Citizen Portal News Alaska

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1 day ago

Lawmakers discuss bill to create statewide framework for CTE grants, seeking better access for rural students Rep. Bill Elam and department officials outlined House Bill 358 to establish a career and technical education grant program and coordinate pre-apprenticeship and work-based learning; lawmakers and witnesses discussed award rubrics, regional equity, reporting and the potential need for appropriations or a catalogue of statewide opportunities.

Alaska lawmakers are taking steps to revolutionize career and technical education with House Bill 358, aimed at creating a cohesive framework that connects students with industry opportunities statewide.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #AlaskaEducation #RuralAccessibility

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1 day ago

Alaska House Committee forwards resolution urging Congress to fully fund IDEA after testimony on rural service gaps After testimony from district and statewide special education leaders about workforce shortages, service wait lists and fiscal strain, the House Education Committee moved House Joint Resolution 45 urging Congress to fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at its original 40% commitment.

Alaska's House Education Committee is calling on Congress to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, highlighting urgent workforce shortages and service gaps that threaten students' futures.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #RuralServices #AlaskaEducation #SpecialEducation

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1 day ago

Testimony in support of bill to raise disability pay for Alaska peace officers and firefighters Public testimony for House Bill 210 urged raising occupational disability pay from 40% to 75% after 12 months for permanently injured peace officers and firefighters; supporters asked that the change apply retroactively to current Tier 4 recipients. The committee closed testimony and will review fiscal notes at its next meeting.

A pivotal bill could transform the financial futures of injured peace officers and firefighters in Alaska by raising their disability benefits from 40% to 75% of salary.

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#AK #FirstResponders #CitizenPortal #OccupationalBenefits #PublicSafety #AlaskaPeaceOfficers

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1 day ago

Department of Law details new labor-relations role, staffing and LOA centralization to House Finance Department of Law Civil Division Director Rachel Witty told the House Finance Committee that labor-relations duties moved under Administrative Order 356, staff have been rebuilt (a new manager and four analysts), and departments were asked to resubmit letters of agreement after a June 2025 reset to improve fiscal tracking.

Alaska's Department of Law is revamping its labor relations strategy, with new leadership and a push to streamline agreements by 2025.

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#AK #AlaskaLaborRelations #LaborNegotiations #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #FiscalTransparency

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1 day ago

Alaska Municipal League: state'determined property values and required local contribution shrink state school aid At a March 26 Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee hearing, Alaska Municipal League executive director Nils Andreasen told senators that the state''determined full value calculation and the required local contribution (2.65 mills) can reduce state school aid dollar-for-dollar and leave some districts, like Anchorage, disadvantaged.

The Alaska Municipal League warns that rising local contributions are slashing state school aid dollar-for-dollar, leaving districts like Anchorage powerless to cope.

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#AK #GovernmentPolicy #AlaskaSchools #CitizenPortal #LocalTaxation #EducationFunding

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1 day ago

Senate Finance advances 'Alaska Work and Save' CS after failing to raise small‑business threshold The Senate Finance Committee adopted a committee substitute for SB 21 (Alaska Work and Save) and forwarded it to the Rules Committee. An amendment by Senator Kaufman to raise the employer threshold from more than 5 to more than 10 employees failed 3–4 after debate about coverage for small employers and program costs.

The Senate Finance Committee has advanced the "Alaska Work and Save" program, but a proposed amendment to ease the burden on small businesses just failed—what does this mean for employers across the state?

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#AK #LegislativeReform #CitizenPortal #EmployerSupport

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1 day ago

House Finance hears SB 146 to broaden REAA Fund for Mount Edgecumbe; committee sets bill aside pending committee substitute The House Finance Committee heard Senate Bill 146, which would amend the REAA Fund to permit major maintenance and construction at Mount Edgecumbe High School and (initially) major maintenance for teacher housing and would remove a $70 million statutory cap. Committee members questioned multiple fiscal‑note versions and staffing capacity and set the bill aside pending a committee substitute.

The House Finance Committee is taking a closer look at Senate Bill 146, which could pave the way for crucial upgrades at Mount Edgecumbe High School while addressing teacher housing needs.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #EducationReform #RuralEducation #AlaskaEducation

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1 day ago

Fairbanks officials urge HB 379 to ease service‑area rules so more neighborhoods can access road maintenance Representative Kerrick introduced HB 379 to give second‑class boroughs prospective flexibility on creating or altering service areas; Fairbanks officials and the Alaska Municipal League said the change would help neighborhoods gain road maintenance without disturbing existing service areas, while members questioned turnout, election costs and constitutional limits.

House Bill 379 could transform road maintenance in Fairbanks by allowing neighborhoods to join service areas more easily, tackling the current double-vote hurdle that leaves many without essential services.

