I introduced SB 87 this week to allow sawmill operators here on the Kenai and around the state to become certified to grade and sell specified grades of dimensional lumber for use in residential construction. This will create economic opportunities for small businesses, and will allow Peninsula residents to take advantage of our abundant timber supplies. It will also encourage higher value-added use of materials harvested from forest thinning and hazardous fuels reduction projects that would otherwise be piled and burned. Learn more by visiting www.senatorbjorkman.com

 

 

Kenai Peninsula homebuilders Jeff Twait, David Bunts, and Amber Goggia visited my office to talk about safe and reliable home construction, workforce development and their enthusiastic support for the local use lumber bill. 

 

Kenai Peninsula residents Maggie Winston, Joyanna Geisler, Maddie Morris, and Sally Adams all came down to Juneau to visit my office. They shared similar information regarding the need to support and expand our caregiver workforce to provide care for those who need it, and to provide backup for current caregivers.

 

 

Apply for the PFD! The March 31 deadline is fast approaching. Apply online at mypfd.alaska.gov. Paper applications are available at the Kenai Legislative Information Office, 145 Main Street Loop Suite 217, and other locations on the Kenai. LIO staff are happy to certify your documents and help you apply online.

 

 

It was great to be back in the district on Saturday. Thank you to all the people who came out to the town hall meeting, I was glad for the opportunity to hear your ideas and answer questions. I rounded out the weekend by stopping by Soldotna's The Goods + Sustainable Grocery for a delicious lunch.

 

 

March 6 is the deadline to comment on the Alaska Division of Insurance's proposal to repeal the 80th percentile rule. This rule sets a floor on the amount that health insurers must pay to out-of-network providers. It was intended to protect Alaska patients from surprise billing but has instead caused health care costs to go up. 

 

 

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