Alaska State Legislature

Representatives from both houses of the Alaska State Legislature are in the first of what will be two special sessions trying to complete and pass a  budget. If they can not deliver a budget that Governor Dunleavey is willing to sign by the end of this month, 14,000 State employees will be laid off.

House Bill 137, requiring the State of Alaska to maintain and operate a State run Department of Motor Vehicles in communities larger that 850, passed out of the Alaska House State Affairs Committee last Monday. The bill, sponsored by Representative Zach Fields of Anchorage is designed keep the State from closing DMVs in several cities across Alaska, including Homer. KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson has this look at last week in the Alaska State House.

 

On Friday, March 26, 2021, the Alaska House of Representatives passed House Bill 76, which provides for an extension of  the State of Alaska and Governor Mike Duleavy's public health disaster emergency declaration in response to the  COVID-19 pandemic.


KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson has this report on District 31 Representative Sarah Vance of Homer's votes on the declaration and it's amendments.

On Tuesday afternoon, before his Senate State Affairs Committee meeting, District P Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak spoke to KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson for this Legislative Update.

Two months in to the three month legislative session, the Alaska House of Representatives is still struggling to organize itself and agree upon their rules of operation.

KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson spoke District P Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak on Thursday afternoon. The Senator was in his office in the capitol in Juneau. He'd just come from a  remote meeting with Homer's city manager and harbormaster where he said he discussed port expansion and the Homer DMV.  
 

This week, District P. incumbent Republican Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak and challenger Greg Madden of Soldotna, representing the Alaska Independence Party, take questions from the listeners and talk about their candidacies, the budget, education, the PFD and State response to COVID-19.
Election day is Tuesday, November 3. Early, in person and absentee voting are underway. For information about voting on the Kenai Peninsula, click on the links to contact your local city or borough clerk.

On this week's Coffee Table, the guest is Kelly Cooper.

Cooper is the current Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly President. She’s challenging incumbent Sarah Vance for District 31 Representative to the Alaska House of Representatives in the November election.

Cooper took questions from the listeners and laid out her platform. Click on the link to hear the show.

District 31 Representative Sarah Vance of Homer, called from Juneau on Thursday afternoon.

She spoke with KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson for this Legislative Update.

Rep. Vance:
This has been a full week. We passed the budget and everything.

KBBI:
Do you want to start with the budget?

Vance:
So we passed the  operating budget, which was unprecedented 43 days - out of the house. It's now on its way to the Senate. It was just above the governor's ask.

Alaska's Fair Share oil tax initiative announced on Thursday that they have collected the required 40,000 signatures to place their initiative on the ballot. The initiative aims to amend existing laws, most notably Senate Bill 21 A, to increase Alaskan's share of production revenues by increasing the gross tax rate and eliminating net tax credits.
Update:
This story has been updated to include initiative sponsor and attorney, Robin Brena.

District P Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak called from Juneau on Monday after the senate gaveled out. He spoke with KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson for this Legislative Update.

Alaska State Representative Paul Seaton of Homer spoke with KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson on Feb. 16 for an update from the 30th legislative session.