Rep. Spohnholz’s Newsletter: Update from Juneau: Justice Reform, HB 156, Oil Subsidies & Summer Events
May 13, 2016
Nothing about my first legislative session has been “normal.” I came to Juneau to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Rep. Max Gruenberg, my first day of work was a 20 hour budget floor session, and now we are on day 116 of a 90 day session as we are working to fill in a $4B deficit. I expect that the legislature will make headlines with some historic decisions in the coming weeks, but today I want to update you on a few key issues.
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NEWS: Independent and Democratic Lawmakers Call for a Halt to Illegal Lawsuit Challenging Medicaid Expansion in Alaska
May 11, 2016
Juneau – Today, the members of Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition sent a letter to the high-priced Washington D.C. law firm of Bancroft, PLLC asking them to not move forward on an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court of a lawsuit challenging the expansion of Medicaid in Alaska. The authority to move forward with an appeal has not been granted by the full membership of the Alaska House of Representatives as is required by law. Last week, a notice of appeal was illegally filed with the Alaska Supreme Court on behalf of the Alaska Legislative Council and the Alaska House of Representatives. This is despite a clear legal opinion from the Alaska Division of Legal and Research Services that such an appeal must be authorized by a vote of the full Alaska Legislature, which it was not.
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Note from Rep. Gara: Public Testimony Tomorrow: Oil Company Subsidy
May 10, 2016
Tomorrow the House Rules Committee, which normally does not hold hearings, is holding public and oil industry testimony on a new version of the Governor’s bill to reduce oil & gas company “tax credit” subsidies. The Governor’s original bill included a modest tax increase to generate needed revenue in his bill, and much of that has been eliminated in the Rules Committee version of the bill.
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Rep. Guttenberg’s Newsletter: Town Hall Meeting Tonight, Public Testimony Tomorrow!
May 10, 2016
Last week, after dozens of hearings, the House passed SB 91, a bill relating to criminal justice reform. I support this legislation and believe that SB 91 is smart on crime because it reduces recidivism, yet maintains that offenders are accountable for their actions.
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Rep. Tarr’s Newsletter: Anti-Sex Ed Measure Passes, Wednesday Testimony on Oil and Gas Subsidies & Criminal Justice Reform
May 10, 2016
I’m still in Juneau, and we are working almost exclusively on the budget. I say almost because Representative Keller was able to bring up House Bill 156, that aims to end sex education, in a last minute procedural maneuver and get the one vote he needed for it to pass. This controversial bill received strong opposition statewide and hundreds wrote or testified to ask for a no vote. Most opposition discussed how critical this information is if we ever want to address our chronically high rates of sexual assault. Our rate of rape in Alaska far exceeds the national average.
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