May 2026 - Page 200 of 208 - Alaska First Media

The Alaska State Capitol in Juneau is seen on Apr. 24, 2026. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

It’s down to the final weeks of the second legislative session of the 34th Legislature. There will be a joint legislative session on Monday to consider an override vote of Gov. Dunleavy’s veto of a bipartisan elections reform bill.

The draft budgets for next fiscal year are taking shape, lawmakers are considering governor’s appointees for various boards and commissions, and bills are reaching final votes — and a lot will happen in the final days.

This is the Alaska Beacon’s list of where we’re putting our attention in the coming week. There’s always more news than there are people to report it.

Every Thursday, the Alaska Legislature publishes its committee schedule for the coming week. Public notices alert us to meetings and events. The governor’s office occasionally lets us know ahead of time that something’s coming down the pike, too.

Here’s what we know about for the coming week. If you know of something that’s coming up that you should think we should pay attention to, email us at info@alaskabeacon.com.

We can’t cover everything on this list, but we’re interested in them and we think you should know about them in case you’re interested in them, too.

This list is ripped from our notebooks, and it is likely to change over the course of the week. We’ll update it when we can.

Are you trying to keep track of when to testify on a bill? The Legislature has a website for that.

Monday, May 4

Joint legislative session to vote on whether to override the governor’s veto of SB 64, a bipartisan elections reform bill – 11 a.m.

8 a.m. – House Education considers a governor’s nominee for the Alaska State Board of Education: Joy Cogburn-Smith, a bill to establish an Alaska Native Languages Task Force, and another bill to ban food dyes in school meals, already passed by the Senate

9 a.m. – House Finance continues consideration of the capital budget, and a bill to enact a fisheries production tax credit

1 p.m. House Judiciary considers the governor’s nominee and invites public testimony for Attorney General: Stephen Cox

1 p.m. – House Resources continues hearing a bill related to property taxes for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project

1 p.m. – House Finance considers a bill that would redefine how school districts calculate student counts for budgeting

1:30 p.m. – Senate Finance considers a bill that would establish an Alaska Invasive Species Council and considers a governor’s appointee to the State Assessment Review Board: Jana Weltzin

3:30 p.m. – Senate Education considers a governor’s nominee for the Alaska State Board of Education: Joy Cogburn-Smith, and a bill that would provide one-time additional funding for residential schools

3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project

Tuesday, May 5

Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska holds a march to Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People’s Day at 5 p.m. in Juneau

House/Senate floor sessions in the morning

8 a.m. – House Resources considers the governor’s nominees to the Board of Game: Stanley Hoffman, Jr., Jacob Fletcher, and David Lorring, the Big Game Commercial Services Board: Rudy Martinez, and the State Assessment Review Board: Jana Weltzin

9 a.m. – House Finance considers a bill that would allow communities to borrow up to $1.5 million from the state’s bulk fuel loan program to help offset rising fuel costs

9 a.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project

10 a.m. – House Fisheries considers governor’s appointees for the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission: Tracy Welch, and the Board of Fisheries: Paul Cyr, Blair Hickson, and Mike Wood

3:15 p.m. – House Health and Social Services considers governor’s appointees to the State Medical Board: Hannah Mielke and Robert Skala

3:30 p.m. – Senate Health and Social Services considers State Medical Board nominees

3:30 p.m. – Senate State Affairs considers a governor’s nominee for the Alaska Police Standards Council

Wednesday, May 6

8 a.m. – House Education continues hearing a bill to establish an Alaska Native Languages Task Force

9 a.m. – Senate Finance considers two bills related to strengthening state oversight of minors in psychiatric treatment, including foster children, that passed the House1 p.m. – House Resources continues hearing a bill related to property taxes for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project

1 p.m. – House Finance continues consideration of a governor’s nominee to the State Assessment Review Board: Jana Weltzin

3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources considers a bill to enact tougher standards for residential licenses for hunting and fishing, already passed by the House

Thursday, May 7

9 a.m. – House Finance continues consideration of the capital budget, and a bill to enact a statewide spay and neuter assistance program

9 a.m. – Senate Finance considers a bill to address the state’s late grant payment for contracts with non-profits, already passed by the House

1 p.m. – House Finance continues consideration of the capital budget, and a bill that would establish a paid parental leave program

3:30 p.m. – Senate State Affairs considers a bill to establish a toll on the Dalton Highway at Deadhorse to help pay for road maintenance and repairs

Friday, May 8

8 a.m. – Joint Armed Services Committee hears a presentation from officials from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard for the Arctic District and Alaska Command

9 a.m. – House Finance hears a bill to set civics education requirements for all high school graduates, and continues consideration of the capital budget

1 p.m. – House Judiciary hears a bill to maintain the legal relationship between siblings in foster care through the process of adoption, and to prioritize placement together in foster care

1 p.m. – House Finance considers a House bill related to taxes for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line, pending referral

1:30 p.m. – Senate Labor and Commerce considers a bill to enact a state license for mobile sports betting

3:30 p.m. – House Labor and Commerce considers governor’s nominees for the Board of Marine Pilots: Angel Holbrook and Colin Maynard

3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources considers governor’s nominees to a variety of boards related to fisheries and game