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#AK #RoadMaintenance #CitizenPortal #LocalGovernance

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1 day ago

Tanana Chiefs Conference tells House committee BEAD scoring disadvantaged tribal fiber proposals Tanana Chiefs Conference argued that an NTIA restructuring removed a fiber preference and prioritized lowest upfront cost, leading to rejected tribal fiber proposals; TCC warned microwave and satellite options carry higher lifetime operations and subsidy costs and urged the committee to consider total cost of ownership and tribal ownership in future decisions.

The Tanana Chiefs Conference reveals how a recent policy change jeopardized $123 million in tribal fiber proposals, warning that microwave and satellite options could lead to higher long-term costs for Alaska's remote communities.

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#AK #CivicAccountability #BroadbandAccess

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1 day ago

Senate subcommittee hears Department of Health request to fund eligibility systems, maintain virtual contact center amid high SNAP error rate Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg and Division of Public Assistance officials told the Senate Budget Subcommittee the FY27 amended budget asks for funding to sustain eligibility systems, the virtual contact center and staffing after pandemic-era backlogs; officials warned a 24% SNAP error rate could force the state to share benefit costs in coming years.

Alaska's Department of Health faces a looming crisis with a staggering 24% SNAP error rate that could cost the state millions if not addressed.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #AlaskaPublicAssistance #DigitalInclusion #FoodSecurity #GovernmentTransparency

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1 day ago

Committee hears bill to restore Permanent Fund dividends to people later exonerated; staff estimate ~$100,000 impact House Bill 189 would allow people whose convictions are vacated, reversed and later dismissed, or who are retried and found not guilty, to apply for missed Permanent Fund Dividend payments; staff estimated about five people could qualify for roughly $100,000 in back payments, paid from the prior‑year liability fund.

A new bill in Alaska could pave the way for wrongfully incarcerated individuals to reclaim missed Permanent Fund Dividend payments, potentially impacting five lives with a total of $100,000!

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#AK #AlaskaExonerees #CitizenPortal #RestorativeJustice #CriminalJusticeReform

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1 day ago

Citizen Review Panel urges standardized mandatory reporter training, eyes diversion for families screened out The Alaska Citizen Review Panel told the joint House and Senate Health and Social Services Committee that inconsistent mandatory reporter training and a lack of referral pathways leave some families without support; the panel recommended a single open-source curriculum and actions on diversion and out-of-home placement data.

The Alaska Citizen Review Panel is calling for standardized mandatory reporter training to ensure families in need aren't left unsupported in the child welfare system.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #MandatoryReporting #AlaskaChildWelfare #ChildWelfareReform #FamilySupport

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1 day ago

OCS reports more than 21,000 intakes annually, outlines training updates and limits on sharing screened-out cases Office of Children's Services Director Kim Gway told lawmakers OCS received roughly 21,000 reports in FY2024 and FY2025, described plans to update mandatory reporter training via the CJA Task Force and a new learning management system, and flagged a state regulation that limits sharing screened-out family data without parental consent.

Alaska's Office of Children's Services is tackling over 21,000 annual reports with new training initiatives and potential regulatory changes to better support families in need.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #ChildProtection #AlaskaChildren #FamilyServices #MandatoryReporters

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1 day ago

Bill would let prosecutors pursue assault charges against health‑care workers even when victims were aware of the contact House Bill 242 would remove an element in Alaska law that requires a health‑care worker know a patient was unaware of sexual contact; sponsors and multiple survivors told the House Judiciary Committee the current wording created a loophole that blocked prosecutions.

Alaska's House Bill 242 aims to close a dangerous loophole that has allowed health-care workers to evade accountability for sexual assault, even when victims are aware of the misconduct.

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#AK #VictimAccountability #HealthcareEthics #CitizenPortal #SexualAssault

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1 day ago

GCI, Alaska Communications and Pacific DataPort present projects and urge planning for operations, workforce and middle‑mile needs GCI, Alaska Communications and Pacific DataPort described BEAD‑funded projects—GCI’s $115 million IHUC expansion, ACS’s $124.5 million state award with private investment, and Pacific DataPort’s satellite solutions—and urged planning for maintenance, workforce training and middle‑mile resilience as BEAD moves to implementation.

Major Alaska providers are set to transform connectivity with over $239 million in BEAD awards, but challenges in maintenance and workforce training loom large.

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#AK #BroadbandAccess #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureInvestment #AlaskaCommunities #WorkforceDevelopment

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1 day ago

House panel hears Alaska Broadband Office outline of BEAD awards, timeline and next steps The Alaska Broadband Office told the House State Affairs Committee it has NIST and NTIA approvals for BEAD awards totaling $629,172,952, identified 15 subgrantees and 29 grants, and will enter negotiation and permitting phases while $362 million in non‑deployment funds remain subject to NTIA policy guidance.

