I hope to see you at my Town Hall meeting with Representative Justin Ruffridge on Saturday February 25 at the Kenai Borough Assembly Chambers at 10 am. Please come to hear the latest news from Juneau and share your questions and ideas.

One of my goals when I came to Juneau was to help address the high cost of healthcare. The 80th percentile rule sets a floor on the amount that health insurers must pay to out-of-network providers. The rule was intended to protect Alaska patients from surprise billing but has instead caused health care costs to go up. The Alaska Division of Insurance is proposing to repeal this regulation and is seeking public comment.

The Alaska Reads Act creates accountability through regular assessments of how well students are learning to read. The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has drafted regulations to implement the requirements of the Act, including a statewide screening tool to assess student reading skills. Learn more and provide your comments at the Department's website.

Alaska’s skilled crafts and tradespeople told the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee that their industries are struggling to find qualified employees. My goal is enhancing workforce training opportunities to help put Alaskans to work and fill these important positions in Alaska’s workforce.

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