Starting with the first bills prefiled in the 33rd Alaska State Legislature, the Alaska Beacon is aiming to write brief summaries of each bill, resolution and constitutional amendment as it’s introduced. Here's their latest update.
The Alaska State Capitol is seen on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. Each year, members of the Alaska Legislature introduce hundreds of bills. They’re all, alongside a bunch of other information, including who’s sponsored it, and as the bills get heard by legislative committees, more information about the bills gets added.
This is a big job — there were 686 bills introduced in the 32nd Legislature — but right now, we think it’s worthwhile. HB 8 – Bicycles with a backup electric motor would be regulated as bicycles, not mopeds or motorcycles.HB 10 – The University of Alaska would be required to take steps to reduce the cost of textbooks and course materials.
HB 20 – Members of the Board of Fish or the Board of Game wouldn’t be automatically excluded from debating or voting on issues because of conflicts of interest. HB 28 – Older marijuana conviction records would be removed from Courtview if they involve issues that became legal when the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014.
HB 32 – The Legislature would create a working group intended to increase oil and gas production in Alaska, and someone dissatisfied with a state administrative decision on an oil and gas issue can appeal to the Alaska Superior Court. HB 36 – Sponsors of a recall campaign or ballot measure would be required to reveal financial information even before the recall or measure is certified for the ballot.
HB 40 – This is the state’s capital budget for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining payments for construction and renovation projects across the state. HB 44 – The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development would be required to set up a program to help school districts incorporate local traditions and lifestyles into its public school curriculum.
HB 48 – The annual report by the state’s human rights commission wouldn’t be required until the 30th day of the legislative session, instead of the week before it begins. HB 52 – Hospitals and health care facilities would no longer be able to forbid patients from having someone with them in the hospital to support them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some patients died alone because of quarantine protocols to minimize the spread of the disease.
HB 56 – Veterinarians wouldn’t have to register with the controlled substance prescription database anymore. HB 60 – This would clean up the statutory language that split the Department of Health and Social Services into two separate departments last year. HB 66 – If someone dies because of illegal drugs, the drug dealer could be charged with second-degree murder, and if convicted, wouldn’t be eligible for “good time” parole.
HB 70 – Parking lots and stores owned by nonprofits would be exempt from taxes. Written to help a Fairbanks food bank with a property tax dispute, Tomaszewski said the bill is a work in progress. HB 74 – The rules around geothermal power projects would be updated in order to encourage development. HB 80 – This is a significant rewrite of the rules that govern who is mentally competent to stand trial in serious criminal cases.
HB 86 – The state would adopt the Uniform Money Transmission Modernization Act, a piece of model legislation that regulates cryptocurrency, money transfers by cellphone and other forms of cash transfer apps. HB 92 – The deductible paid by fishing vessel owners before they can access the state Fishermen’s Fund would rise to $10,000.
HB 97 – There would be rules for what happens if someone rents a self-storage unit and fails to pay the rent on time. HB 106 – The state would pay one-time bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 to teachers each year for the next three as a way to encourage them to stay in Alaska.HB 108 – Health insurance plans on the individual and group market place would be required to participate in a price comparison tool.HB 110 – The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp., instead of the Department of Revenue, would be in charge of distributing the Permanent Fund dividend.
HB 118 – Catalytic converter purchases by scrap dealers will be regulated and recorded in order to deter the theft and sale of converters.HB 120 – Nonresident students at Alaska colleges, universities and trade schools would be able to get special hunting, fishing and trapping licenses. HB 124 – Someone getting a commercial driver’s license wouldn’t be required to hold a regular driver’s license for a year before getting their commercial license.SENATE BILLS
SB 4 – Members of a legislative caucus would be barred from requiring other members to vote together on most issues as a condition of membership in the caucus. SB 8 – New medical facilities would no longer be required to obtain a certificate from the state declaring that there is a need for their services.
SB 13 – The University of Alaska would be required to take steps to reduce the cost of textbooks and course materials. SB 19 – The Alaska Division of Elections would be required to provide stamped return envelopes for absentee ballots, automatically check voters’ signatures, allow voters to fix their absentee ballot signature if there’s a problem and create a ballot-tracking system viewable by the public, and there would be tougher penalties for election-related crimes.
SB 25 – The Legislature’s finance division would be required to review inactive state funds and accounts and recommend which should be repealed. SB 39 – An employer would be required to post the wage, salary or salary range of a job when they advertise a vacancy and seek to hire someone.
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