Claman-AKMatters

This week, the House and Senate met in Joint Session three times: to hear the annual Legislative addresses from U.S. Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and to vote on the Governor’s executive order to create a Department of Agriculture. Read on for more information.

This week, the House passed House Bill 69, which will increase education funding. The House approved several amendments in the House Rules Committee and on the House Floor. A bipartisan group of representatives passed the bill 24-16. It raises the Base Student Allocation by $1,000 and contains policy changes for public and charter schools.

Dear Friends and Neighbors, Last week, Senate President Gary Stevens and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon sent a joint letter to Alaska’s Congressional Delegation urging them to block cuts to federal programs and grants in Alaska.

The State is facing a budget shortfall of over $536 million over the next two years. Meanwhile, our public schools are in dire need of additional funding and many federal grants and loans may be disappearing. The Legislature is considering how to balance our state’s budget with multiple challenges. Read on for some of the

Last week, Chief Justice Susan Carney addressed the Legislature in the annual State of the Judiciary address. Recalling United States Chief Justice John Roberts’ visit to Alaska, our nation is best when all three branches of government -the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary – are independent and strong.

Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope your day includes time with loved ones and good chocolate.

Happy Black History Month! This year, the theme of Black History Month 2025 is “African Americans and Labor.”

I’m pleased to be a part of a bipartisan Senate majority with 14 members. And with a tripartisan majority in the House, it is the first time we’ve had two moderate majorities since 1981!

On Tuesday, we gaveled in for the 1st Session of the 34th Legislature. 2025 marks my 11th year serving in the Alaska Legislature, and public service continues to be a true honor. We hope you will stay engaged with our office throughout the legislative session. We look forward to working with you to make West

Happy New Year! As we enter 2025, the light is returning and our office is gearing up for the 34th legislative session. We hope to see you at our pre-session constituent meeting on January 14th to hear your concerns and priorities for the new session.