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Current Topics
Kodiak Police shift away from 24/7 patrols due to staff shortages. Alaska Public Media
By the end of May, the Kodiak Police Department will no longer be able to sustain patrols 24 hours a day, seven days a week due to steadily declining staffing levels.
An adoption story. Axios
May is National Foster Care Month. The VandeHeis hope Kelvin's story will encourage other families to take the leap of faith that they did five years ago, when Kelvin was 14.
Alaska's rusting waters: Pristine rivers and streams turning orange. Pys.Org
Dozens of Alaska's most remote streams and rivers are turning from a crystal clear blue into a cloudy orange, and the staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost. The impacted rivers are on federal lands managed by Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and NPS, including Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley national parks. Some samples from the waters have a pH of 2.3 compared to the average pH of 8 for these rivers. This means the sulfide minerals are weathering, resulting in highly acidic and corrosive conditions that release additional metals. Elevated or high levels of iron, zinc, nickel, copper and cadmium have been measured.
Researchers test ways to remove 'forever chemicals' from the environment and replace them in commercial goods. Phys.Org
An underground reservoir in Denmark is the location of a unique experiment: to test a technology for helping rid the environment of a widespread toxic pollution.
Economy
Worrying sign. Axios
An increasing share of Americans fell behind on their credit card payments at the beginning of the year, according to data out yesterday.
Women MBAs are asking for higher pay, but still earning less. Axios
The idea that women are less likely to ask for higher pay has long been one explanation for the gender pay gap — the difference in earnings between men and women — but new research finds women MBAs are now more likely to negotiate than their male counterparts.
Charted: Rate lock. Axios
This mortgage rate lock prevented 1.3 million home sales between the second quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2023, per a working paper from the Federal Housing Finance Agency out earlier this spring.
Education
Little understanding—and proof—of homeschool student performance and rules for reimbursements. Alaska's News Source
Fewer than 20% of homeschool students choose to take optional state or federal testing, compared to around 90% of students attending physical schools, depending on the test.
Alaska lawmakers unanimously request Social Security reform to help teachers. Alaska Beacon
The Alaska Legislature has unanimously approved a resolution asking Congress and federal officials to remove the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision, which reduces Social Security benefits for many public employees, including teachers.
Supreme Court denies state request to delay homeschool funding decision. Alaska's News Source
An appeal by the State of Alaska has been denied by the state Supreme Court for a decision on when a law on more restrictive homeschool funding can be used.
4-day school week committee adjourns. Peninsula Clarion
The temporary committee of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education tasked with exploring the possibility of a four-day school week decided Tuesday to forgo a final meeting in June and instead deliver their recommendations for continued exploration to the full board in July.
Politics
Alaska lawmakers expand food stamp program with goal of preventing hunger, application backlogs. Alaska Beacon
Broad based categorical eligibility makes households with incomes less than twice of the federal poverty line eligible for the program. Previously, the threshold was 30% more than the poverty line in Alaska. It is a priority for food advocates because it allows more people to qualify and save up enough money to gradually exit the program. The bill also removes a component called the asset test, which kept people with more than $4,000 in savings from accessing food aid. That meant anyone with a car or a house would have to liquidate those assets and spend down cash before qualifying.
(My Comment: It was a pleasure to work with Rep. Genevieve Mina to get this bill passed.)
State lawmakers wrapped up their four-month session last night. Here’s what they did. Alaska Public Media
Alaska lawmakers end their session with late bills passing on energy, education. AP News
Legislative Session Ends with Changes for Energy, Healthcare, and Resource Industries. Alaska Business Magazine
Community solar legislation awaits governor's signature in Alaska. Solar Power World Online
A look at some of the bills that failed to pass the Alaska Legislature this year. Alaska Beacon
Energy legislation was a high priority for members of the House and Senate, and lawmakers did pass two big energy bills, but they failed to complete work on a bill that would have reduced the royalty paid by Cook Inlet oil and gas producers to the state. Members of the House who supported the bill said it would encourage additional drilling and production, but the Senate asked for independent financial modeling to analyze the costs and benefits, and that process began late due to delays by the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.
(My Comment: The Senate did see modeling from both Gaffney Cline and the Dept of Natural Resource Commercial Division. Both financial models concluded that reducing the State Royalty would not be a substantial help to Blue Crest or Furie. That’s why the Senate put Reserve-Based Lending into another bill, which would provide loans for those companies to begin work.)
Bill to ban 'forever chemicals' in firefighting foams passes Alaska House and Senate. Alaska Public Media
A bill to ban harmful “forever chemicals” in firefighting foams passed the Alaska House and Senate by wide margins Wednesday. Now it’s on the way to Gov. Mike Dunleavy to be signed into law.
Alaska lawmakers approve bill ending use of firefighting foams with 'forever chemicals'. Alaska Beacon
The bill requires a switch to PFAS-free foams by the start of 2025. It also authorizes a program to remove PFAS firefighting foams from villages with fewer than 2,000 people. A bill last year that included similar provisions was vetoed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Alaska House passes five bills past constitutional deadline. Alaska Landmine
The five bills in question should all be transmitted to Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska). That is unless the Legislature’s lawyers instruct them not to. All bills are reviewed by the Department of Law. It will be interesting to see what they say if the bills are transmitted to Dunleavy. And it will be really interesting to see if Dunleavy signs any of them or lets them go into law.
(My Comment: This is NOT the first time that legislative session ran past midnight. No bills passed after midnight in years past have been ruled unconstitutional.)
Gov. Dunleavy examining energy bills passed by Alaska Legislature. Alaska Beacon
Energy bills passed by the Alaska Legislature will help the state address natural gas supply problems in Southcentral’s Cook Inlet region and energy problems statewide.
Alaska Legislature passes bill enabling employers to use saliva tests for drugs, alcohol. Alaska Beacon
More Alaska employers may use saliva for drug and alcohol testing, thanks to a new bill that passed the Alaska Legislature on the final day of the regular session.
Alaska Legislature passes cancer-related bills as amendments to other legislation. Alaska Beacon
Alaska bar patrons will see new signs warning about the link between alcohol and cancer, and women at elevated risk for breast cancer will no longer have to pay extra money for more detailed examinations that go beyond routine mammograms, if bills passed by the Legislature are signed by the governor.
Alaska lawmakers approve additional support for addressing missing and murdered Indigenous people. Alaska Beacon
Lawmakers added protections to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people in Alaska last week, a move celebrated by activists who have devoted years to a campaign for equity.
Healthcare
SNAP benefits fall short, report says. Axios
SNAP benefits fail to cover the rising costs of groceries in 98% of U.S. counties, according to a new Urban Institute analysis.
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