Alaska Bills | MyRepTracker

passed both · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SCR 8: Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 35, relating to the use and possession of electronic devices by prisoners.

SCR 8 is a procedural resolution that suspends specific rules in the Alaska State Legislature to allow faster consideration of House Bill 35. It bypasses standard requirements for changing a bill's title (Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e)) to expedite the legislative process for HB 35. HB 35 itself would address rules for prisoners' use and possession of electronic devices. This resolution does not change the policy of HB 35 but streamlines its path through the legislature. The suspension is a routine procedural step, not a substantive policy change.

passed both · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SJR 15: Calling on the state's congressional delegation to oppose cuts to federal spending on Medicaid.

SJR 15 is a resolution calling on Alaska's congressional delegation (Senators Murkowski and Sullivan, and Representative Begich) to oppose federal Medicaid funding cuts. It urges them to protect Medicaid coverage for over 250,000 Alaskans who rely on it for health care, especially children, seniors, rural residents, and Alaska Native communities. The resolution emphasizes that Medicaid supports essential services like hospital care, nursing home support, and healthcare jobs across the state. It does not change laws but formally requests congressional action.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed both · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SCR 5: Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 57, relating to wireless telecommunications devices in public schools.

SCR 5 is a procedural bill that suspends specific legislative rules (24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e)) in the Alaska State Legislature. This allows House Bill No. 57 - which proposes restrictions on wireless telecommunications devices in public schools - to move forward without following standard procedures for changing a bill's title. The suspension expedites consideration of HB 57, which directly affects public school policies and student device usage. SCR 5 itself does not change school policies but streamlines the legislative process for HB 57.

passed both · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HJR 4: Urging the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the United States Board on Geographic Names, and the members of the state's delegation in Congress to maintain Denali as the official name for the tallest mountain in North America.

House Joint Resolution 4 is a symbolic resolution from the Alaska Legislature urging the President, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to maintain "Denali" as the official name for North America's tallest mountain. It states that Denali is the traditional Koyukon Athabaskan name, has been Alaska's official name since 1975, and was adopted by the U.S. in 2015, rejecting a return to "Mount McKinley." The resolution argues that changing the name would be disrespectful to Alaska Natives, confuse tourism (as Denali is widely recognized), and lacks historical connection to President McKinley, who never visited the mountain. This resolution does not change the name but formally requests federal officials continue using "Denali."

passed · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HR 4: Establishing a House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.

HR 4 establishes a temporary House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs in the Alaska State Legislature. The committee will study military and veterans' issues, review existing laws, and propose new legislation, with members appointed by the Speaker and a chair designated by the Speaker. It operates until the convening of the Thirty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature's first regular session. This resolution does not create new policy but organizes a dedicated body to address military and veterans' concerns within the legislative process.

Topics ✓ Veterans

passed both · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HJR 15: Urging the Governor, the Department of Natural Resources, division of forestry and fire protection, the Department of Public Safety, municipalities of the state and relevant wildfire planning and response agencies, and the Alaska delegation in Congress to prepare for the 2025 wildfire season.

HJR 15 is a non-binding legislative resolution urging Alaska agencies and communities to prepare for the 2025 wildfire season. It directs the Governor, Department of Natural Resources (forestry/fire division), public safety agencies, municipalities, and the Alaska congressional delegation to review wildfire response plans, improve water access for firefighting, inspect roads for evacuation routes, and expand public education programs like Firewise USA and Ready, Set, Go! The resolution specifically targets high-risk areas including Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kenai, where climate-driven dry conditions and new wildfire risks require proactive measures. It emphasizes concrete steps like pre-season drills, fuel reduction, and enhanced early detection systems to reduce response costs and community vulnerability.

Topics ✓ Environment

Ky Holland (N) · 18 co-sponsors

passed both · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HJR 9: Urging the United States Congress to extend enhanced tax credits for health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act.

