House and Senate Approve Public Education Bill

Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage

April 12, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

On Friday afternoon, the Senate passed House Bill 69 with a $1,000 increase to the Base Student Allocation. The House approved the same legislation soon after the Senate vote. The legislation now goes to Governor Dunleavy for his consideration. There is more work to be done to support public education in Alaska.

Read on for more legislative updates.

Increasing the Base Student Allocation

House Bill 69

House Bill 69, sponsored by Representative Rebecca Himschoot, raises the Base Student Allocation by $1,000. We have received hundreds of emails expressing concern for public education funding and support for increasing the Base Student Allocation (BSA). Earlier versions of the bill contained education policy changes, including reforms to correspondence schooling, school choice, and limiting cell phone use in schools. To read more about the bill that passed the House, read our earlier e-news here. The Senate Education Committee made revisions and changes to the education policy provisions. And this week, the Senate Finance Committee removed the policy change provisions in the bill and kept the $1,000 BSA increase.

On Friday, the Senate passed the bill 11-9. Later the same day, the House concurred with the changes by a vote of 21-16. Next, HB 69 goes to the Governor, who has indicated he will likely veto it. As the legislative process moves forward, both the House and Senate will be working with Governor on public education in Alaska.

Public education is our best investment in Alaska's future.

Photo uploaded by the Anchorage Daily News.

Legislation Highlights

Today is the 82nd day of the 2025 Legislative session. While our first constitutional priority is to pass a balanced budget, there is good legislation moving through the Legislature. Below are three bills from Senate Majority members that we've been working on.

Senate Bill 15

Senate Bill 15, sponsored by Senator Kelly Merrick, would allow young adults over the age of 18 to serve alcohol in restaurants. Currently, a person can only serve alcohol if they are 21 years or older. Alaska is one of only three states that require servers to be 21 to serve alcohol. Amid workforce shortages in every industry, we need to provide Alaska's young adults with good-paying jobs and opportunities for professional development.

The bill ensures responsible supervision of young adults serving alcohol and requires posting updated warning language in bars and restaurants.

SB 15 passed the Senate 19-0 and the House 32-8. The bill is before the Governor for his consideration.

Senate Bill 28

Senate Bill 28, sponsored by Senator Cathy Giessel, addresses Alaska’s public workforce challenges with recruitment and retention through establishing a new defined benefit retirement plan for police officers and firefighters, teachers, and all other public employees. Alaska is in the midst of an acute employee shortage that has crippled our state agencies and impacted our ability to deliver essential services.

This bill establishes a pension for public employees, moving away from the current 401-K style defined contribution system and towards defined benefits. Establishing a pension system encourages our public employees to stay in their jobs by giving them a dignified retirement option.

The bill is currently in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.

Senate Bill 73

Senate Bill 73, sponsored by my office, reforms Alaska's wholesale tax on marijuana. The current tax rate of $50 per ounce is the highest marijuana tax rate in the country and is pushing licensed marijuana businesses toward the unlicensed, black market for marijuana. Voters approved this tax rate in the ballot measure that legalized marijuana in 2014. Over time, however, this highest-in-the-nation tax rate is leading to closure of small, Alaskan-owned businesses as they struggle to compete with a thriving black market.

SB 73 lowers the wholesale tax rate from $50 per ounce to $12 per ounce, which aligns with recommendations from the Governor's Marijuana Advisory Task Force.

The bill also re-establishes the Alaska corporate income tax exemption for small businesses making less than $50 million in gross assets, which expired in 2023.

This bill is currently in the Senate Finance Committee.

Community Information

Chugach Electric Community Solar

Enrollment is open in Alaska’s first community solar program. Offered by Chugach Electric Association, Inc., the program gives members a chance to voluntarily subscribe to solar panels from a solar facility built and operated by Chugach. Chugach Community Solar is a 500-kilowatt (kW) AC, four-acre project with 1,560 bifacial panels. The project is located next to Chugach’s Retherford Substation in South Anchorage, about a half mile south of the Dimond Center.

The program provides members with the option to pay a subscription fee to receive solar energy output from 1 to 20 panels and have the energy from those panels credited to their bill. Each solar panel subscription costs $9.21 per month, and each panel is anticipated to generate 399 kilowatt hours in year one. After one year, members can choose to end their subscription at any time. The project is expected to start producing power in the summer of 2025.

The community solar program gives those who can’t or don’t want to put solar panels on their property the opportunity to participate in a solar project. If there is more interest than panels available, Chugach will hold a lottery to determine who receives a subscription. Those not chosen will be put on a waiting list.

For more information and the enrollment form, please go to Chugach’s website: https://www.chugachelectric.com/energy-solutions/chugach-community-solar

Open Call for Youth Advisory Commission

Enrollment Mayor LaFrance announced an open call for Youth Advisory Commission members, ages 14 to 22. The goal of the commission is to provide insight to City Hall and the Assembly on issues, services, and programs affecting youth.

To read more and apply, visit the Municipality's website here: http://www.muni.org/Departments/Mayor/PressReleases/Pages/Mayor-LaFrance-opens-call-for-Youth-Advisory-Commission-members.aspx

Community Events

Anchorage Citywide Cleanup

When: Saturday, April 12th - 7:30 pm

Where: Sullivan Arena

Come learn about the Anchorage Chamber Citywide Cleanup presented by Matson!

How to win prizes in the Matson Giveaway, where to get bags, and how to clean up our city during May!

For more information, click here.

Heart Beat of the Drums

When: May 3rd, 11am - 2pm

Where: 2612 Eagle St, Anchorage, AK 99503

The Heart Beat of the Drums event, held on May 3, 2025, is a celebration of Indigenous culture and resilience, focused on raising awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S+) crisis. This community gathering will bring together Alaskans for a powerful day of cultural performances, music, and meaningful conversation. The event will also serve as a space for community connection and healing, highlighting the importance of honoring our people through cultural expression and solidarity.

Partners:

MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group

Southcentral Foundation (SCF)

This event is free and open to the public, and we encourage all to attend, participate, and contribute to this important gathering. Let us unite to honor the heartbeat of our drums, ancestors, and communities. For more information, click here.