As lawmakers work on the core of their budget fix, the pace of new bills is starting to slacken.
Only 16 new bills made their appearance in the fourth full week of the 30th Legislature, a third as many as debuted in the first week, and half as many as in the third week.
The list of new bills includes House Bill 115, a comprehensive budget fix proposed by the House’s coalition majority. That bill is scheduled for hearings Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in the House Finance Committee.
Expect a spending cap bill to be introduced in the Senate this week, but when that arrives, all the pieces of a budget fix likely have been introduced. The question for the rest of the session will be which pieces will be thrown out, which pieces will be included, and how they fit together.
HOUSE BILLS
HB 106 (Rep. Zach Fansler, D-Bethel) – One-quarter of the filing fees paid to the Alaska Court System will go to pay for legal services given to people who otherwise couldn’t afford them.
HB 107 (Rep. David Talerico, R-Healy) – The state creates a new permit so private fish hatcheries and small-scale fish hatcheries can operate more easily.
HB 108 (Rep. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage) – If you die, your will can include instructions on what should be done with your Facebook page, bitcoins and your World of Warcraft account ─ things you own digitally but not physically.
HB 109 (Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski) – If you work for the state, you have to live in the state.
HB 110 (Rep. Sam Kito III, D-Juneau) – Massage therapists have to have 625 hours of classroom instruction before getting a state license to give massages.
HB 111 (House Resources Committee) – Oil and gas producers have to pay higher taxes, and the state won’t subsidize them as much.
HB 112 (Claman) – A police officer can’t have sex with a prostitute while working undercover.
HB 113 (Rep. Harriet Drummond, D-Anchorage) – You’re driving under the influence of marijuana (a crime) if you have THC in your system.
HB 114 (House Labor and Commerce) – If boiler inspectors turn in a paper copy of their inspection form to the state, they have to pay a $10 fee. There’s no fee for electronic copies, and the inspection has to be reported in 15 days, not 30 days.
HB 115 (House Finance Committee) – Biggest bill of the Legislature right here. Proposes an income tax and spending a portion of the Alaska Permanent Fund’s earnings to balance most of the state’s annual deficit.
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS
HCR 4 (Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla) – Instead of announcing committee meetings at least 24 hours in advance, the Legislature has to announce them the day before.
HCR 5 (Eastman) – The Legislature’s Committee on Committees isn’t limited to just five members.
SENATE BILLS
SB 50 (Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage) – Instead of paying $5 to the state for every studded tire you buy, you pay a fee of $75 per tire.
SB 51 (Sen. Natasha Von Imhof, R-Anchorage) – The state board of veterinary examiners can keep running through 2025.
SB 52 (Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau) – State employees and teachers can choose either a defined benefit pension or a defined contribution retirement account.
SB 53 (Sen. Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage) – Women who buy birth control pills can buy up to 12 months’ worth at a time, instead of only three months’ worth.
SB 54 (Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole) – Last year’s reductions in criminal sentences went too far; this raises the punishment for some crimes, including violating conditions of release.
SB 55 (Coghill) – These are all the technical and grammar corrections for last year’s criminal justice reform bill.
Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com or call 419-7732.