HJR 9 is a joint resolution from Alaska's legislature urging the U.S. Congress to extend enhanced federal tax credits that make health insurance premiums affordable under the Affordable Care Act. These credits currently help over 23,000 Alaska residents avoid higher costs, but they expire at the end of 2025. Without extension, premiums would more than double for tens of thousands of Alaskans, forcing difficult choices between health care, housing, and food. The resolution requests Congress act through budget processes to maintain these credits, emphasizing their role in preventing market instability and preserving access to care. (Note: This is a procedural resolution, not a law, so it directly affects Alaska residents by advocating for federal action.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

passed both · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SJR 17: Recognizing and honoring the 50th anniversary of The Energy Council.

SJR 17 is a ceremonial resolution honoring The Energy Council's 50th anniversary. It does not enact new laws or affect policies, people, or programs. The resolution formally commends The Energy Council - established in 1975 as a nonpartisan forum for energy policy collaboration among U.S. states and Canadian provinces - for its role in shaping energy discourse over five decades. It serves solely as a symbolic gesture of recognition, with no substantive policy changes or obligations.

passed both · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SJR 12: Urging the United States Congress and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to address outages of National Data Buoy Center stations.

This joint resolution (SJR 12) urges the U.S. Congress and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to address recurring outages of National Data Buoy Center weather and ocean monitoring stations in Alaska. It specifically highlights critical failures of the Seal Rocks Buoy in Prince William Sound, which provides essential real-time wave height data used by the Coast Guard to safely manage oil tanker traffic through Hinchinbrook Entrance. The resolution emphasizes that current backup buoys are also unreliable, forcing reliance on subjective ship reports during hazardous conditions and increasing safety risks for tankers, crews, and the environment. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new law but formally requests federal action to restore these vital infrastructure systems.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

passed both · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HJR 5: Urging the United States Congress and the President of the United States to reinstate the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 and make the funding mechanism in the Act permanent.

HJR 5 is a resolution passed by the Alaska Legislature urging the U.S. Congress and President to reinstate and permanently fund the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. This act provided critical funding to rural communities near national forests (like those in Southeast Alaska) that historically relied on payments from federal timber revenue to support schools, roads, public safety, and infrastructure. The resolution specifically requests retroactive funding for fiscal year 2025 after the program expired in January 2025 and asks Congress to make the funding mechanism permanent. It does not create new law but formally advocates for federal action to prevent budget shortfalls in affected rural areas.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Jeremy Bynum (R) · 40 co-sponsors

passed both · Alaska · House Jul 30, 2025

HJR 25: Supporting and encouraging the continued recruitment and retention of international educators on J-1 and H-1B visas in the state.

This is a symbolic joint resolution (HJR 25), not a law, expressing Alaska's support for recruiting and retaining international educators on J-1 and H-1B visas. It highlights how rural school districts (like Kuspuk, Kodiak, and North Slope) rely on these visas to address critical teacher shortages in math, science, and special education. The resolution acknowledges challenges these educators face - such as visa duration uncertainty and limited job mobility - but does not create new legal requirements or funding. It formally encourages continued use of J-1 and H-1B programs to maintain educational quality in underserved communities. (Note: As a resolution, it has no legal force and serves only to affirm legislative support.)

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Immigration

passed · Alaska · Senate Jul 30, 2025

SR 3: Urging the United States Congress to grant American Samoans the ability to serve as commissioned officers in the uniformed services of the United States and the right to vote in federal elections.

This Alaska Senate resolution (SR 3) urges the U.S. Congress to change two specific policies affecting American Samoans. Currently, American Samoans are U.S. nationals but not citizens (unlike residents of other U.S. territories), which prevents them from serving as commissioned military officers or voting in federal elections. The resolution requests that Congress grant them the right to vote in federal elections and remove barriers to serving as commissioned officers in the U.S. military. It highlights American Samoans' high military enlistment rates, their obligation to register for the draft, and their contributions to U.S. society.