JUNEAU – The House Democratic Independent Coalition and the Senate Democrats will be holding a press availability at 1pm, TODAY, at the Anchorage LIO to discuss the disappointing lack of progress in the special session and to announce a plan of action for public hearings.
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JUNEAU—Today, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 68: Paper Reduction Act. The bill enjoys bipartisan sponsorship and builds on previous efforts to reduce the estimated $585,000 a year the state spends on designing, printing, and publishing agency reports.
Read More →JUNEAU-Today, eight legislators in the Alaska House of Representatives introduced HB 179 to allow Alaskans to donate sport- and subsistence-harvested fish and game to nonprofit meal programs, such as those in schools or senior centers. The bill allows schools and senior centers (and other nonprofit meal programs) to serve the fish and game – such as moose, caribou, venison, and salmon – in their meal programs to elders, school children, and other Alaskans. The sponsors believe that schools and senior centers should be legally allowed to have the option of serving Alaskans caribou instead of corn dogs.
Read More →Juneau – The 13 members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition support the Medicaid expansion legislation unveiled Tuesday by Governor Bill Walker.
Read More →Juneau – The Alaska House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Thursday night without the support of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition. All 13 members voted no because the budget harms seniors and children while protecting corporate interests and unaffordable projects. The Republican budget includes the total elimination of pre-k programs and a significant $32 million cut in funding for K-12 public education. Overall, the budget deficit still remains $3.5 billion. The Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition proposed millions of dollars in spending cuts while supporting efforts to protect education, seniors and kids.
Read More →Juneau - Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka) and Rep.-elect Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan) have pre-filed a bill to restore a public process to state pesticide spraying programs and add protections for fish habitat and drinking water.
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Anchorage - The Native languages of Alaska’s indigenous people became official languages of the State of Alaska on Thursday during a bill signing ceremony held in conjunction with the 2014 Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention in Anchorage. Passage of the bill was a priority of the members Alaska House Minority Caucus and Alaska Native people from across the state. The prime sponsor of the bill was District 34 State Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka). The Sitka Democrat spoke during Thursday’s signing ceremony.
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JUNEAU - Just after 3:00 a.m. this morning, the Alaska Legislature approved legislation (HB 216) making each of the Native languages in Alaska an official language of the state. The Alaska Senate voted 18-2 to approve the measure today in front of dozens of supporters. A spontaneous grassroots sit-in involving well over 100 people started at noon in the Capitol and lasted until 3 a.m. The measure has had tremendous public support throughout the process, including rare applause from supporters in both the Senate and House galleries and impromptu celebrations in the Capitol hallways as the bill moved through the committee process.
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