Hey East Anchorage,

The Alaska Legislature convened last week in Juneau. I am honored once again to serve as Senate Rules Chair, which oversees the daily business of the Senate and determines the Senate Floor Calendar. I am working with Representative Donna Mears and Representative Ted Eischeid about scheduling a joint townhall in late February in Anchorage -- keep an eye out for more details.

This session, I expect Education, Energy, and Elections to take center stage. I am eager to work with my legislative colleagues and the Governor toward fiscal stability for our schools, reliable energy for our homes, and a strong election system for our state.

Below is a summary of the legislation I have introduced so far this session.

Legislation Update

SB 18 seeks to improve students' learning environment by requiring school districts to create policies that prohibit the use of cell phones during school hours. Many schools in Alaska have already implemented such bans, and I've heard great results for students' focus and behavior.

SB 21 would establish the Alaska Work & Save Program to help small businesses offer an auto-IRA retirement program for employees at no cost to the employer, if they do not already offer an eligible program. The bill helps encourage Alaskans to save for retirement, and reduces costs to small businesses with the state taking on the management of the program. Currently, at least 16 states have implemented such programs, and Alaska could partner with other states to help lower costs.

SB 22 requires Alaska school districts to offer financial literacy curriculum for high school students. Topics would include household budgeting, investing, managing debt, and avoiding scams and fraud. It also would inform students of how to apply for financial aid and the Alaska Performance Scholarship. Already passed by at least 22 states, this curriculum would help set up our students for success as young adults.

SB 64 would modernize and strengthen our election system with multiple components, which include cleaning up voter rolls, requiring faster election results, and ensuring all eligible Alaskan votes are counted. Read more about the bill here. The Senate State Affairs Committee will hold its first hearing on SB64 this Thursday, Jan 30, at 3:30 PM.

This week I had an opportunity to speak to several student groups visiting the Capitol about the cell phone bill I introduced, SB18.

Reminder: Survey Closes Sun, Feb 16!

I am already receiving dozens of survey responses both in the mail and online. If you haven't yet, please complete my annual neighborhood survey at SenatorBill.org or mail back the had copy you received in the mail. The deadline to complete is on Sunday, February 16.

A few snapshots from the first week of session.

Please feel free to reach out to my office if you need assistance or want to share an idea or have a question. I’m always happy to help. If you're in Juneau, be sure to drop by our office in Capitol Room 103, and you're welcome to set up an appointment by calling 465-2435.

Warmly,