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Current Topics
Legislators get update on fixes for $5B transportation plan rejected by feds. Alaska Public Media
After federal authorities rejected Alaska’s four-year statewide highway project funding plan earlier this month, the state Department of Transportation is racing to submit revisions by Friday. State officials say they’ve removed or changed high-expense projects in the process, although the exact changes are not yet public.
State posts highway planning documents. Dermot Cole Reporting from Alaska
Final report filed on cause of Wrangell's deadly landslide. Alaska Public Media
State geologists in early February published their final findings on last year’s Wrangell landslide that killed six people. They found that the Nov. 20 slide was caused by excessive amounts of rain in a short period of time – even for a rainforest.
Research finds evidence that reductions in sea ice are helping tree lines spread north. Phys.Org
Prior research has shown that when large bodies of water grow warmer during the summer, they tend to experience more evaporation as the winter months arrive. The result is more snow falling on nearby land. Prior research has also shown that some trees, such as white spruce, are better able to survive in extremely cold places when there is a lot of snow cover—it shields the seedlings from the cold and wind.
Alaska will receive $2.6M towards small scale food productions. Alaska Public Media
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded over $2.6 million in funding to Alaska this year to improve the quality and quantity of locally grown food. The Micro Grants for Food Security Program provides up to $10,000 for residents and organizations that participate in small scale food production. The grants can be used to buy canning supplies, gardening tools and dip nets.
Economy
Alaska lawmakers are told state finances are strained amid budget and education debates. ADN
State senators heard on Thursday that based on current revenue forecasts, Alaska legislators will struggle to balance the budget with big-spending items still to be considered.
1 big thing: Of course college is worth it. Axios
In 2023, recent college grads aged 22-27 working full-time earned $24,000 more per year than those 22-27 with only a high school degree.
Alaska plans to ease rules on state purchases without multiple price quotes. Alaska Beacon
The state of Alaska is planning to raise the maximum size of bid-free purchases from $10,000 to $25,000. This would allow employees with state agencies to make buying decisions without seeking multiple price quotes.
Legislative budgeters say Dunleavy's proposed 2024 Permanent Fund dividend is a no-go. Alaska Beacon
Leading Alaska legislators said on Tuesday that there’s little appetite for spending from savings to pay a super-sized Permanent Fund dividend this year, which creates a $1 billion deficit in state funding.
Alaska domestic violence and sexual assault victims services face $4M funding gap. Alaska Beacon
As one-time funding expires, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget contains a nearly $4 million funding gap for services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Alaska should be the most prosperous place on earth. ADN
The question is, with all this wealth, how do we have such grossly underfunded schools, crumbling basic infrastructure, and de-funded law enforcement that leaves some of the state’s most populous regions nearly without policing?
Education
Education bill provides a path forward for Anchorage schools. ADN
Because we share the governor’s vision for improved reading outcomes, we cannot overemphasize how his approval of SB 140 would help ASD accelerate the K-3 growth which will be the means to increasing third graders’ overall reading proficiency. This fall, the state’s new reading screener flagged 14% more of ASD’s kindergarten students as having entered school scoring in the “well below benchmark” category for reading than what was typical nationally. Casting a wider net, nearly 75% of ASD’s entering kindergarteners were assessed as “well below” or “below” benchmark in reading.
Dunleavy is no authority on what's best for schools. ADN
Regarding his opposition to the defined-benefit retirement proposal, why would he deny other state employees access to a pension option similar to, although less lucrative than, the kind of retirement that he will eventually enjoy as a Tier I retiree?
Fisheries
New salmon study adds to evidence that pink salmon could be crowding out sockeye. Alaska Beacon
A new analysis of nearly 25,000 fish scales offers more evidence that the millions of pink salmon churned out by Alaska fish hatcheries could be harming wild sockeye salmon populations when they meet in the ocean, according to the scientists who authored the study. The new peer-reviewed paper, published this week in the ICES Journal of Marine Science, analyzed growth rates that could be deduced from the fish scales, similar to trees’ yearly growth rings.
Politics
Alaska House passes bill aimed at expanding access to child care. Alaska Public Media
The Alaska House passed a bill Wednesday aimed at making child care more accessible and available in the state.
Alaska Legislature plans March 12 vote on Gov. Dunleavy's executive orders. Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House and Senate have asked Gov. Mike Dunleavy to withdraw three of the 12 executive orders he issued at the start of the legislative session and are planning up-or-down votes on at least six others. According to a draft plan shared with reporters Friday, the votes will take place March 12, during a joint session of the House and Senate.
Alaska Supreme Court decides key question: Who is an Alaskan? Alaska Beacon
An Alaskan is someone physically present in the state who intends to remain permanently and make a home here, the Alaska Supreme Court concluded in a split opinion published Friday.
Should any governor get to wield this much power? ADN
In many ways, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s tenure as the head of Alaska’s executive branch of government has been marked by paradoxes. The governor is a self-professed fiscal conservative who has proposed massive spending increases on supersized Permanent Fund dividend checks, leading to deficits of a billion dollars or more in some years. He attempted unsuccessfully to drastically shrink the university system. He’s for small government when it comes to resource development permitting, but big government when it comes to regulating abortion or gender politics. And, as demonstrated by his raft of administrative orders in January related to a dozen state boards and commissions, he abhors bureaucracy — unless it’s a bureaucracy under his direct control.
AK State Senator Scott Kawasaki proposes permit fees for heavy vehicles on Alaska highways. Web Center Fairbanks
It would require a special permit for any vehicles that weigh more than 140,000 pounds to travel on highways managed by the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT). These permits would be obtained for a fee from the DOT.
Alaska House resolution calls on feds to scrap rule limiting NPR-A development. Alaska Public Media
The Alaska House of Representatives passed a resolution Friday calling on the Biden administration to withdraw a proposal that would sharply limit oil and gas development in much of the National Petroleum Reserve — Alaska.
Gov. Dunleavy to attend State of Union address as Arkansas senator's guest. ADN
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is set to attend this year’s State of the Union address as a guest of U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas. He is in D.C. while the Legislature tries to deal with his threats of vetoes to critical funding for Alaskans.
Healthcare
Legislation to address Alaska's child care crisis moves to Senate after House approval. Alaska Beacon
Most members of the House supported a bill that aims to expand the number of families that can afford child care and increase child care subsidies so they reflect the actual cost of care.
Alaska pharmacies contend with delays for prescriptions, insurance claims after Lower 48 cyberattack. ADN
A cyberattack at a Lower 48 health care technology company is causing havoc at pharmacies across Alaska, which have struggled for more than a week to receive electronic prescriptions and process insurance payment claims as a result of the attack.
Alaska Senator pushes revised youth tobacco/e-cigarette bill. Alaska's News Source
After passing the House and Senate in 2022, Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products and levy a sales tax on electronic cigarette devices.
Hospitals and PBMs get a reprieve. Axios
Hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers who've repeatedly been targeted in congressional debates over health spending appear to have ducked major federal reforms that could have upended how they do business.
State lags in heating assistance payments to Alaskans with low incomes, catches up on food stamps. Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Division of Public Assistance said Tuesday it has caught up on food stamp applications. That means no Alaskan is waiting an unlawful time for food aid for the first time since 2022. But there are people waiting for other benefits programs, including heating assistance.
Developments in child care support. Talk of Alaska
There is plenty of research that backs up the importance of childcare. In order to work, parents need quality and affordable child care that is as much about learning as it is about keeping kids safe, but Alaska families are struggling to find and afford that type of care for their kids. What are elected leaders and businesses doing to address the need?
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