Alaska is set to revolutionize its broadband landscape with over $629 million in federal grants, paving the way for faster internet access across the state!

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#AK #CitizenPortal #CommunityTraining #InfrastructureDevelopment #DigitalEquity #AlaskaBroadband

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1 day ago

Researchers unveil updated Alaska Energy Data Gateway, flag missing heat and producer data Presenters from the Alaska Center for Energy and Power and the Institute of Social and Economic Research briefed the Alaska Legislature on the Alaska Energy Data Gateway, a legislatively funded public portal that centralizes community and grid-level energy data; they said the tool improves access but still lacks comprehensive heat-use and independent-producer capacity datasets.

The newly updated Alaska Energy Data Gateway aims to revolutionize access to community energy data, but critical gaps in heat consumption and producer capacity data still remain.

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#AK #DataTransparency #CitizenPortal #CommunityEmpowerment #AlaskaEnergy #EnergyAccessibility

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1 day ago

Committee adopts working draft of HB 377 to allow cost recovery for municipal public‑records media requests The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee adopted a committee substitute for HB 377, which would add email to the public‑records definition and allow municipalities to recover actual personnel and production costs for audio and video public‑records requests; witnesses from the Department of Public Safety and Alaska Municipal League described workload and privacy challenges.

Alaska's House Committee just took a significant step towards modernizing public records laws by allowing municipalities to recover costs for handling audio and video requests—will this enhance transparency or create barriers?

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#AK #AlaskaPublicRecords #CitizenPortal

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1 day ago

University researchers tell House Energy Committee revived Alaska Energy Data Gateway needs sustained funding, better heat and IPP data University of Alaska researchers demonstrated a revamped Alaska Energy Data Gateway (AEDG) to the House Energy Committee, saying the tool—useful for community and regional planning—relies on publicly available electricity data, lacks systematic heat and IPP details, and faces near‑term funding shortfalls.

University of Alaska researchers unveiled a revamped Alaska Energy Data Gateway that could transform energy planning, but it urgently needs sustainable funding to unlock its full potential.

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#AK #EnergyData #CitizenPortal #PublicResource #SustainablePlanning #AlaskaEnergy

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1 day ago

Senate Finance hears wide testimony on proposed 98¢ surcharge to fund 988 crisis services Senator Scott Kawasaki’s SB 196 would add a 98¢ behavioral‑health services surcharge per phone line to fund 988 call operations, mobile crisis teams and stabilization centers. Supporters including mental‑health advocates and law enforcement urged stable funding; telecom providers and some residents warned the flat fee is regressive and cited alternative funding options.

Senator Scott Kawasaki's proposed 98¢ surcharge on phone bills could revolutionize mental health crisis services in Alaska, but is it the right solution?

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#AK #CitizenPortal #MentalHealthSupport #CrisisIntervention #AlaskaBehavioralHealth #PublicFundingReform

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1 day ago

House Fisheries Committee Hears Bill to Create East Side Cook Inlet Administrative Area Lawmakers and East Side fishermen told the House Special Committee on Fisheries that Senate Bill 158 would give East Side set-net permit holders a distinct administrative area for CFEC management and potential voluntary buybacks, while committee members pressed for clearer timelines for provisional permits and appeals and asked CFEC and Fish and Game to return for more detail.

A new bill aims to redefine the East Side Cook Inlet fishery landscape, promising better management for set-net permit holders while raising critical questions about the future of local fishing rights.

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#AK #FisheryManagement #CitizenPortal #LocalGovernance #CommunitySustainability

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2 days ago

Bildungsexpertin erklärt Lesekompetenz in Österreich - Guten Morgen Österreich vom 26.03.2026 Am Weltvorlesetag ist Bildungsexpertin Ilkim Erdost von der Arbeiterkammer zu Gast und spricht über die Lesekompetenz von Erwachsenen. Reporterin Teresa Freudenthaler meldet sich in einer Live-Schaltu...

"Die Lesekompetenz von Erwachsenen sinkt, 30 % der Österreicher:innen können nicht sinnerfassend lesen,“ so @ilkimerdost.bsky.social, Leiterin #AK Bildung.
▶️ #Chancenindex ist wichtige Investition in Schulen
▶️ Angebote für Erwachsene: #BFI & #VHS
Bildung darf niemanden zurücklassen!📚
📺Gestern im TV👇

Citizen Portal News Alaska

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3 days ago

Committee backs HB 33 to let conflicted Board of Fisheries/Game members remain for deliberations but not vote HB 33 would let Board of Fisheries and Board of Game members who declare a personal or financial conflict under AS 39.52 remain in deliberations and share expertise (but still prohibit them from voting or offering amendments). The committee advanced the bill after several fisheries stakeholders testified in favor.

