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The 33rd Alaska State Legislature has adjourned “sine die.” The two-year Legislature concluded with the passage of several bills that will benefit Alaskans, a capital budget that includes $98.2 million for the Kenai Peninsula, and a $1,655 dividend this year with the possibility of increased energy relief check next fall.
My family and I feel blessed to be safely back home on the Kenai Peninsula! It was great to see so many people out at the Kenai Little league opening ceremonies, the Hope Community Resources Walk and Roll for Hope, the Kenai Peninsula Archers Annual Meeting, and the Kenai Peninsula Chapter of Safari Club International Banquet this weekend! As we begin to swing into a new season, here are a few of the things the Legislature accomplished this session. In the coming weeks we will provide more information on our accomplishments and remaining opportunities. All of the bills discussed below are now on their way to the Governor for his signature.
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I was proud to successfully amend HB 202 on behalf of homeschool families. My amendment ensures that homeschooling is protected and supported. The allotment program will continue through next school year. I recognize the value of this homeschool funding for college classes, physical education, and fine arts, all of which benefit our local businesses and vendors. My amendment to HB 202 directs the Board of Education to develop and implement regulations for allotments and individual learning plans that are consistent with the Constitution.
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I introduced two bills to reduce taxes for hard working Alaskans: SB 161 improves the program that provides property tax breaks to farmers and SB 179 prohibits local governments from adding transfer taxes to the sale of houses and other real property. SB 179 was the vehicle that passed the Legislature, and the language from SB 161 passed as an amendment to SB 179. Two other pieces of legislation were added to my bill before it passed: legislation that allows municipalities to defer taxes on property used for economic development, and improvements to the required assessor qualifications and property tax appeals process. All four of these ideas were included in the final version of SB 179.
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This session I was proud to work on a package of bills to help injured Alaskan workers that passed the Legislature with SB 147. Alaska’s statistics on getting injured workers back on the job are dismal. We need to do better to get those individuals back to work for their benefit and the benefit of our economy, which already struggles with worker shortages.
I introduced SB 183 to improve how the fiscal-year-end balances are managed for the Workers’ Compensation Benefits Guaranty Fund to better ensure injured workers receive timely payments. This language was added to Senate Bill 147, which would update Alaska’s workers’ compensation laws to extend the deadline for required eligibility evaluations to give employees more time for recovery and save the cost of repeat evaluations.
Before the bill passed, we also added language from SB 206 to create a voluntary stay-at-work/return-to-work program. This program allows the Workers’ Compensation Division to assist employers and injured employees in communicating, implementing, and completing a plan for continued employment. It keeps the employee in the same job or a modified job with the same employer, gets people back to some form of work faster, and reduces worker acquisition costs.
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SB 121, which I co-sponsored, makes prescription prices more transparent and ensures Alaskans have access to the prescriptions they need. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) often prevent Alaskans from getting timely access to necessary, even lifesaving, prescriptions. In many other states, investigations have shown that PBMs drive up the cost of medications and don’t compensate local pharmacies fairly – driving them out of business. SB 121 gives the Director of the Division of Insurance oversight over PBMs operating in Alaska and the ability to observe their internal cost-setting practices.
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My bill SB 215 to provide salary bonuses to teachers who achieve National Board Certification passed the legislature by being amended into HB 230. Attracting and retaining skilled, experienced educators is crucial to ensuring Alaska’s students get the quality education that they deserve. HB 230 also removes the statutory limit on the number of years of out-of-state experience that can be counted when determining a teacher’s salary and allows retired teachers to return more quickly to the classroom as long-term substitute teachers.
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I am thankful that SB 174 passed the Legislature unanimously on May 10. I introduced the bill to establish the Honor and Remember and Honor and Sacrifice flags in state law so that they can be flown at public buildings. I believe it’s important to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country or while protecting public safety on a local police or firefighting force. With this bill and by flying these flags we honor the memory of the fallen and their families.
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