News from Hughes » March 30, 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. The tomorrow SB 27 will have a hearing in Senate Resources Committee.

SB 41 – Health Insurance Info; Incentive Program. Also known 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. We are looking forward to an initial hearing in Senate Labor & Commerce Committee very soon. Stay tuned.

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. On Monday February, 15th, aide Dawson Mann and Sen. Hughes presented SB 42 in a hearing before Senate Education Committee. Sen. Hughes then 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. The Current Education Committee bill SB 111 also know as the Alaska Academic Improvement and Modernization Act (AIM) is largely based on the contents of SB 42. SB 111 is scheduled to be heard in Senate Education Committee tomorrow Wednesday, March 31st and we are expecting to have an opportunity for public testimony on Thursday, April 8th and Friday, April 9th.

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. On March 24, SJR 4 was passed from Senate Health & Social Services Committee on to its next committee of referral: the Senate Judiciary Committee. We have submitted a hearing request to the office of Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Reinbold and look forward to an initial hearing very soon.

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. On Thursday, March 25th, my Chief of Staff Buddy Whitt and Intern Riley Nye did a wonderful job presenting SB 102 before the Senate State Affairs Committee.