Democrats Prioritize Education, Promote Solutions; FOCUS: parent involvement, commitment to districts, lowering cost of college and job training

JUNEAU – The state of Alaska needs to make education more of a priority, House Democrats told reporters at a press conference in the capitol today. House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula (Juneau), Representative Chris Tuck (Anchorage), Representative Pete Petersen (Anchorage) and Representative Les Gara (Anchorage) outlined their proposals to increase parent involvement in early education, to make sure school districts have the resources they need, and to make college and job training more affordable for Alaskans.

Committee to Hear Democrats’ Bill to Create Non-partisan Primary Election

Bill would give Alaskans freedom to vote for any candidate, regardless of political party

JUNEAU – Today, the House State Affairs Committee is scheduled to hear Democratic legislation (HB 77) to establish a non-partisan primary in Alaska so Alaskans can have the freedom to vote for whomever they want in each election, regardless of their, or the candidate’s, party affiliation. Representative Max Gruenberg (D-Anchorage), Representative Sharon Cissna (D-Anchorage) and Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) sponsored the legislation, and Representative Pete Petersen (D-Anchorage) is a co-sponsor.

Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: Welcome Back to Juneau!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Happy New Year to you from my Juneau office! It’s cold here, but nothing compares to the negative degree temperatures in the Interior.

The legislative session kicked off Tuesday, and as usual the halls are filled with legislators and staff from around the state to work for the constituents of the state. Of course, everyone is anticipating a major continued debate about the Governor’s tax break for big oil corporations.

House Democratic Caucus Announces Social Media Pages

Today, the House Democratic Caucus announced its presence on three major social media websites, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The caucus will post timely news, legislative updates, and other points of interest throughout the legislative session and the rest of the year.

Please find us on the following pages:

Facebook: facebook.com/AKdemocrats
Twitter: @AKHouseDems
YouTube: youtube.com/user/AKHousedemocrats

All content is public and available to use for any non-campaign related purpose.

Democrats: Today’s Resources Build Tomorrow’s Opportunity; Democratic Response to the State of the State shows vision for Alaska

JUNEAU – In her response to the governor’s state of the state speech tonight, House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (Juneau) told Alaskans that Alaska must use today’s resources to build tomorrow’s future.

“You’ve elected us to lead, and it’s our job to lead in a way that honors Alaska’s courageous spirit by using today’s resources to build tomorrow’s opportunities,” said Rep. Kerttula.

Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: End of the Year Report

Dear Neighbor,

The end of 2011 is only a few days away and the Legislature has begun to travel south for the 90-day legislative session in Juneau. This is a good time for me to reflect on the last year – a year full of challenges and triumphs and to think about next year. I am very hopeful for a productive session in 2012.

Rep. Kawasaki Judges Regional Constitutional Civics Competition

(Fairbanks, AK) – Rep. Scott Kawasaki will join 17 other local business professionals, lawyers and community representatives and one hundred local high school students at the annual We the People regional competition Friday, December 9th at the Fairbanks School District Offices.

“It’s great to see young citizens take an interest in the Constitution and Bill of Rights,” said Kawasaki. “This is a way for students to learn and actualize the importance of these documents in our daily lives.”

Democrats Encouraged by Strong Interest in Alaska Oil Lease Sales; Robust bidding shows Alaska has much to offer new oil and gas producers

Today, House Minority Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage), Representative Chis Tuck (D-Anchorage), and Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) released the following statements after the state’s successful oil and gas lease sale this morning brought great interest from new and independent oil producers.

“The success of these sales is another positive sign that Alaska’s doing a lot right when it comes to developing our tremendous oil and gas resources,” said Rep. Gardner. “These new leases, new access to the west, and the record level of exploration expected on the Slope this season will go a long way toward generating jobs for Alaskans and oil for the pipeline.”

[HB238] Kawasaki Introduces Bill to Protect Kids from Toxic Toys

Legislation to create a toxic toys consumer watch list for parents

Fairbanks – Representative Scott Kawasaki introduced legislation aimed at protecting children’s health from unnecessary and dangerous chemicals in everyday consumer and child products. The bill requires Alaska to adopt and publish a watch list of priority chemicals of high concern, requires manufacturers to disclose the toxic chemicals they add to products and authorizes the state to require safer alternatives.

Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: Budget Times, College, and Brrrrr….

Things are really starting to roll as the holidays are approaching. The next legislative session is just around the corner, and the Interior Delegation has been meeting with constituent groups of the Fairbanks North Star Borough on their legislative priorities and funding requests.

While Alaska remains one of the only states in the nation to have a positive financial outlook, it is still impossible to fund everything brought before the Legislature. As a resource state, we have to consider the volatile nature of our cash reserves and look into solutions that plan for a sustainable future. This is the advice we give to organizations requesting support from the state, and this is advice the Alaska Legislature should heed itself.