Rep. Will Stapp

Maddy summaryHB 314 defines "project costs" for construction, airport projects, and other infrastructure to explicitly include interior design services, studies, surveys, administrative expenses, and financing costs. It extends the termination date of Alaska's State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors from 2025 to 2033 and revises the board's composition to require one registered interior designer as a voting member. The bill also sets a monthly salary for the board's executive administrator and mandates that the department collect performance statistics for the board and its staff. These changes directly affect registered interior designers, architects, engineers, and the state's regulatory oversight process.

Maddy summaryHB 14 would repeal two medical assistance programs in Alaska: one providing coverage for catastrophic illnesses and another for chronic or acute medical conditions. The bill removes all references to these programs from state law by amending statutes related to medical assistance administration. This action would directly end eligibility for Alaskans currently enrolled in these specific healthcare assistance programs. The bill focuses solely on repealing the programs’ legal framework, not on creating new benefits or altering existing healthcare rules.

Maddy summaryHB 278 establishes the Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission within the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. The commission, composed of five governor-appointed members serving two-year terms, aims to advance trade, investment, and academic exchanges between Alaska and Ireland. It must submit a report to the legislature by the 35th session's first meeting detailing its activities and recommendations. This procedural bill creates a new state body to foster economic partnerships without changing existing laws or imposing new taxes.

Maddy summarySB 23 requires Alaska public high schools to implement a standardized civics curriculum covering U.S. and Alaska government, founding documents, citizenship rights, and global governance systems. Students must complete a semester-long civics course and pass two assessments: a 100-question test based on the U.S. citizenship exam and a civics project-based assessment to earn a high school diploma. The bill directly affects all Alaska public high school students, with exemptions for transfers after 10th grade, students with prior history credits, or those with disability waivers. Schools must document passing scores on transcripts and may allow retakes for the assessment.

Maddy summaryHB 258 creates a statewide fund to help low-income Alaskans spay or neuter their pets and manage feral cat and dog populations. The fund, financed by fees from special pet owner license plates, donations, and federal/private grants, reimburses veterinarians, shelters, or clinics up to 80% of costs for spay/neuter surgeries or vaccinations for pets owned by households earning ≤130% of federal poverty guidelines. It also allows municipalities to use the program for trapping, spaying/neutering, and vaccinating feral animals under local ordinances. The Department of Environmental Conservation must report annually on program use and funding, and promote public awareness about pet population control. This bill directly affects pet owners, animal service providers, and local governments managing feral animal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 202 designates giant cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) as Alaska's official state vegetable. The bill amends state code to formally include this designation and takes effect immediately upon enactment. This is a symbolic measure with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on residents or state programs.

Maddy summaryHB 299 creates a veteran sentencing program in Alaska for eligible veterans facing misdemeanor charges. It requires law enforcement to ask arrested individuals about veteran status and mandates courts to inform defendants about the program at their first court appearance. Eligible veterans - those with military-related mental or physical conditions contributing to their offense - may have their convictions set aside or misdemeanor charges reduced under court-approved terms. The bill amends Alaska's criminal procedure rules to establish this pathway, directly affecting veterans who qualify under these criteria.

Maddy summaryHJR 14 is a symbolic resolution expressing legislative support for two key rail projects: the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension (connecting Port MacKenzie to Houston/Delta Junction) and the Northern Rail Extension (to Fort Greely). It encourages the Alaska Railroad to adopt a community-focused approach for future expansions and supports developing Arctic infrastructure. The resolution does not fund or mandate these projects but highlights their potential benefits, including reduced transportation costs for mining/agriculture, improved energy resilience, and better military logistics at Fort Greely. It reflects Alaska's strategic interest in Arctic infrastructure development.

Maddy summaryHB 77 amends Alaska's theft statute to specifically classify the theft of mail or items within mail as "theft in the second degree." This directly affects individuals who steal physical mail (letters, packages, or items inside mail) from post offices, mailboxes, or after delivery to authorized locations. The bill defines "mail" broadly to include USPS-delivered items with postage, placed in authorized depositories or given to postal employees. Key provisions include criminalizing the theft of mail from post offices, mail receptacles, or after delivery, and adding "mail" as a new category under second-degree theft. The law applies to all mail covered by USPS delivery standards, not just commercial parcels.

Maddy summaryHB 255 creates two new funds: a senior citizen grants endowment fund and a senior citizen grants dividend raffle fund. It authorizes using Alaska's permanent fund dividends (annual payments to residents) to provide grants to organizations supporting seniors and to fund entries into a senior citizen raffle. The bill also amends the state's gambling definition to explicitly exclude these permanent fund dividend raffles from being classified as gambling. This directly affects senior citizens by redirecting existing dividend payments toward support services and a raffle program, while clarifying the legal status of the raffle.