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Hello
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The
Legislature adjourned its regular legislative session last week,
concluding the second year of the 34th Alaska Legislature.
This year my staff and I worked on a number of bills and issues that
would benefit Kenai Peninsula residents.
Ten
separate pieces of legislation that I sponsored passed the
Legislature this year in some form, whether as a stand-alone bill or
incorporated into another bill. You can read more on these bills
below. I’ll provide information in future newsletters about the AKLNG
project as well as the operating and capital budgets that the
Legislature approved for Fiscal Year 2027.
One
of the issues I worked on this Session was ensuring the State doesn’t
leverage more of the cost for K12 education on to Borough taxpayers.
Rising property values on the Kenai means less money from the State
for Kenai Peninsula schools. The state lowers funding to our district
when property values rise, expecting district residents to pay more
taxes to fill the gap.
I
was successful in getting an amendment into House Bill 28, a bill
regarding education funding, that prevents the required local
contribution from a school district increasing more than four percent
over the prior year’s required contribution. This brings
predictability to education funding and less upward pressure on your
property taxes.
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
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Supporting
East Side Set Netters
For
more than ten years, east side set-netters have been working on a
solution to the reduced number of openings in their fishery. I
introduced Senate Bill 158 to direct the CFEC to create a new
administrative area that consists of the six statistical areas which
make up the uniquely regulated Cook Inlet East Side Set Net fishery.
Within this new administrative area permit holders will be able to
decide if they would like to participate in a voluntary fleet
reduction. SB 158 passed the Senate unanimously. I worked with
the sponsor of HB 117 to combine our bills in the Senate. HB 117
passed the Senate with the set net language on-board and this change
was approved by the House.
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Taking
care of our shores
Alaska's
coastlines, including those along the Kenai Peninsula, are marred by
marine debris that we didn't create. My resolution, Senate Joint
Resolution 20, which passed the Legislature unanimously, urges
Alaska’s Congressional Delegation to advocate for increased federal
funding to support marine debris cleanup, backhaul, prevention, and
education. Federal agencies like NOAA and the EPA have helped clean
up marine debris in Alaska and supported backhaul efforts to bring
trash from coastal rural Alaska communities for proper disposal. More
funding is needed to continue these efforts to protect our coastlines
and waters.
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Supporting
Alaska’s agriculture industry
This
year I was able to pass two farm bills.
Farming
and economic opportunity is being lost because the State’s
agricultural leasing program is broken. I introduced Senate Bill 208
to get more state land into farm production through a commonsense
leasing program and ensure land sold for agriculture is purchased by
people who have viable farm plans.
Supporting
and expanding Alaska's agricultural sector is essential to increasing
in-state food production. Non‑food agricultural operations play a
critical role, as they help maintain the supply chains, services, and
economies of scale that food‑producing farms depend on to remain
viable. I sponsored Senate Bill 200 to expand the municipal property
tax deferral for farms to include S Corporation farms and operations
that don’t produce food for people, such as peony growers.
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Improving
Alaskan’s insurance coverage
Travel
disruptions can have serious consequences. I introduced Senate Bill
244 to ensure Alaskans are protected from scam insurance companies
who don’t pay up when travel plans fail, and insurance claims are
made. SB 244 passed the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and was
heard in the Senate Transportation Committee. HB 302, the companion
bill, incorporated changes we worked on in SB 244 with stakeholders
and passed the Legislature.
The
Senate unanimously passed my bill, Senate Bill 185, which lowers
costs by allowing insurers to cover preventative tools and programs
that would make the person or their property less costly to insure.
This would include offering things for free like smoke detectors and
carbon monoxide sensors for your home or wellness programs and heart
rate monitors for you or your family members. SB 185 was incorporated
into HB 302.
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Helping
Alaskans know what to do in an emergency
Senate
Bill 192, which I sponsored, will standardize a “Ready, Set, Go”
approach to emergency communications across the state with
corresponding green, yellow, and red color coding. This will ensure
that the public will get clear and easy to understand instructions on
when to prepare to leave and when to go in an emergency. SB 192
passed the Legislature unanimously.
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Supporting
the work of oversight boards
The
Big Game Commercial Services Board plays an important role in the
management of commercial game hunters in the interest of the State’s
wildlife resources. The Board of Dental Examiners is essential to
licensing and regulating dentists, dental examiners, and dental
assistants. Both of these volunteer boards will benefit from having
dedicated executive administrators that can support their work and
carry institutional knowledge as board members transition in and out.
Senate Bill 29, which I sponsored and which passed the Legislature,
puts in place administrators paid for by the licensing fees from
these regulated industries.
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Securely
paying Alaska’s workers
I
sponsored Senate Bill 79 through the Senate Labor and Commerce
Committee to make it easier for employees to avoid check cashing fees
when they don’t have a bank account. The bill, which passed the
Legislature, allows employers to use wage cards that employees can
use like debit cards to withdraw cash or pay at stores and other
locations.
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