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Stripped sections of bark and hardened drops of tree sap are seen on May 24, 2018, on trees near Big Lake that are infested with bark beetles. That kind of damage kills infested spruce trees. (Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)

News

House-passed bill would trim the time needed for Alaska loggers to cut state-owned forests

Measure could reduce wildfire risks, but critics worry about overuse by the state agency in charge.

Rep. Andi Story, a Juneau Democrat, talks with a guest page on the House floor Wednesday morning. Story, a member of the House Education Committee, was among the members in the minority who expressed concern a bill giving teachers end-of-year bonuses will be used by House leaders to avoid a larger and more general increase to public school funding this session. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

A step forward for teacher bonuses, a step back for a BSA increase

House committee advances year-end educator payments, but outlook for school funding boost dims

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Senate Finance Committee co-chair Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, right, listens to Sealaska Corp. Board Chair Joe Nelson testify about the committee’s proposed budget during a hearing April 20.

News

Revised Senate budget contains smaller education increase, $1,300 PFD

Finance Committee proposing one-time $680 per-pupil boost in attempt to avoid deficit

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, exchanges words with Rep. CJ McCormick, D-Bethel, before Wednesday’s House floor session. The two legislators were on opposite sides of a 4-3 House Education Committee vote earlier during the morning to advance a bill restricting references to sex and gender in public schools, with Allard supporting the bill and McCormick opposing.

News

‘Parental rights’ bill expanded to require parents’ OK for entire curriculum

Legislation restricting sex and gender references in schools advances out of first committee.

Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, and Tristin Walsh, a staff member for Armstrong, prepare to present her bill seeking to prevent LGBTQ+ discrimination to the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination bill advances after heated debate

Next stop is the House Judiciary Committee.

State Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, left, confers with Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and other members during Monday’s floor session about a bill allowing residents to receive Medicaid funds for providing care for elderly and disabled family members. The bill introduced by Gov. Mike Dunleavy passed unanimously. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Senate OKs Medicaid funds for home care of elderly, disabled

Bill also allows state to seek extension of COVID-era funds for other residents needing daily care

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file Juneau state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, standing, addresses a town hall audience Jan. 11 at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School as Juneau state Reps. Sarah Hannan, far left, and Andi Story wait their turn to discuss their priorities during the current legislative session.

News

Bills, bills, bills: How Juneau’s three lawmakers are faring with three weeks to go

Local delegation makes significant moves in recent days, from final bill passage to medieval memes

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, explains the provisions of his bill making confidential the addresses of law enforcement officers, their families, and victims of sexual assault and domestic violence during Monday’s floor session. The bill passed unanimously, as did a related bill making peer support programs for law enforcement officers confidential.

News

Confidential address registry for officers, victims passes Senate

Bill by Juneau’s Jesse Kiehl forwards mail from state P.O. box; confidential counseling bill also OK’d

A delegate watches the proceedings during the final day of the 88th annual Tribal Assembly of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska on Friday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Tribal delegates call invocation objection at Capitol a sign of disrespect

Two Alaska governing bodies hold annual sessions a few blocks apart, yet still have wide chasms

Apayauq Reitan, the first transgender woman to participate in the Iditarod, tells the House Education Committee on March 30, 2023, why she opposes a bill restricting sex and gender content in schools. A second meeting for public testimony is scheduled Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire)

News

Peninsula voices among ‘parental rights’ debate in Juneau

People who spoke in opposition outnumbered those who spoke in support by three to one

State Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, receives a note while presiding over public testimony from Juneau residents about next year’s proposed state budget during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Public expresses big hopes for small items in Senate’s budget

State takeover of wetlands permitting, lack of support for social services among main issues

Six state House members vote against including an invocation that featured an Alaska Native land acknowledgement during Thursday’s floor session. (Screenshot from official Alaska State Legislature video)

News

House invocation with Native land acknowledgement draws objection

Six members vote to keep remarks made from official journal as tribal asssembly meets nearby

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire A simple spreadsheet showing major items being debated in this year’s state budget features user-adjustable options to see what options exist for a balanced spending plan.

News

Do-it-yourself state budget balancing kit

These are the major pieces of the puzzle facing lawmakers; how would you make them fit?

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy shakes the hands of state legislators as he prepares to deliver the 2023 State of the State address to the Alaska Legislature on Jan. 23, 2023, in Juneau. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

News

Dunleavy weighs a statewide sales tax amid broader push for fiscal plan

Governor meets with House and Senate members, declines to publicly reveal specifics of proposal

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, discusses what she considers inadequacies in state education funding during floor debate Monday about the House’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget approved by a 23-17 vote will next be considered by the Senate, with a compromise version likely drafted to resolve differences before the end of the session.

News

House finally passes budget as final month of session begins

Senate expected to take public testimony on its proposed spending plan later this week

Gavel Alaska screenshot The House Finance Committee hears a presentation Monday by Joshua Strauss. The presentation informed legislators of the potential of carbon offset programs.

News

Bill proposing carbon offsets meets lukewarm reaction in key committee

House Finance members express skepticism about claimed benefits

Ron Soherville, a Juneau resident, testifies in favor of a bill restricting sex and gender content in public schools during a House Education Committee meeting Thursday night. He was surrounded by a crowd of mostly students who testified against the bill. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

‘Parental rights’ sequel: Six hours of separation

About 180 more people testify mostly in opposition to bill, but legislators’ minds appear unchanged

Alaska House Speaker Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, right, confers with other House members during a break in the floor debate last Wednesday about next year’s proposed budget. She said the original plan of passing a budget last week has shifted due to discussions with the Senate about resolving differences in their spending plans, with a floor vote now planned by early next week.

News

Budget stalls in House as leaders confer with Senate

Lawmakers trying to work out differences on PFD, education, deficit as final month of session nears

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Apayauq Reitan, the first transgender woman to participate in the Iditarod, tells the House Education Committee on March 30 why she opposes a bill restricting sex and gender content in schools. A second meeting for public testimony is scheduled Thursday.

News

Public gets another chance to opine on ‘parental rights’ bill

Supporters hoping for bigger presence than first meeting when 90% of testimony opposed proposal

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File A “sold” sign hangs outside the former Walmart building that was empty for many years until U-Haul purchased it late last year. A bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday would allow municipalities to impose tax penalties on blighted properties, while offering breaks for owners doing development projects.

News

Legislature looks at more property tax shakeups

Bill allows municipalities to give breaks for economic development, penalize blighted properties