News from Hughes » March 23, 2021

Stay tuned. As bills pass, they will be listed here.

SB 27 – Industrial Hemp Program; Manufacturing- Many of you are aware that in 2018 I sponsored and the legislature passed SB6 allowing for the legalized growth and production of Industrial Hemp as an agricultural product in the Alaska. In late 2018 the US Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill which made additional changes to the federal statutes regarding the production of industrial hemp. SB 27 makes a few small changes in Alaska statute in order to conform to those federal changes. This bill was referred to the Senate Labor and Commerce and Resources Committees. On Monday March, 8th, aide Buddy Whitt and Sen. Hughes presented SB 27 in a hearing before Senate Labor and Commerce  Committee. On  March, 15, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee moved SB 27 out of committee and on to its next committee of referral: the Senate Resources Committee. Chief of Staff Buddy Whitt submitted a hearing request last week to the Senator Resources Chair, Sen. Josh Revak.

SB 41 – Health Insurance Info; Incentive Program. Also know as the Alaska Health Care Consumers Right to Shop  Act. The goal of this piece of legislation is to bring down the cost of healthcare over time by instituting full cost transparency and an incentive to shop for healthcare services that are below the average cost. This bill was referred to the Senate Labor and Commerce and Finance Committees. Senator Hughes has met with the Director of the Alaska Division of Insurance, Lori Wing-Heier, to discuss possible improvements to the legislation. Meetings with major insurers (who operate in Alaska) and with Wing-Heier, Hughes and staff have taken place the last couple of weeks. We are working with Ms. Wing-Heir on language to improve the bill and look forward to requesting a hearing in Senate Labor & Commerce Committee once we have the new language.

SB 42 – Virtual and Early Education, Reading- The “Education Transformation Act” enables districts to open up slots in classrooms to students in other locations and from other districts via two-way videoconferencing or other distance learning methods via internet. A menu of classes and teachers with video samples would open up a larger variety of course offerings and teaching expertise to students statewide. The bill also requires the state to adjust PRAXIS scores for teacher certification periodically. Districts would be required to post the ratio of administrators to classroom teachers to students each year. Districts could roll forward savings for the next year (up to an amount equal to 15% of current year’s expenditures) without impacting the amount of state funds to be received the next year. High school students could receive course credit for activities outside of school hours that districts determine meet the education or physical activity of a course. The bill establishes a “Read by 9” policy to ensure improved proficiency of students in reading by third grade. It also establishes cooperative agreements are expanded to include efficiency partnerships between districts and businesses, non-profits, and local governments. When between districts, the cooperative agreement is to include at least one rural school district. SB 42 also includes language focused on increasing the number of National Board Certified teachers in Alaska, requiring schools to post who is certified, and creating a halo around the superlative certification, showing the value of it.  This bill was referred to the Senate Education and Senate Finance Committees. On Monday February, 15th, aide Dawson Mann and Sen. Hughes presented SB 42 in a hearing before Senate Education Committee. Sen. Hughes participated in an hour-long meeting two weeks ago with superintendents across the state to discuss the contents of the bill and to hear their input. Aide Dawson Mann is researching various virtual education and early literacy policies employed by other states as possible tweaks to improve the legislation, with the goal, of course, to improve student achievement outcomes and better equip Alaska’s children and youth for the future. Meanwhile, the Education Committee has heard from a variety of educators and experts regarding early literacy policy and successes. Sen. Hughes has engaged in a discussion with the Education Chair, Senator Roger Holland, regarding the possibility of his using much of the language from SB42 to draft a Senate Education Committee bill. Sen. Hughes believes the importance and scope of SB42 make it an appropriate bill for sponsorship by a committee that serves the entire senate, rather than just by one legislator. Meetings with Chair Holland and with Senator Begich (regarding his bill, SB 8) have been productive. A Senate Education Committee bill is being drafted based on these discussions. The committee bill based off of SB 42 will be presented before the Senate Education Committee this Friday, March 26.

SB 43-  Elections, Voting, Campaign Finance- “An Act relating to campaign finance and initiatives; relating to elections and voting; and relating to unlawful interference with voting”. SB 43 is about improving transparency and accountability in Alaska’s campaign finance laws as well as securing the integrity of Alaska’s election process. This bill was referred to the Senate State Affairs and Judiciary Committees. SB 43 received its first hearing February 2 in the State Affairs Committee. The working draft of a committee substitute was adopted to narrow this bill to the subject of campaign financing related to ballot initiatives. The chair explained he planned to merge the section on ballot harvesting with another bill. The bill received its second hearing on February 16, 2021. The committee substitute was adopted and the bill was moved out. SB 43 was given a referral to the Senate Finance Committee due to an added fiscal note on February 22. Stakeholder groups have contacted Senator Hughes’ office regarding the legislation and their input is under consideration. This bill is on hold unless or until we are able to address a few issues.

SJR 4 – Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to abortion. This bill will allow for the question of abortion to be decided through legislation or voter initiative. Each and every time that the legislature has passed legislation attempting to regulate in even the smallest and simplest manner the practice of abortion in the state, the courts in Alaska have stepped in to call any such provisions unconstitutional. Interestingly, the same provisions exist in many other states, including in states considered very progressive The passage of SJR 4 in the legislature and majority approval by Alaska voters will make it possible for the people to have a voice and express their will as it relates to abortion in our state. This bill was referred to the Senate Health & Social Services, Judiciary, and Finance Committees. The first hearing for SJR 4 was held March 16 before the Senate Health & Social Services Committee and public testimony was taken.

SB 102– Extending the Alaska membership in the Compact to advocate for an Article V Constitutional Convention for the purposes of advancing an amendment to the United States Constitution requiring a balanced budget. Alaska’s membership in this compact is set to expire this year, but with the passage of Senate Bill 102, Alaska would remain a member in the compact until 2031. I introduced this legislation on March 10 and requested a hearing before the State Affairs Committee. The bill will be heard for the first time this Thursday.