I hope you are having a great start to the new year! My Juneau office is open and getting ready for the upcoming session that begins next Tuesday, January 16. This being the second session of the Thirty-Third Legislature, all legislation that was introduced and on the move in 2023 is still able to be considered in 2024. When the regular session ends, the Legislature would adjourn "sine die," meaning all legislation effectively "dies" and would have to be reintroduced in 2025 to start the process all over again. That means this session will be a very busy one as legislators and the governor push their policy priorities - some with time constraints - through the end of this session.

It is also important to remember that complicated, substantive policy sometimes takes multiple years and even multiple terms (4 or more years) to pass into law. The "checks and balances" designed in our government can sometimes make it more difficult to pass laws, but the good news is that the committee and two-chamber process requires a thorough review.

This E-news is a quick preview of the session ahead. As always, please feel free to contact my office by phone, e-mail or letter, or stop by Capitol Room 103 if you find yourself in Juneau.

My colleagues and I in the bipartisan Senate Majority are meeting this week to discuss the year's priorities. I anticipate education funding, energy costs and access, and public employee recruitment/retention and pensions to be among our top priorities this year.

As the operating budget process has yet to get fully underway, it is not yet clear how much funding we have available for capital budget spending. I am already hearing from our community councils, nonprofits, and other advocates about their projects and priorities. Deadlines have not yet been determined for CAPSIS. In the meantime, please contact my office if you need assistance submitting capital project proposals.

My continued position as Senate Rules Chair strives to ensure the general day-to-day business of the Senate runs smoothly, on top of the duty of determining what legislation is calendared on the Senate Floor for a vote. I also continue to sit on Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Resources Committee, Joint Armed Services Committee, and Legislative Budget & Audit Committees. Additionally, I serve on the subcommittees responsible of the budgets for the departments of Public Safety, Transportation, Natural Resources, and Military & Veterans' Affairs.

Here is a snapshot of the personal legislation I am working on this year:

There are hundreds of other bills that will be heard and moved throughout the legislature. I look forward to working with my fellow legislators and the governor to find common ground and pass legislation that will make Alaska a better place to work, live, play, and raise a family.

On Monday, January 15, the nation will observe Martin Luther King, Jr., Day to reflect on Dr. King's life and legacy of service and fighting for civil rights. In Anchorage, a number of events are going on to observe MLK Day: