Sen. Jesse Bjorkman

Maddy summarySB 151 requires Alaska public schools serving grades K-8 to adopt policies allowing students with live head lice to stay in class until the end of the school day but return only after a school nurse confirms no lice. Schools must provide parents with treatment information when lice is detected. The state would reimburse districts 20% of costs for school nurses if they screen at least 95% of students annually (while protecting privacy), submit required reports, and meet other specified conditions. This bill directly affects K-8 students, families, and school districts in Alaska.

Maddy summarySB 11 creates the Alaska Flood Authority, a nonprofit organization made up of all property insurers licensed in Alaska, and establishes the Alaska Flood Insurance Fund. The bill directly affects property insurers (who must join the Authority) and Alaskans seeking flood insurance coverage. Key provisions require flood insurance rates to prioritize historical flood damage data and mandate the Authority to work toward increasing flood insurance availability in the state. The bill amends insurance rate regulations to ensure flood insurance pricing reflects actual past flood risks, rather than broader general insurance factors.

Maddy summarySB 189 requires employers with 50 or more employees in Alaska to provide paid sick leave, mandating 1 hour of leave for every 30 hours worked (capped at 56 hours annually). Smaller employers (fewer than 15 employees) must offer 1 hour per 30 hours worked but are capped at 40 hours annually. The leave can be used for personal illness, family care, preventative health, or safety-related needs like domestic violence, and accrues from hire or July 1, 2025, carrying over yearly. Employers with existing paid leave policies meeting these standards are exempt from providing additional leave.

Maddy summaryThis Alaska bill (SB 15) amends licensing rules for businesses selling alcohol, directly affecting restaurants, theaters, and seasonal eateries. It requires these establishments to ensure adequate supervision to prevent underage access to alcohol, including specific rules for minors aged 16-20: they may only enter for dining (with parental consent for under-16s), and employees aged 16-20 must be supervised to prevent them from obtaining alcohol. The bill also shortens permitted alcohol service hours at theaters from two hours before events to one hour before and during intermissions. These changes apply to all licensed food-and-beverage venues operating under Alaska’s alcohol regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 88) updates Alaska's foster care and adoption processes to better protect children's well-being. It requires the child welfare agency to give advance notice of nonemergency placement transfers to foster parents, children, and others, and allows foster parents to request hearings with evidence to oppose transfers. Foster parents gain the right to access a child's medical records upon request and can make everyday decisions using a "reasonable and prudent parent" standard (like arranging school activities). The bill also mandates that the agency search for family placements before changing foster care and requires locating adult family members before finalizing adoptions, prioritizing kinship care when possible. These changes directly affect children in foster care, foster parents, adoption agencies, and tribal representatives.

Maddy summarySB 28 allows certain teachers and public employees in Alaska to choose between the traditional defined benefit retirement plan (a guaranteed pension) and a defined contribution plan (similar to a 401(k)) under the state's retirement systems. It specifically applies to teachers who joined after June 30, 2006, but before July 1, 2025, or those who previously elected into the defined contribution plan. To switch, employees must provide written notice to administrators and ensure employer/employee contributions are adjusted to match the defined benefit plan requirements. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025, with provisions detailing how contributions and service credit would be handled.

Maddy summarySB 30 allows disabled veterans who served in the U.S. military to receive a lifetime permit for free access to state park developed campgrounds, parking, and restrooms in Alaska. The bill replaces the previous annual permit system with a permanent permit that automatically renews every five years upon address confirmation. It directly affects eligible disabled veterans by removing annual fees for these recreational facilities. The permit becomes effective January 1, 2026, and requires the department to report annual permit usage to the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 65 authorizes the Alaska Railroad Corporation to issue up to $135 million in revenue bonds to replace the passenger dock and terminal facility in Seward, Alaska. The project must accommodate marine highway vessels with side-loading doors, and bonds will be repaid solely from dock revenue, not state funds. This bill directly affects the Alaska Railroad Corporation and the Seward facility, enabling infrastructure upgrades without using general state credit. The bill was signed into law on March 6, 2025, and took effect March 7, 2025.

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 summarySB 147 updates Alaska's workers' compensation system by strengthening reemployment rights and establishing a new stay-at-work program to help injured employees return to their jobs. The bill requires the state administrator to enforce quality standards for rehabilitation specialists and mandates detailed annual reports on program costs, timelines, and participant outcomes. It also introduces specific rules for determining eligibility for reemployment benefits based on how long an employee is unable to work due to injury. Additionally, the legislation addresses PTSD claim presumptions, modifies the workers' compensation benefits guaranty fund, and makes changes to the Alaska senior benefits payment program.