Maddy summaryThis bill officially recognizes eleven Alaska Native languages alongside English as the state's official languages and moves the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to the Department of Education and Early Development. The renamed Council for Alaska Native Languages will advise the governor and legislature on programs to preserve and revitalize these languages, with its members required to include professional language experts and representatives from diverse regions. While the council will meet at least twice a year to provide recommendations, the law clarifies that official public documents must still be prepared in English. Additionally, the legislation includes a transition provision to ensure that staff currently working for the council do not automatically transfer to the new department when the council's location changes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill requires school districts in Alaska to have trained staff and at least two doses of opioid overdose medication available at their main buildings during all times students or staff are present, including before and after school hours and on weekends. It also mandates that one dose be available during any school-sponsored events held on school grounds, with the state Department of Health responsible for supplying the drugs and providing training videos for administration. To encourage participation, the legislation grants immunity from civil lawsuits to schools and individuals who fail to maintain these supplies due to good-faith efforts. Additionally, the bill updates rules for homeschool and correspondence study programs by requiring annual individual learning plans developed collaboratively with students, parents, and teachers. These plans must include state standards, ongoing assessments, and provisions for modifying the curriculum if a student struggles in core subjects.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Alaska's state procurement rules to ensure that companies receiving price preferences for doing business with the state actually perform the work or have a history of selling similar supplies. It also establishes a two-percent price preference for bids from entities that employ service members or veterans participating in specific transition training programs. Additionally, the legislation creates a new Military and Veteran Family Help Desk within the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to serve as a central resource for information, services, and employment support for military families.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Review Commission within the Alaska Department of Public Safety to address unresolved cases involving indigenous individuals. The commission will consist of nine members representing law enforcement, tribal organizations, victim advocates, and the legislature, who will meet to examine case trends and make recommendations for improving collaboration and reducing such incidents. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Public Safety to hire at least two investigators specifically tasked with handling these cases and serving as liaisons between agencies, communities, and federally recognized tribes. All documents and information gathered by the commission during its reviews will remain confidential and protected from public disclosure or use in legal proceedings.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates teacher certification and compensation rules in Alaska. It allows retired teachers to keep their state certification for life, enabling them to work as long-term substitutes for up to 165 consecutive days. The legislation also removes the previous cap on how many years of out-of-state teaching experience can count toward in-state salary scales. Additionally, it creates a new program where school districts or the state department can pay $5,000 annual bonuses and reimburse costs for teachers pursuing national board certification. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024, for sections regarding national board certification, while other provisions apply to contracts signed after the law's passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Alaska's timber sales laws to allow the state commissioner to sell wood more quickly in specific situations, such as when trees are damaged by fire, insects, or disease, or when they are at risk of losing value soon. It also permits the commissioner to negotiate lower stumpage rates with local wood product manufacturers or fiber users to support local industry, provided the sale still meets state interests and the rate does not fall below a set base price. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Natural Resources to submit a detailed report to the legislature by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, outlining all timber sales made during that period and explaining any delays in the process.
Maddy summaryThis law allows homeowners in Alaska's condominiums to use state disaster relief grants to pay for shared building costs damaged by a disaster. It also updates the rules for applying to the state for money to build, repair, or maintain municipal harbor facilities. To qualify for harbor funding, local governments must match half the project cost with specific local taxes, maintain insurance, and install safety ladders on their floating docks. The changes regarding harbor grants and safety ladders take effect on July 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow the Alaska Railroad Corporation to issue up to $135 million in revenue bonds to fund the construction of a new passenger dock and terminal in Seward. The new facility is required to be capable of handling vessels from the Alaska Marine Highway System, and the funds can be used to cover related costs such as debt service and interest. Repayment for the bonds would come specifically from the revenue generated by the dock, without pledging the general credit of the railroad or the state. Although the legislation was passed by the legislature, it was vetoed by the Governor.
Maddy summaryThis Alaska House Joint Resolution urges the United States Congress to repeal two specific provisions of the federal Social Security Act: the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. These provisions currently reduce Social Security benefits for public employees and teachers in Alaska who cannot earn Social Security credits while working in state or school systems. The resolution highlights that these rules disproportionately lower monthly payments for low-earning workers and may discourage people from joining the public workforce. The bill is a non-binding request to federal lawmakers, not a law that changes state policy itself.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates the state's laws regarding criminal mischief in the third degree by adjusting damage thresholds and adding specific protections for cemeteries and religious sites. Under the new rules, intentionally damaging property worth $750 or more is a crime, while recklessly creating a risk of over $100,000 in damage using dangerous means is also punishable. The legislation specifically criminalizes defacing or damaging cemeteries, removing human remains, and harming property used for religious worship or education, regardless of whether the site appears abandoned. It also establishes an affirmative defense for employees of cemeteries or religious organizations who were performing authorized duties at the time of the alleged offense. These changes take effect immediately upon signing.