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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Greetings from Juneau!
First, an invitation: this Saturday, I’ll be attending the Anchorage Delegation Town Hall. Please join co-chairs Representative Mears and Senator Kaufman and myself at Cuddy Hall at UAA, located at 3400 Seawolf Drive. This will be a forum to voice your concerns about our state and I look forward to the opportunity to hear from you all.
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Last week was a busy week in our office: We had a whopping eight bill hearings, six of which all landed on a single day. With the session over halfway done, we are certainly in the full swing of things. My staff and I are making progress with both my personal legislation and the shared priorities of the Bipartisan Majority.
I’m honored to see that House members are carrying companions to three pieces of my legislation. Representative Mears is carrying a companion to SB 13, a bill that would provide summer electronic benefits for children across the state. Titled HB 154, this legislation has been referred to the House Health and Social Services Committee before heading to House Finance. Representative Eischeid is carrying a companion to SB 39, a bill seeking to limit interest rates on unfair payday lending practices. His bill HB 132 has already passed through its first committee of referral and is on its way into House Finance. Lastly, Representative Mina is carrying HB 147, a companion to my PFD child support bill, SB 12.
I’m also proud to see the progress of SJR 12, a resolution that urges Congress and NOAA to address outages of National Data Buoy Center stations. Weather buoys provide important data points for forecasting models and real time observations that are critical to safe fishing and navigation in coastal Alaska.
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Resolution pending in Alaska Legislature urges more federal support for NOAA weather buoys
The buoys are cited as examples of how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its National Weather Service are important to Alaska
By: Yereth Rosen - March 31, 2025
Read the article!
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Photo by Nate Littlejohn/U.S. Coast Guard. Sourced from Alaska Beacon.
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Of particular concern is the Seal Rocks Buoy in Prince William Sound. The Coast Guard relies on this station to determine if conditions in Hinchinbrook Entrance are safe for the transit of laden oil tankers departing the Alyeska Terminal in Valdez. Currently, it has been non-functional since October 2024. Without this station, the Coast Guard must rely on spot reports from passing ships and data from more distant stations to estimate conditions. SJR 12 conveys our concerns and recently moved out of the Transportation Committee and will soon be heard on the floor. A recent “Alaska Beacon” piece covering this important legislation can be found here.
In addition, I have co-sponsored a House Joint Resolution, HJR 5, that urges the federal government to reinstate the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 and make the funding permanent. This program has been a vital funding source for rural communities in Alaska. It is our hope that this resolution will help ensure long-term stability for the communities that rely on it.
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Register now for the Alaska Youth Professionals Summit. At the annual Summit, more than 200 young professionals attend a series of immersive sessions and panels presented by successful and experienced business, government, and community leaders.
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Don't miss out on the associated Statewide Career Fair from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Dena'ina Center! Learn about opportunities to work on infrastructure projects around the state.
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Alaska’s wildfire season started early this year. To help Anchorage residents protect their properties against wildfires, the Mayor’s Office, Anchorage Fire Department Wildfire Division and Solid Waste Services (SWS) are partnering together to open the local wood lots for free to Anchorage residents clearing their properties this spring and summer. To encourage wildfire mitigation, from March 29 to September 30, no Anchorage residential loads of woody debris will incur fees.
As we continue forward here in Juneau, I encourage you to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns you might have.
Honored to serve you,
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