Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain |
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In this issue:
• Emergency Declaration Extension
• Forward Funding K-12 & AMHS
• 2021 Conference of Young Alaskans Seeking Applications
• Protect Friends and Neighbors
• Community Events
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
During an evening floor session on Wednesday, the House concurred with the Senate and approved House Bill 76, legislation that provides public health leaders with the tools they need to address COVID-19 and keep Alaska on a path toward economic recovery. The final version of House Bill 76 ensures Alaskans impacted by COVID-19 continue to receive millions of dollars in federal relief.
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Legislature Passes Emergency Declaration Extension
On March 26, the House passed House Bill 76, which we discussed in our previous e-newsletter. Since March, the Senate has been considering House Bill 76. On Wednesday night, the Senate passed House Bill 76 and the House accepted the Senate's changes. The bill now goes to the governor's desk.
Key features of the legislation include:
- Protecting $8 million in monthly federal food assistance to COVID-19 impacted Alaskans;
- Ensuring the state is eligible for future federal aid and reimbursement for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) costs;
- Limiting the governor’s ability to spend federal funds without legislative approval;
- Continuing off-site testing and vaccination sites;
- Allowing healthcare and mental health providers to deliver telehealth services; and
- Allowing airport testing for travelers coming to Alaska from out-of-state.
Alaskans are ready to put COVID-19 behind us, but the only way to successfully make progress toward ending the pandemic is to make sure our health professionals, communities, and businesses have every tool at their disposal. House Bill 76 brings us one step closer to returning to a sense of normalcy. House Bill 76 now goes to the governor's desk for his signature and approval.
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Forward Funding K-12 Education and the Alaska Marine Highway System
As the legislature continues to work on the budget, it’s essential that we assure our schools, teachers, and students that we will fund public education because the Alaska Constitution requires it. And we need to approve this funding early to prevent teacher layoffs.
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Last week, the House passed House Bill 169, a bill that forward funds K-12 education for the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 school years. House Bill 169 passed 26-to-14 with unanimous support from the Alaska House Majority Coalition along with several members of the minority caucus. This vote shows broad agreement that we need to fulfill our constitutional obligations by investing in strong public schools. If approved by the Senate and the governor, the bill will eliminate the possibility of teachers receiving pink slips this year or next.
We are also working on a plan to forward fund the Alaska Marine Highway System and strengthen its operations. Forward funding will allow our state ferries to set their schedules in January – well before tourist season – instead of setting their schedule in May or June – in the middle of tourist season.
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2021 Conference of Young Alaskans Seeking Applications
The Alaska Municipal League (AML) is looking for emerging Alaska leaders, ages 16-25, to join them at the 2021 Conference of Young Alaskans (COYA). COYA is a unique opportunity that will be offered to 55 Alaskan leaders, who will convene and work together in Fairbanks this August 1-4, 2021.
COYA has been hosted three times in its history, and originally convened to recognize the Constitutional Convention. It has focused on state and statewide issues in the past; “delegates” came from across the state to address critical issues facing Alaska. Their work has been delivered directly to policymakers. COYA provides delegates the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse group of Alaskans who share a common interest in the future of the state. Professional development skills will be honed throughout the Conference, including through small group processes and peer networking.
Many young people who have participated in past COYA events go on to careers in policy or the legislature. Some even become legislators. If you know a talented young person, please encourage them to apply by May 10, 2021.
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Protecting Friends and Neighbors By Getting Vaccinated
Just a few weeks ago, Alaska led the country in the percentage of people with at least one shot, but Alaska’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is slowing and our cases are rising. The best step that Alaskans can take is to get vaccinated. The more vaccines we administer, the less chance for the virus to spread to our most at-risk friends and neighbors.
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Community Events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
Spenard Community Council
When: Wednesday, May 5 at 7:00 PM
Turnagain Community Council
When: Thursday, May 6 at 7:00 PM
Sand Lake Community Council
When: Monday, May 10 at 6:30 PM
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First Look: A virtual tour of the Museum’s Black Lives in Alaska exhibition
Join the Museum’s Black Lives in Alaska project advisors for a first look at the Black Lives in Alaska: Journey, Justice, Joy exhibition. Celeste Hodge Growden, Jovell Rennie, Tasha Webster, and Cal Williams will take the audience on a virtual walk-through and talk about their involvement in shaping the exhibition and related programming.
Celeste Hodge Growden is a civic leader and community organizer advocating for the rights of Black and marginalized communities. She is the president/CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus and is involved in The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video and oral history archives.
Jovell Rennie is an Anchorage-based photographer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Alaska. Rennie works with Thompson & Co. PR, and co-manages Akela Space, an artist studio and gallery space in downtown Anchorage.
Natasha Webster is a multi-disciplinary artist practicing primarily in painting and mixed media. She is influenced by the Black Arts Movement (or BAM) of the 1960s and 70s, along with the works of Betye Saar, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nina Simone, James Baldwin, and Maya Angelou.
Cal Williams is an activist and local historian who has lived in Alaska since 1965. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Williams has received numerous honors for his community service and is included in The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest digital archives of African American video and oral histories.
When: Friday, April 30 from 5:00 – 6:00 PM
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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CONTACT INFORMATION
(907) 465-4919
State Capitol Bldg. Rm 118
Juneau, Alaska 99801
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CONTACT THE GOVERNOR
(907) 465-3500
550 West 7th Ave. Suite 1700
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
STATE OF ALASKA
State Info: (907) 269-5111
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CONTACT THE ADN
Write a Letter to the Editor
Submit your letter to the Anchorage Daily News via email or web form.
attn: Letters to the Editor
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