This photo was taken on the first day of the 31st Legislature. I feel comfortable speaking for my colleagues when I say that we look forward to serving our constituents and all of Alaska.
Friends and Neighbors,
Greetings from Juneau! Your legislative session newsletter is back in full swing just like the 31st Legislative session is in full swing on the Senate side. Our office will be especially busy this session due to committee and board appointments that involve important and pressing issues for District F as well as for all Alaskans. As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the senator newly appointed to the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission, I will be intensely involved with the effort to repeal and replace the remaining problematic portions of the 29th Legislature’s SB91.
I’d like to applaud Alaskans for weathering the 7.0 earthquake that hit in November 30th. The quake triggered an immediate need to address its impact and sparked an awareness of the necessity for a comprehensive review of Alaska’s infrastructure with respect to future planning. These issues converge for two of my committee assignments. My position as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee provides a unique opportunity to maximize education and planning to address infrastructure issues for both transportation and public schools. In fact, an initial step in our approach will be to invite the state seismologist, Michael West, to give an in-depth presentation to both committees. We invite public participation in these meetings and encourage folks in our communities to visit the Legislature’s website (click here) for committee announcements and schedules, as well as my Facebook page.
When visiting my Senate Facebook page, be sure to check out the Facebook Live video we posted on Monday, January 14, where I introduced both new and returning staff, and gave a tour of our new office on the ground floor of the Capital Building. My plan is to host a Facebook Live Q&A session every Monday at 7 pm during the legislative session. So despite the distance from Juneau, you still have access to your Senator and ask your questions with #NoFilter.
Please take note of my upcoming coffee chats and townhalls (which will also be announced on my Facebook page). The next coffee chats are scheduled for Saturday, February 2nd, 9:00 am-10:00 am (at Chugiak Café) and 11:00 am-12:00 pm (at Vagabond Blues) and a townhall will be held on Saturday, February 23rd from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm at the Chugiak Senior Center.
Lastly, my areas of responsibilities this legislative session with respect to the full list of committee assignments and board appointments include the following:
- Judiciary Committee, Chair
- Transportation Committee, Chair
- Education Committee, Vice-Chair
- Joint Armed Services Committee, Member
- Alaska Criminal Justice Commission, Member
- Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education, Member
- State Agriculture & Rural Leaders, Alaska Delegate
Not on the list above, but just as important, is my responsibility to my constituents! I look forward to hearing from members of our communities and will continue to strive to be available in multiple forums.
Working on your behalf,
It was wonderful to have both my parents here in Juneau for the start of the new legislative session. Rosemary and Gary Lebowitz live in Hoonah, so it is a special treat for them to be able to visit me in Juneau.
Serving You on Committees
Please note that my committee assignments have changed due to new legislative session.
- Judiciary Committee, Chair
- Transportation Committee, Chair
- Education Committee, Vice-Chair
- Joint Armed Services Committee, Member
- Alaska Criminal Justice Commission, Member
- Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education, Member
- State Agriculture & Rural Leaders, Alaska Delegate
- Mat-Su Legislative Delegation, Co-Chair
For information on all bills filed by others,
click here.
Legislation Update
Bills I’m Sponsoring
Our office has not pre-filed any bills, please stay tuned for forth coming legislation.
In the future, we will list each bill and a short description and summary of the bill’s movement through the legislative process with links for you to access more information.
For additional information,
contact my staff:
Buddy Whitt
Chief of Staff & Judiciary Committee Aide
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
907-465-5025
Aimee Bushnell
Transportation Committee Aide
Aimee.Bushnell@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Regina Largent
Judiciary Research Attorney
Regina.Largent@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Shiela Morrison
Legislative Intern – Education Aide
Shiela.Morrison@akleg.gov
907-465-3743
Sen. Shelley Hughes was honored along with Sen. Mike Shower to deliver the official message to Governor Mike Dunleavy that the Senate had convened and is ready to conduct business!
Coming Up…
CHUGIAK – Chugiak Cafe MAT-SU – Vagabond Blues
9:00 am to 10:00 am 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
- Sat, Feb 2 Sat, Feb 2
- Sat, Mar 9 Sat, Mar 9
- Sat, Apr 6 Sat, Apr 6
TOWNHALL (Mid-Session)
CHUGIAK / EAGLE RIVER
- Sat, Feb 23 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Chugiak Senior Center)
Meet My Staff Who Serve You Too
Buddy Whitt
“It is an honor to be back once again this session assisting Senator Hughes in her service to the constituents of Senate District F. While I was not born in Alaska, I have lived in the Great Land for twenty years, which is quite an achievement when you consider I have lived in ten different locations throughout my life. I have always had a passion for service to others. I give credit for that to my upbringing as a United States Air Force brat and having come from a long line of military service members that extend all the way back to the American Revolution.
