Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson

Maddy summarySB 21 establishes Alaska's Work and Save Program, allowing residents receiving the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) to automatically contribute portions of their PFD payment to retirement savings. The bill creates the Alaska Retirement Savings Board to oversee the program and requires employers without retirement plans to facilitate employee enrollment. Key provisions include automatic enrollment at a default contribution rate, optional annual increases, and a 7% administrative fee (not deducted from PFD payments). The program directly affects PFD recipients and private-sector employees in Alaska who lack employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Maddy summarySB 24 raises Alaska's minimum age to purchase, possess, or exchange tobacco products, electronic smoking devices, and nicotine products from 19 to 21 years. It prohibits individuals under 21 from possessing these products, with exceptions for FDA-approved nicotine cessation products prescribed by a healthcare professional or provided through state-approved programs. The bill also updates rules for vending machines in licensed businesses and includes provisions related to funding for tobacco education and cessation programs and taxation of electronic smoking products.

Maddy summarySB 167 allows Alaskans denied a permanent fund dividend due to a criminal conviction to receive back payments if their conviction is overturned (set aside or reversed) and either the charges are dismissed or they are retried and found not guilty. To qualify, individuals must apply within one year of the dismissal or not guilty verdict, with a special one-year window after the bill's effective date for those who had these events before the law passed. The bill also updates the dividend calculation method to include payments for these individuals in annual computations, ensuring they receive the dividends they were previously denied due to their conviction status.

Maddy summarySB 41 requires Alaska public schools (K-12) to include mental health education in health curricula, mandating that school districts notify parents at least two weeks before any mental health instruction begins. It directs the state Board of Education to develop guidelines for age-appropriate mental health education in collaboration with health departments, tribal organizations, and mental health groups. The bill also expands existing health education requirements to explicitly include mental health topics and creates a state school health specialist position to coordinate curriculum development and teacher training. This directly affects all public school students, parents (who gain notification rights), and school districts tasked with implementing the new requirements.

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 summaryThis bill changes Alaska's regulations for physician assistants (PAs). It requires PAs with less than 4,000 hours of postgraduate clinical experience to maintain a written collaborative agreement with a physician, detailing oversight methods, competency assessments, and specialty training. The agreement must specify specialties the PA is learning and allows telehealth oversight for PAs in remote areas. Additionally, the bill mandates that PA applicants graduate from American Medical Association-accredited programs and updates the State Medical Board to include one licensed PA member.

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 summaryHJR 28 is a resolution passed by the Alaska State Legislature calling on the U.S. Congress to enact the Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1748). It does not create new laws but urges federal action to protect minors under 17 from online risks like harmful content, addictive design, and excessive data collection. The resolution highlights that S. 1748 would require online platforms to implement default privacy settings, parental controls, and restrictions on targeting children with ads or data tracking. Alaska’s resolution directly affects children and teens using websites, apps, and social media by advocating for federal safeguards. This is a procedural resolution, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryThis Alaska legislative resolution (HJR 20) calls on the U.S. Congress to establish two specific hiring goals for Department of Defense (DoD) construction projects: requiring that at least 10% of workers on these projects be in apprenticeship programs, and that at least 10% of those apprentices be veterans. It directly addresses veterans transitioning to civilian careers by targeting employment opportunities in military construction, which involves $18 billion in annual funding. The resolution urges Congress to pass legislation mandating these requirements for contractors and subcontractors on all domestic DoD construction projects. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses Alaska's support for veterans' employment without creating new federal law.

Maddy summaryHB 48 updates funding rules for Alaska's civil legal services fund, which provides legal aid to low-income residents. The bill limits annual appropriations to funds from the general state budget and up to 10% of court filing fees collected in the previous fiscal year (reducing the prior cap from 25%). It specifies that funds must support organizations serving individuals with incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. The bill clarifies the fund remains part of the general state budget, not a dedicated account, and does not create new funding sources.