<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4KhSFf_1BpePnV400" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4KhSFf_1BpePnV400" width="696" height="464" ><figcaption>Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak.</figcaption></figure>Hello from Juneau! The legislative session has ended but as most of you have heard, the governor has called us in for an immediate special session on the gasline. In this newsletter, I will provide an end of session report on the budgets and bills that passed prior to Sine Die on May 20. I’ll provide another report on the gasline at the end of the special session. Both Senate and House Finance Committees are meeting on AKLNG pipeline bills similar to HB 381 Oil &amp; Gas Property Tax. You can follow along on AKLEG.gov or Gavel Alaska TV.BudgetsThe Senate and House were able to pass a balanced operating and capital budget on time. These balanced budgets are based on a revenue forecast of $75 per barrel of oil in Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27). We reduced spending by over $900 million and eliminated the $1 billion deficit from the governor’s proposed budget. With volatile oil prices due to the war in Iran, our budget still includes funding for vital state services such as education, public safety, and health care; capital projects including schools, airports and AMHS; community assistance funding and provides for a $1,000 PFD along with a $200 energy relief check. FY27 Operating Budget:The Senate and House passed the FY27 operating budget totaling $5 billion Unrestricted General Funds (UGF). Both bodies worked diligently to find a balance while providing for essential services like education, AMHS, public safety, fisheries management and ensuring the PFD for future years. $3.8 million was provided for Head start and if oil prices remain high, up to $115 million will be distributed to our schools in addition to the statutory BSA. $20 million was added to the base payments for Community Assistance grants, resulting in a $50 million distribution to communities this year and an additional $30 million was added to the fund which will result in a $30 million distribution next year. Community jails were fully funded as was the State Assistance to Retirement. $49.5 million was added to AMHS as contingency in case federal grant funding is not available. $8 million was added for SNAP food benefits and $11 million to restore the heating assistance program. FY27 Capital Budget:The Senate and House passed a FY27 Capital budget that totals $360 million UGF. Much of these funds are used as matching for over $1.8 billion in federal funding for our state. The increase in oil revenue allowed the Legislature to focus more funding on deferred maintenance for our schools and university. While this provides some much-needed repairs, it does not significantly reduce the deferred maintenance backlog which was estimated at $2.4 billion two years ago. Unfortunately, there will be no funds available this year for community projects through the state CAPSIS grant program. If oil prices remain higher than budgeted, surplus funds will be diverted to a list of maintenance and construction projects statewide. Capital funds were provided for several road maintenance projects in Kodiak and the Homer and Anchor Point areas and a Homer Airport Master Plan update. Over $10 million was included for various salmon fishery projects. $5.3 million was included for Seward’s AVTEC program expansion and equipment modernization. Village Safe Water projects received $18 million and weatherization programs statewide received $5 million. The operating and capital budgets are now being prepared for transmittal to the governor’s office. Because we are in special session, once the governor receives the budgets the governor will have 15 days, not including Sundays, to make line item vetoes. The House and Senate reports and budgets are posted here: legfin.akleg.gov. Education In addition to the above operating and capital budget funding, the following bills passed the Legislature and are headed to the governor’s office for approval or veto. My bill to add civics curriculum and assessment into public school statutes has been a top priority of mine for many years. I am pleased to report this year, the bill passed both the House and the Senate with overwhelming support. The bill creates an incentive teacher student loan repayment pilot program, allows Alaska’s correspondence study programs to align with district-wide instructional material policies and allows students in a correspondence program to retain textbooks and materials purchased. It also includes school board reform and acknowledges the commitment of local municipalities by capping the annual increases on a district’s required local contribution by no more than 4% and allows districts to reopen schools after four years instead of seven, if determined by the community and local school board. It also creates a fund intended to reimburse districts for energy costs – electricity and heating fuel. This resolution requests support from federal officials for waiving visa fees for teachers. Legislation This bill took parts of over a dozen separate crime-related bills and combined them into one bill commonly referred to as the omnibus crime bill. Provisions include creating stricter criminal penalties for AI-generated child sexual abuse material, hit-and-run incidents and sexual assault by a healthcare worker. It also raises the age of consent from 16 to 18 years old and restructures the Alaska Board of Parole, among other items. Status: Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. This bill makes several changes to our elections to improve access for eligible voters while also protecting voter election data, improving voter list maintenance and ballot curing, and creating an online ballot tracking system. The bill passed both the Senate and House, but the governor vetoed the bill on April 29. The Legislature went into Joint Session on May 4 to consider an override of the governor’s veto. I voted yes to override the veto, but the vote failed to achieve the override threshold of 40 votes, and the veto was sustained. This bill would bring back a defined benefit pension program for state employees to help with recruitment and retention of state employees in crucial positions such as public safety and teachers. Status: Passed both the House and Senate; the governor vetoed the bill on May 18. The Legislature went into Joint Session on May 19 to consider an override of the governor’s veto. I voted yes to override the veto, but the vote failed to achieve the override threshold of 40 votes, and the veto was sustained. Fishery and Seafood Task Force bills:Passed House and Senate with overwhelming support; Status: copies sent to the President and Vice President, AK Congressional delegation, leaders of the U.S. Congress and Senate, Secretary of Commerce, and the U.S. Trade Representative. Amends the tax credit program qualifiers to include all species of fish and shellfish. Expands the range of technology that qualifies for credits; requires a quicker determination of credit eligibility from the Dept. of Revenue. Extends the sunset date to 2037. Status: Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. This bill was a product of the Joint Legislative Task Force Evaluating Alaska’s Seafood Industry that I chaired. Action item 22(a) of the Task Force was to modernize digital infrastructure and data sharing across the University of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission and other data management divisions in the state, to improve such things as user accessibility, streamline permit processing, administrative cost reductions, labor statistics, and overall informed policy making decisions. Status: Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. This bill would allow two or more salmon fishery set gillnet permit holders to enter into a multi-permit cooperative operation with a maximum of ten permit holders per cooperative. The salmon harvested by these co-ops would be exempted from individual delivery requirements and could be stored together, delivered under one fish ticket, and sold by one member of the co-op or transporter. Status: Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. This bill allows Board of Fisheries and Board of Game members to deliberate, but not to vote, on subjects for which they have a declared personal or financial interest (previously, board members were prohibited from deliberating or voting). Status: passed Senate and House; governor signed into law. Revenue Bills:My bill to help address the increased vaping trend with Alaska’s youth will increase the minimum age to buy, sell, and possess tobacco and E-cigarettes from 19 to 21 years old, and places a point-of-sale (retail sales) tax on electronic smoking products (ESPs). Updating Alaska statutes to mirror the federal minimum age of sale of these products will allow our state enforcement program to become more effective and Alaska will be eligible for federal grant funding to support smoking cessation and health education programs. The heart of this effort is to deter young Alaskans from being exposed to addictive nicotine products. Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. This bill updates the state’s corporate income tax to capture more revenue from companies that sell to Alaskans over the internet. This proposal is expected to bring in $15 million a year, and is very similar to last year’s SB 113, which was vetoed by the governor. Status: Passed Senate and House, will be sent to governor next. Please keep in touch!My term does not end until Jan. 18, 2027. I appreciate hearing from you about legislation, budgets, and other state issues. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of assistance to you with state agency matters. Phones:907-465-4925 (Juneau)800-821-4925 (toll free) 907-235-0690 (Homer) 907-486-4925 (Kodiak) Email: [email protected]View past newsletters and press releases: alaskasenate.org/stevens/. </div></body>

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Hello from Juneau! The legislative session has ended but as most of you have heard, the governor has called us in for an immediate special session on the gasline. In this newsletter, I will provide an end of session report on the budgets and bills that passed prior to Sine Die on May 20. I’ll provide another report on the gasline at the end of the special session.

Capitol Report: Special session update

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Hello from Juneau! The legislative session has ended but as most of you have heard, the governor has called us in for an immediate special session on the g

Capitol Report: Special session update

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