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Below, we highlight four pieces of legislation sponsored by my office. To view the full list of legislation that our offices sponsors, please visit the Alaska State Legislature's website.
Senate Bill 44: Minors & Psychiatric Hospitals
Senate Bill 44 would increase transparency and parental oversight of Alaskan children who are placed in psychiatric hospitals. The 2022 Department of Justice report found reasonable cause to believe that the State of Alaska violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide community-based services to children with behavioral health disabilities, relying instead on segregated, institutional settings, specifically psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric residential treatment facilities. This finding comes at the conclusion of the Department’s investigation into whether Alaska subjects children with behavioral health disabilities to unnecessary institutionalization in violation of Title II of the ADA.
SB 44 proposes four reforms to reduce the risk of abuse, strengthen family connections, and improve the transparency of Alaska’s psychiatric hospitals. First, the bill ensures that minors in psychiatric hospitals can maintain communication with their parents or legal guardians while institutionalized. Second, the bill requires unannounced, thorough inspections of psychiatric hospitals by state public health officials twice annually. Third, the bill ensures that facilities are transparent about the use of seclusion and restraint. The bill also requires Alaska Department of Health to write and release a report to the Legislature with data from the psychiatric hospitals that hold minors.
Senate Bill 73: Marijuana Tax
The current marijuana excise tax places an undue burden on an industry that is overwhelmingly comprised of small, Alaskan-owned businesses. Currently, marijuana is taxed at $50 per ounce at the wholesale level. The statute applies lower rates to lower grades of the plant: immature or abnormal bud is taxed at $25, and all other parts are taxed at $15. There is currently no enforcement mechanism to determine which tax rate applies to different parts of the plant. As a result, marijuana tax revenue peaked at nearly $30 million in 2022, but has declined since then.
Senate Bill 73 eliminates the multiple tiers of taxation and establishes a single tax rate at $12 per ounce. This bill closes a loophole and ensures that all product is taxed equally and fairly.
SB 73 also re-establishes the Alaska Small Business C-Corporation Income Tax Exemption that expired in 2023. This tax exemption applies to all small businesses with less than $50 million in gross assets.
Senate Bill 83: Telehealth Pay Parity
Senate Bill 83 will require that health care insurers in the State of Alaska reimburse health care services provided using telehealth at the same rate as in-person services. This legislation centers on the principle of pay parity, ensuring providers receive equivalent compensation for delivery of comparable care, regardless of whether it’s provided in person or remotely using technology.
Many physicians who have implemented telehealth in their practices continue to provide care in-person. Providers may be disincentivized to offer telehealth services without pay parity, which could limit patient choice and potentially exacerbate existing health disparities. Pay parity ensures that providers can continue to dedicate the necessary resources to deliver high-quality telehealth services.
Senate Joint Resolution 2: 2/3 Veto Override
Senate Joint Resolution 2 proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska. If placed on the ballot by this resolution and approved by the voters, it would change the requirement to override a veto on revenue and appropriation bills from three-fourths of the Legislature to two-thirds of the Legislature in joint session. If SJR 2 passes the Legislature, it will put the resolution on the ballot for registered Alaskan voters to consider in the next general election.
According to Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide published by the Legislative Affairs Agency, “[f]ew other states make the distinction between a bill dealing with substantive law and an appropriation bill.” Alaska may be the only state that has a three-fourths requirement to override the Governor’s veto on revenue and appropriation matters.
Amending this provision in our constitution will strengthen the Legislature and improve the public’s ability to influence executive and legislative decisions on revenue matters.
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