Senator.Jesse.Bjorkman@akleg.gov

(907) 283-7996

Hello!

Under our state constitution, grand juries have always had two important jobs: deciding whether criminal charges should move forward and independently investigating issues affecting public safety and welfare. Senate Bill 270, which I sponsored, would modernize Alaska statutes and court rules to ensure that grand juries can effectively fulfill both constitutional functions.

Senate Bill 270 gives individual grand jurors the ability to propose investigations — and if a majority agrees, those investigations move forward. It also creates a way for regular Alaskans to bring concerns directly to a grand jury for review.

Grand juries would be able to gather the information they need during investigations while still making sure that only solid, admissible evidence forms the basis of any criminal indictment. Due process protections would stay firmly in place.

Senate Bill 270 has its first hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 17^th at 3:30pm. If you would like to testify, you can go to the Legislative Information Office in Kenai, call 907-563-9085, or 1-844-586-9085. You can also testify by writing the Senate State Affairs Committee at Senate.State.Affairs@akleg.gov.

I am honored to be your effective advocate in Juneau. Please contact my office when you have ideas or concerns by calling 907-283-7996 or by email at sen.jesse.bjorkman@akleg.gov

2025 Caring for the Kenai contest winner Hannah Leatherman presented her idea for keeping winter roads safe to the Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday. Her proposal is to mix graphene nanoplatelets into asphalt to help keep Alaska’s roads free of black ice in the winter without having to use brine, which is hard on Alaska’s vehicles and our environment. 

Following her presentation, Hannah connected with staff from the Department of Transportation and will have conversations with them regarding future DOT studies into the feasibility of using graphene nanoplatelets in Alaska. 

Hannah also had the opportunity to serve as a guest page in the Senate on Friday!

This week Senate Bill 211, my bill to extend the sunset date for six State boards and commissions, will be heard in the Senate. These bills allow these professionals to have oversight of their industries and ensure Alaskans are well served by their professional licensees. The six boards and commissions in SB 211 are:

·     Board of Professional Counselors

·     Board of Marital and Family Therapy

·     Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners

·     Real Estate Commission

·     Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers

·     Board of Social Work Examiners

Travel disruptions—whether caused by weather, medical emergencies, or unforeseen events—can have serious financial and emotional consequences. I introduced Senate Bill 244 to ensure Alaskans are protected when purchasing travel insurance by allowing Alaska’s Division of Insurance to hold insurance companies accountable when claims are made. SB 244 has its first hearing in the Labor and Commerce Committee on Wednesday.

It was great to meet with Josh Bolling, a

student at Kenai Central High School. Josh has been appointed to the Alaska Board of Education in the Student Advisor seat, where I know he will do a great job providing insight on how the Board's policy decisions impact Alaska students. Congratulations Josh!

Senator Jesse Bjorkman | State Capitol Room 3 | Juneau, AK 99801-1182 US