Today is the 53rd day of legislative session. As usual, there is a lot going on here in the Capitol, as well as a lot going on in local, state and national news that is of importance to those of us who live in the Interior. Support for schools has been the main topic in the House and will now become the major topic in the Senate since passage of a major education funding bill. Springtime also means a focus on the financial outlook for the State and how we choose which public services are most important when compared to the finite revenue.

Today is the 45th day of the Thirty-Fourth Legislature which means we are just over 1/3 of the way through and it is beginning to heat up-both literally and figuratively. Legislators begin to make the mid-session treks home to have town hall meetings (my Republican colleague Rep. Will Stapp and I already hosted one together), education funding and the state budget approach a crucial vote, new revenue discussions begin and spring is almost here! However, Alaskans will LOSE an entire hour of sleep this week as we begin the observation of Daylight Saving Time and we have already lost millions in federal funding, construction, jobs and healthcare with the new administration in Washington. Check out my latest edition of the e-newsletter below!