Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Thank you to everyone who was able to make the town hall on the 5th! As was obvious from the testimony there, this session has been defined by the need for education funding. With a deficit of over $600 million, we are focused on the best way to balance the state budget while mitigating the impacts this will have on our most vulnerable communities.

With challenges hitting Anchorage hard, especially in East Anchorage, there’s no question that our schools need increased funding to do right by our students. Thank you for your advocacy at the various constituent coffees, here at our Juneau office, and through email on this important topic.

Last week, the Senate debated HB 69 to increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA). On Friday we passed a major increase to the BSA at $1,000 per student and the bill is now in the hands of Governor Dunleavy who has publicly threatened a veto. If the governor does choose to reject the bill, a joint session can be called and with an approval vote of 40 out of 60 the legislature can override the veto.

Last week we enjoyed celebrating the 50th Annual Folk Fest!

For years our state has allocated funding in a way that doesn’t prioritize Alaska’s best and most important investment: our children. It’s time we put our resources into their development for the benefit of their own lives and our health and longevity as state.

A piece of good news: SB 39, my bill to stop predatory payday lending practices, has officially passed the Senate! By capping interest rates on these types of loans, which average over 400% in Alaska, to 36% APR, this legislation can protect some of Alaska’s most vulnerable families from the cycle of chronic debt and poverty that these short-term loans perpetuate.

During the committee process, most of the opposition that we heard came from out-of-state businesses. Out of the 13 companies licensed to do this type of lending, all are headquartered outside of Alaska. From 2017 to 2022 alone, payday lenders garnished over $3.7 million from Alaskans’ PFDs. With this legislation, we’ll keep this money in the state and pockets of Alaskans who depend on it.

In light of the hard work from Representative Eischeid’s team who are carrying the companion bill, our only committee of referral in the House is House Finance. We have high expectations for this bill, and I’m especially proud of the protections it offers our veteran community.

Finally, I'd like to wish all those who celebrate a Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Honored to serve you, 

 

Office of Senator Dunbar | Alaska State Capitol 120 4th St, Ste 125 907-465-6944 | Juneau, AK 99801 US