be eligible to receive a permanent hunting, sportfishing, or trapping licence. Members of the Alaska National Guard, military reserves, and Alaska National Guard would also be eligible for a resident trapping permit.
SB 11 (Kiehl), – A new pension program would be established for teachers.
SB 12 (Kiehl). – Police and prison personnel would have their home numbers kept secret.
SB 13 (Myers). The University of Alaska would have to reduce the price of textbooks and course material.
SB 14 (Kawasaki). School districts could create incentive programs for employees to retire earlier in order to reduce staff.
SB 15 (Kawasaki). Personal-use fishing would be the last to be limited if the Board of Fish has to restrict fishing to meet management goals.
SB 16 (Kawasaki). September 10th would be Alaska Community Health Aide Day.
SB 17 (Kawasaki). – Financial donations to political parties would be again limited, and the limit would increase with inflation.
SB 18 (Kawasaki). – The DMV will be able to issue electronic Alaska driver’s licenses. Police would need to accept an electronic license at a traffic stop. The majority of fees charged by the DMV will rise.
SB 19 (Kawasaki). The Alaska Division of Elections would have to issue stamped return envelopes to absentee voters, check voter signatures automatically, let voters fix any problems with their absentee ballot signatures and create a ballot tracking system that can be viewed by the public. There would also be harsher penalties for election-related crimes.
SB 20 (Kaufman). The state’s statutory expenditure cap would be equal to 11.5% of its gross domestic product for the previous five years.
SB 21 (Kaufman). – At the beginning of a governor’s term, state agencies will be required to publish four-year strategic plan and at least twice every two years thereafter.
SB 22 (Gray Jackson) – June 19th, Juneteenth would be a legal/paid holiday for the state of Georgia along with 11 other state holidays.
SB 23 (Gray Jackson) – The state would establish a database to share and collect information about instances when police officers use force against anyone.
SB 24 (Gray Jackson) – Public schools’ education curriculum would be modified to incorporate mental health issues.
SB 25 (Kaufman). – The Legislature’s Finance Division would have to examine inactive state accounts and funds and make recommendations on which ones should be repealed.
SB 26 (Kaufman). A new license plate would be created to honor police officers who have been killed in the line-of-duty.
SB 27 (Claman). Insurance companies would have to cover contraception for a year.
SB 28 (Claman). Employers will be able to obtain protective orders against employees who threaten or harm their employees.
SB 29 (Stevens). – A state school board would establish a curriculum for civics education. Secondary students would be prohibited from graduating unless they have taken a course that uses this curriculum.
SB 30 (Gray Jackson) – October would be Filipino American History Month.
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
(released Jan. 9, 2023)
HJR 1 (Josephson), – The Alaska Constitution clause that prohibits same-sex marriages would be repealed. This clause was placed on hold by federal judges in 2014.
SJR 1 (Wielechowski). The Alaska Permanent Fund would undergo a restructuring to limit withdrawals and guarantee a Permanent Fund dividend every year. Half of an annual withdrawal would be reserved for dividends, and half for services.
SJR 2 (Hughes). The privacy clause in the Alaska Constitution would be reinterpreted so that abortion is allowed.
SJR 3 (Myers), – The Alaska Constitution’s spending limit will be increased.
SJR 4 (Kaufman), – The Alaska Constitution’s spending limit will be increased.
