Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

March 19, 2021

Emergency Declaration

The state's COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration expired on February 14. Now the legislature must act if we wish to extend the emergency declaration. Without the declaration, we cannot require mandatory testing at airports and we will lose $8 million/month in federal SNAP benefits to aid low-income Alaskans.

We already know that the emergency declaration has nothing to do mask mandates, restaurant and business closures, or hunker down orders. Rather, it is about giving our health care providers the tools they need to continue to test, treat, and vaccinate for COVID-19.

Click here to learn about the COVID-19 emergency declaration.

DHSS Reorganization Update

Last week, Governor Dunleavy withdrew an executive order to reorganize the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services following the House Health and Social Service Committee's passage of HSCR 1, which disapproved of the reorganization.

In December, the governor announced Executive Order 119 to split the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services into two departments: the Alaska Department of Health and the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services. EO 119 was set to go into effect on March 21 if the legislature did not take action.

Over the past weeks, the House Health and Social Services Committee, chaired by Representative Zulkosky and Representative Snyder, has been conducting an in-depth review of the governor's executive order. At a recent hearing, the Committee heard from many that the order was rushed and lacked the proper community stakeholder input. The legislature's attorneys also identified numerous legal problems with the executive order.

The legislature has an obligation to balance executive power through legislative oversight. The Health and Social Services Committee's handling of EO 119 is an example of the important role of legislative oversight. The governor's decision to withdraw Executive Order 119 shows that the executive branch realized the problems with the proposal.

Municipal Elections

The Municipality of Anchorage elections are coming up on Tuesday, April 6. Ballot packages were mailed to qualified Anchorage voters on Monday, March 15. To receive your ballot package at an address other than your Voter Registration mailing address, fill out an Application to Vote at a Temporary Address.

If you have any questions about the upcoming Anchorage election, you can call 907-343-VOTE (8683) or head to muni.org/elections.

Community Events

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event:

Lunch & Learn: Investing in Anchorage through the Park Bond

Anchorage residents have consistently supported investing in parks and trails. Hear why it's important to keep the park bond winning streak alive this election.

When: Wednesday, March 24 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Where: Virtual Zoom Meeting

For more information and to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page.