This story has been updated to clarify specific provisions of a bill banning PFAS chemicals.
Juneau Sen. Jesse Kiehl, as a member of that chamber’s majority, has one of his five bills about to be sent to the governor and three others that seem likely to at least pass a Senate floor vote before the sessions ends about three weeks from now.
Meanwhile, the two local Democratic state House members in the legislative minority aren’t seeing as much traction on their bills – although their names will be on some accomplishments and there’s always next year for proposals still pending.
Action on a few pieces of local legislation happened Monday as a bill by Kiehl creating a confidential address registry for law enforcement officers and crime victims unanimously passed the state Senate, and another bill of his prohibiting PFAS materials for most firefighting purposes advanced out of the Senate Finance Committee in its last major step before a floor vote.
On the House side Monday, Rep. Sara Hannan introduced a bill raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 instead of 19, and imposing a 25% tax on vaping products. It is a companion bill to a nearly identical proposal by Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, introduced last month and advanced on Monday to that chamber’s Finance Committee.
Kiehl, as a member of a 17-member bipartisan majority in the 20-member Senate, has an easier path to bill approval in his chamber than his local House colleagues who are in a 16-member minority against a 23-member Republican led majority (one additional Republican is unaffiliated with their caucus). He is also a member of the Finance Committee, where he was able to advance his PFAS bill on Monday after a relatively short overview of its provisions.
”Senate Bill 67 is fundamentally a no-new-spills bill for PFAS chemicals which are primarily used in firefighting here in Alaska,” he said.
It immediately prohibits PFAS chemicals for most firefighting purposes, although there are exceptions for the oil and gas industry so firefighters can respond to large incidents until alternative chemicals for such fires are practically available. It also allows 132 villages and other small communities to use a small amount of the chemicals each year under a program where the state offers disposal services.
The bill, which advanced from the Finance Committee without objection, is part of a much wider effort dealing with the effects of so-called “forever chemicals” that have contaminated hundreds of sites statewide, including three locations in Juneau.
Kiehl is also the sponsor of a bill giving veterans with disabilities free lifetime trapping licenses, which is awaiting transmittal to Gov. Mike Dunleavy after passing both the Senate and House, and a resolution seeking enhanced oil spill response capabilities in western and Arctic Alaska that’s awaiting a floor vote.
The one proposal of Kiehl’s that hasn’t seen noteworthy action seeks to enhance public employee pensions by returning to a defined benefits system instead of the existing 401k-style retirement program. Such a change was deemed one of two major legislative priorities by the Senate majority early during the session, but Stevens said last week he no longer expects such legislation to pass this year.
Among Juneau’s House members, Rep. Andi Story is seeing more movement as two of the four bills she’s introduced are in the House Finance Committee following multiple hearings. Hannan has three bills that have seen less movement to date.
But as is the case with Hannan’s tobacco bill introduced Monday, proposals by other legislators that are identical or similar to those from the local House members are seeing movement as well.
Story, sponsor of a bill increasing the amount and eligibility for the state’s high school performance scholarship program, is seeing some momentum as a companion bill in the Senate had its first hearing Monday (with another scheduled Wednesday), while a separate bill with a smaller increase was recently introduced by the House Education Committee and advanced relatively quickly to the Finance Committee.
Both House members have also been successful implementing provisions beyond their own bills.
Hannan, for example, successfully introduced an amendment to restore some funding for remote public radio stations during the House Finance Committee’s debate on next year’s proposed state budget. Story, as a member of the Education Committee, successfully added a two-year staged increase to a bill boosting public school funding that was heard by the Finance Committee on Monday.
Story, considered by some observers to be among the more congenial members of the Legislature, also made waves in a different way last week with a “monkey in the wrench” vote on a procedural vote related to next year’s budget. She changed her “yes” vote to a “no” on the effective date clause — which in simple terms means it couldn’t take effect at the beginning of the fiscal year, although ultimately the issue will almost certainly get resolved before the end of the session — which resulted in the Alaska Landmine on Sunday presenting her with this week’s “Loose Unit” designee, complete with a meme of her in medieval armor.
After changing her vote on the effective date for the budget. #akleg pic.twitter.com/bXhsbXwSPm— The Alaska Landmine (@alaskalandmine) April 18, 2023
The status of legislation of Juneau’s delegation as of Monday:
Sen. Jesse Kiehl
— SB 10: Gives permanent trapping licenses to disabled veterans and certain other service members. Has passed the Senate and House.
— SB 11: Gives state employees the option of defined pension benefits rather than a 401k-style retirement program. Has two committee referrals with no hearings to date, also similar proposals by other legislators have been heard extensively.
— SB 12: Creates a confidential address registry for law enforcement officers, their families, and crime victims with protective orders. Passed the Senate unanimously on Monday.
— SB 67: Prohibits PFAS chemicals for most firefighting purposes. Advanced by the Senate Finance Committee on Monday and is awaiting a floor vote.
— SJR 11: A non-binding resolution a resolution seeking enhanced oil spill response capabilities in western and Arctic Alaska. Is awaiting a floor vote.
Rep. Sara Hannan
— HB 7: Updates procedures for administrative law judges who hear appeals on cases involving decisions by state agencies. Has three committee referrals with no hearings so far.
— HB 43: Prohibits conversion therapy for youths and “vulnerable adults.” Referred to three committees, has been “heard and held” in its initial Health and Social Services Committee referral.
— HB 176: Introduced on Monday, it raises the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 (instead of 19) and imposes a 25% tax on e-tobacco products. A companion bill to SB 89 by Stevens.
Rep. Andi Story
— HB 25: Ensures U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA Corps employees remain eligible for Permanent Fund dividends if their duties take them out of state. Has advanced through two committees and is currently in the Finance Committee.
— HB 26: Renames and expands the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council. Has advanced past one committee and is now in the House Finance Committee, with public testimony on it scheduled Thursday.
— HB 31: Increases the size and eligibility of the state’s high school performance scholarship program for higher education. Referred to two committees, has been stalled in Education Committee since an initial hearing in February. A companion Senate bill (SB 56) is getting its initial hearings by that body’s Education Committee this week. A subsequent House bill introduced by the House Education Committee with a smaller increase (HB 148), advanced to the Finance Committee last week.
— HB 44: Requires the state Department of Education and Early Development to implement a program helping school districts incorporate local traditions and lifestyles into its curriculum. Has two committee referrals with no hearings so far.
• Contact reporter Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com.