After spending eight years of service in the United States Marine Corps, thirteen in hotel management and four years as Executive Director of the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska, I am proud to be serving District F and all Alaskans in this current role. I am especially thankful for the love and support of my beautiful wife Lindsey and my wonderful children Emilia and Cole. I hope that through the example of service that my wife and I display, we can teach our children the importance of service before self and the fulfillment that comes with it.”
Aimee Bushnell
“It’s my third year back and I am excited for my new assignment! This session I will be working as a committee aide for the Senate Transportation Committee that Senator Hughes is chairing. During the interim, I focused on my school work, completing five classes over the summer through the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and five more in the fall up north in Fairbanks. At the end of this year I’ll finally be graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in finance.
This is all to help me towards my goal of becoming an Ambassador and Diplomat for the United States and to represent our nation abroad. For now, I look forward to continuing to work with the people of District F and the people of this state I’ve always called home.”
Regina Largent
“As a long-time Alaskan who cares deeply about the impact the State Legislature’s work has upon everyday citizens. I am very excited to serve as Judicial Research Attorney for Senator Hughes. I will be providing legal research and analysis supporting Senator Hughes’ duties
as Chair of the Judiciary Committee in addition to her various other committees and boards. Shortly after moving to Alaska in January of 1995, I took a 4-6 week teaching assignment in Nome that ended up lasting a decade. During that time, I worked to serve both Nome and the 15 villages within the Bering Strait Region. Eventually, I moved back onto the road system for a position with Mat-Su College and later relocated to Kenai to work as an Assistant District Attorney. In both rural and more urban locations, my life was extraordinarily enriched by working with Alaskans from across a broad spectrum. This included high school and college students, secondary and post-secondary educators, program coordinators for various state and Native agencies, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, Alaska Court system employees and a myriad of non-profit staff. Truly it is the wealth of 20+ years of interacting with Alaskans from all walks of life that motivate me to serve the People of Alaska.”
Sheila Morrison
“I am excited to have been selected for the Ted Stevens Legislative Internship and even more thankful to have been chosen by Senator Shelley Hughes to work in her office as front desk and education aide. I look forward to learning how our capital operates as we move through this session, especially with the opportunity to carry a bill for the Senator. (The bill is still TBD at the moment though.)”
– Let Your Voice Be Heard –
– Participate in Public Testimony –
Public testimony is available for every bill heard in a committee. Follow bills you have interest in on the Alaska State Legislature Page. To testify, go to your local Legislative Information Office (LIO) which you can find here. If you are unable to testify, written testimony can also be submitted by sending an email to the committee.
Public testimony times on bills
that might interest you:
Find it here!
For budget bills, tax bills, and Permanent Fund bills in the Finance Committees, please arrive 15 minutes early for sign-in process, and please arrive 15 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time or testimony may close early. Public testimony may be limited to two minutes per person, so it’s best to prepare concise comments.
Join Shelley on Facebook Live each week to ask questions and give input.
We typically broadcast Mondays at 7pm, but watch for a notification on Facebook as the day/time is subject to change.
Be sure to “like” the “Senator Shelley Hughes” Facebook page www.facebook.com/AKShelleyHughes
so you’ll get a heads-up each time we air!
Eve of session: meet my staff and get a taste of what’s coming up during this 31st Legislature. #NoFilter #Telling_it_like_it_is
TIPS TO STAY IN THE LOOP
More important than ever!
TIP #1: The Alaska State Legislature web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators (session), and access committee information. Questions? Try the help wizard or call 1-800-478-4648.
TIP #2: SMS Bill Tracking! Once you know what bill(s) you want to monitor, here’s a convenient way to track what’s happening. Text any bill number (ex: SB1) to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts for that particular piece of legislation. You’ll receive an enrollment confirmation as well as instructions on how to unsubscribe.
TIP #3: How to Get in Touch with Shelley! Give our office a call at (907)465-3743 or 800-565-3743 in Juneau or (907) 376-3725 or (907) 622-8963 in district or send an email to Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov.
Buddy Whitt – Chief of Staff, Judiciary Committee Aide
Buddy.Whitt@akleg.gov
Aimee Bushnell – Transportation Committee Aide
Aimee.Bushnell@akleg.gov
Regina Largent – Judiciary Research Attorney
Regina.Largent@akleg.gov
Shiela Morrison – Legislative Intern, Education Aide
Shiela.Morrison@akleg.gov
Mat-Su Office (closed while in Juneau)
600 E. Railroad Avenue
Wasilla, Alaska 99654
907-376-3725
Chugiak Office (closed while in Juneau)
12641 Old Glenn Hwy, Ste 201
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
907-622-8963
Best regards,
Copyright © 2019 Senator Shelley Hughes. All rights reserved.
