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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With Spring just around the corner, there’s been a vibrant, spirited energy in the halls here throughout the capitol building. Over the last few weeks of session, I’ve very much enjoyed all the wonderful opportunities I’ve had to meet with constituents, working groups, and other parties interested and invested in continuing to make life in Alaska everything we know it can be.
Last week, I was honored to have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit Alaska Working Group. For decades, the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples has plagued the State of Alaska and I’m committed to an ongoing working relationship with the wonderful, hardworking advocates doing the necessary, difficult work to protect families and communities across the state.
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I also enjoyed speaking at the Alaska Behavioral Health Association’s recent luncheon here in Juneau. My staff and I have been advocating for SB 45, a bill that would hopefully lead to a significant increase in behavioral health treatment statewide. Looking into the future, we are ready to continue the work towards a more robust behavioral health landscape for Alaskans.
As the Chair of the Senate Health & Social Services Committee, standing up for the health of our state has been at the forefront of my agenda throughout the course of this legislative session. If Congress is to roll back Medicaid expansion, 41,000 people, from veterans and seniors to people with disabilities and children, would lose their medical coverage. In this vein, I was excited to speak in favor of protecting Medicaid on the steps of the capitol building alongside Joelle Hall of Alaska AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union.
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The deadline to contribute to the Alaska School District’s future school calendars is quickly approaching.
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If you have a teen interested in the outdoors, the Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) program might be right for them! YEP is a 10-week, paid summer program that gives Anchorage teens the opportunity to develop leadership and team-building skills while completing park improvement projects, such as building trails, restoring streambanks, planting trees, and enhancing parks and trails. YEP is currently accepting applications until March 31st:
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Nearly halfway through this thirty-fourth legislative session, I’m immensely proud to see all the progress being made as my team and I continue to work on moving legislation forward.
Most recently, our PFD Child Support bill, SB 12, was moved out of the Judiciary Committee to Senate Finance, where it will wait to be scheduled alongside some of our other bills. SB 14, a bill that would allow AIDEA to make loans for workforce housing development, and SB 1, a bill that would increase funding available for Alaska Legal Services Corporation, are on the docket in Senate Finance and we’re eagerly waiting for our next opportunity to support those necessary policy changes. From economic integrity and housing reform to access to legal services, we are working to pass legislation across the board that champions the voices of District J.
Making sure our schools are funded and supported has been at the front of the docket for legislators this year. This week the House passed HB 69, marking a significant step forward in addressing school funding needs while incorporating key policy changes to balance fiscal responsibility and educational improvements. Key provisions include a Base Student Allocation Increase which will permanently raise the BSA by $1000, the establishment of an Education Task Force that will assess funding and policy improvements, and a new Open Enrollment Policy that expands school choice by allowing parents to enroll their children in any public school within their district. HB 69 will now move to the Senate for further consideration.
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Lastly, don’t forget that the 2025 Alaska PFD applications are open. Apply by 11:59PM Monday, March 31st. You can find the application here.
As the rest of this session unfolds, I encourage you to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns you might have. In the meantime, enjoy these first few notes of Spring knowing that the voices of our district are being proudly represented down here in Juneau.
Honored to serve you,
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