Rep. Bryce Edgmon

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 summaryHJR 39 is a resolution passed by the Alaska State Legislature urging the federal government to waive a $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee for international educators hired by Alaska schools. It directly affects Alaska school districts - particularly rural and remote ones facing teacher shortages in subjects like math, science, and special education - who currently employ nearly 500 international educators. The resolution cites that the fee increase threatens to force schools to pay millions or lose needed teachers, impacting over 5,000 students currently without adequate staffing. This is a non-binding request to federal officials (including the President, Education Secretary, and Homeland Security Secretary), not a law that would change visa fees itself.

Maddy summaryHB 233 prohibits metallic sulfide mining (such as mining for gold, copper, or other metals from sulfide-bearing rock) within the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve watershed. The bill directly affects mining operations in this area, aiming to protect the region's salmon fisheries and water systems. Key provisions ban these specific mining activities to prevent pollution of rivers, groundwater, and aquatic habitats connected to Bristol Bay. This aligns with legislative findings that the watershed supports a $2.2 billion annual fishery economy, 15,000 jobs, and cultural practices of Alaska Native communities. The bill does not address other mining types or activities outside the designated watershed.

Maddy summaryHB 12 requires Alaska public school districts to provide free breakfast and lunch to any student who requests these meals, with no cost to the student. The state department of education must fund this through state appropriations and maximize federal funding available for school meals. This policy directly affects all Alaska public school students who request breakfast or lunch, ensuring meal access regardless of family income. The bill does not change eligibility criteria but mandates that districts offer these meals at no cost to students who ask for them.

Maddy summaryHB 43 amends Alaska's voter registration rules to require individuals registering within 30 days of an election to submit an affidavit verifying 30-day residency in both Alaska and their voting district, along with proof of address (like a utility bill or government document). This affects voters registering close to an election who must now provide additional documentation to qualify for an absentee, in-person, or special needs ballot. The bill changes deadlines for processing registration forms and limits same-day registrants to specific ballot types rather than standard voting. It directly impacts voters seeking to register late, adding verification steps for residency and address before they can cast a regular ballot.

Maddy summaryThis Alaska legislative resolution (HJR 24) urges the U.S. Congress to not rescind $1.1 billion in previously approved federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It directly affects Alaska's 27 public radio stations and four public television stations, which rely on CPB funds for over half their budgets in rural areas and provide essential services like emergency alerts and local news. The resolution cites that CPB funding costs U.S. taxpayers just $1.60 annually per person and supports stations serving 99% of the nation, including Alaska's Gavel Alaska government broadcasts. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change policy but formally requests Congress maintain this funding.

Maddy summaryHB 69 would increase Alaska's base student allocation from $5,960 to $6,960 per student for public school funding. This change directly affects all Alaska public school districts by raising the state's per-pupil funding amount. The bill specifies that the new rate would take effect on July 1, 2025. The legislation is a straightforward funding adjustment with no additional provisions or mechanisms beyond the dollar amount change. (Note: The bill was vetoed by the governor on April 22, 2025, and the veto was sustained.)

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.

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 requires Alaska public school districts to provide parents of deaf or hard-of-hearing students with unbiased information about various communication methods, such as sign language, cued speech, and listening and spoken language. It mandates that districts allow parents to choose the communication method they believe is best for their child and ensures that services are delivered by professionals trained in that specific method. Additionally, the law updates definitions for terms like "bilingual approach" and "total communication" to clarify how schools should support these students. The legislation also directs the state department to support residential programs for deaf students and outlines how school districts must manage special education responsibilities when placing students in these programs.