House Bill 33 is making waves in Alaska, allowing conflicted Board of Fisheries members to share their expertise in discussions while still abstaining from votes!

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#AK #AlaskaFisheries #CitizenPortal #LegislativeTransparency #FisheriesManagement

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3 days ago

Conservation groups oppose companion bill on public‑land commercial development; committee sets SB 224 aside for review SB 224, a bill to authorize sale/lease and commercial development of designated state lands, drew questions from senators about federal refuge overlays and opposition from conservation groups worried that language would allow individual sales or leases within designated commercial parks without additional public notice. The committee set the bill aside and established an amendment deadline.

Controversy brews as Senate Bill 224 faces backlash from conservationists over potential impacts on Alaska's protected lands!

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#AK #CommunityInvolvement #CitizenPortal #WildlifeProtection #AlaskaConservation #PublicLandManagement

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3 days ago

Rep. Donna Mears seeks fix to preserve certificate‑of‑fitness exemption for rural utilities Rep. Donna Mears introduced HB 329 to clarify AS 18.62.010 so that utilities serving multiple small, non‑interconnected communities can continue to rely on locally trained, non‑journeyman workers for routine repairs; AVEC and IBEW testified about safety, training and operational impacts while DOL explained its interpretation.

Rep. Donna Mears is pushing for House Bill 329 to ensure rural utilities can keep using local workers for essential electrical maintenance, but will it pass the scrutiny of safety standards?

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#AK #RuralElectricity #CitizenPortal #SafetyRegulations #AlaskaUtilities

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3 days ago

Uber and Lyft oppose 90% driver take‑rate cap as committee seeks data and alternatives The committee heard extensive testimony from Uber and Lyft opposing a proposed 90% driver take‑rate requirement in HB 305, arguing it could raise fares and reduce demand; members asked both companies for Alaska‑specific earnings data and signalled they will draft a committee substitute incorporating feedback.

Uber and Lyft are pushing back against a proposed 90% driver take-rate cap, warning it could lead to higher fares and reduced earnings for drivers in Alaska.

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#AK #AlaskaDriverEarnings #CitizenPortal #CivicEngagement #EconomicAccess #TransportationPolicy

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3 days ago

Senate committee weighs bill to license respiratory therapists — Alaska the last state without licensure The committee reviewed language in the committee substitute for HB110 to establish state licensure for respiratory care practitioners, with supporters saying licensure would align Alaska with national standards, protect patients, and include a grandfather clause; staff cited a first‑year fiscal cost of about $46,100 covered by licensing fees.

Alaska stands alone as the only state without professional licensure for respiratory care practitioners, but new legislation could change that and enhance patient safety across the state.

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#AK #AlaskaRespiratoryCare #CitizenPortal #ProfessionalLicensure #PublicSafety

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3 days ago

Pilot 'career guide' program using Rooted Alliance shows early gains in FAFSA completion DEED and the Department of Labor described a Rooted Alliance‑based career guide pilot serving 197 seniors in year one; participants reported strong satisfaction and a 41% FAFSA completion rate among the cohort, above the statewide baseline presented.

A groundbreaking pilot program is empowering high school seniors in Alaska with personalized career guidance and achieving impressive FAFSA completion rates!

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#AK #FAFSACompletion #CitizenPortal #AlaskaEducation #CareerGuidance #StudentSatisfaction

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3 days ago

AWIB tells lawmakers Alaska needs tighter alignment between training and employers to fill vacancies The Alaska Workforce Investment Board told the House Education Committee it manages about $25 million in state and federal workforce grants and that stronger alignment, career awareness and employer engagement are needed to translate training into hired workers across Alaska.

Alaska's workforce is at a crossroads as the Alaska Workforce Investment Board emphasizes the urgent need for better alignment between education and employer demands to fill critical job vacancies.

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#AK #EmployerEngagement #CitizenPortal #EducationAlignment #AlaskaWorkforce

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3 days ago

Committee advances SB 200 to broaden farm‑use assessment eligibility; members debate Anchorage opt‑in and cannabis language SB 200, a cleanup to restore farm‑use assessment eligibility for some Subchapter S entities and floriculture, moved from committee after amendments that set an effective date, allowed municipal opt‑in for Anchorage (population threshold adjusted), and left a pending legal question about cannabis to Department of Law follow‑up.

Senate Bill 200 is set to reshape the landscape for Alaska's farmers by clarifying eligibility for farm-use assessment rates, but a heated debate on cannabis inclusion and municipal control looms ahead.

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#AK #CitizenPortal #AlaskaFarmers #AgriculturalPolicy #TaxReform