Alaska Legislature

Lawmakers approved one-time funding for Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan to launch a center for reading instruction that he says could help solve the lagging reading abilities of Alaska children.

Late addition to budget would provide $7.5 million for care centers, but providers say more support is needed.

The temporary school funding is not assured as the governor could reduce the amount or veto it entirely.

Another year of fights over the size of the Permanent Fund dividend meant many priority bills never came to a final vote.

Alaska’s push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight at a conference convened by Governor Dunleavy, even as the state continues to embrace new fossil fuel production, including the Willow oil project.

In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to ADN reporters Sean Maguire and Iris Samuels, who reported from Juneau about what happened to break the deadlock and what it means for the Permanent Fund dividend, school funding and more.

The House agreed to a spending plan advanced by the Senate after the Senate amended it to include $34 million in additional capital projects requested by House majority members.

The main disagreement between the House and Senate majorities has been, again, the size of the Permanent Fund dividend.

The bill is a response to business closures in Alaska and other states during the pandemic, according to House Speaker Cathy Tilton, a Wasilla Republican and the bill’s sponsor.

The measure, Senate Bill 48, authorizes the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to lease out state land for up to 55 years for the purpose of preserving its powers to absorb atmospheric carbon.

Senate Bill 98 was intended to get more investment earnings for a fund that subsidizes power bills for roughly 82,000 Alaskans.

Senate leaders said they would not pass a budget unless the House agreed to vote in favor of their spending plan with no changes.

Rep. Don Young died in March 2022 after 49 years as Alaska’s lone member in the U.S. House.

The raises are set to go into effect July 1 for Gov. Dunleavy and his cabinet, and in January for the Legislature. Alaska lawmakers’ salaries will be the fourth highest in the nation.

The bill, which got unanimous approval, seeks to help Alaska earn money by allowing its tree-covered tracts to continue absorbing carbon dioxide.

With two days to go until the end of the legislative session, the Senate had yet to pass a budget, as disagreements over the size of the Permanent Fund dividend persisted.

Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher said she would not be able to implement changes to the state’s voting laws if lawmakers did not pass legislation this year.

Conservative majority member Rep. Ben Carpenter called a proposed new spending cap “completely ineffective” after members of his own party and caucus voted to amend it.

With just a few days left until the end of the legislative session, lawmakers are far from passing a budget.

The Department of Corrections helped craft the bill, which was intended to help people access services after leaving prison.

The measure was at least partially inspired by an instance when a caller repeatedly dialed 911 to protest Fourth of July fireworks.

After a bill sponsored by Homer Republican Sarah Vance failed on the House floor, lawmakers tried to advance two different measures out of Vance’s committee, laying bare disagreements in the Republican-dominated House.

Around 27,000 Filipinos reside in Alaska, making them the largest immigrant community in the state.