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SEACC to host alternative public comment on Cascade Point

Graphic courtesy of SEACC

NOTN- Conservation and land trust leaders are raising alarms over a $28.5 million state-backed Ferry Terminal and Ore facility at Cascade Point, saying it’s advancing without key environmental review or tribal consultation and could reshape the region’s important cultural and ecological areas.

“This project kind of came up internally from DOT emails in 2019 and has moved at breakneck speed. In the last couple of years, there’s been a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Goldbelt, those are the land owners at Cascade point and the DOT.” Said Stacy Unzicker Mining Campaigner for Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, “So that would be, not only a ferry terminal, but a shared mixed use dock with an Ore dock in Berners Bay. There’s a lot of other places that money could be spent that would benefit not just Juneauites and people from Haines and Skagway, but all of Southeast Alaska, who’ve really been gutted with inconsistencies with ferry service.”

The proposal would create a mixed-use facility at Cascade Point in Berners Bay, combining a ferry terminal with an ore dock to serve a potential mine at Herbert Glacier, about 12 miles away. The funding comes from leftover money originally appropriated for the Juneau Access Road project.

Tyler Breen, an Environmental Policy Analyst with the Conservation Council, said state officials committed the money before completing the permitting, tribal consultation and federal environmental review processes that are supposed to inform whether and how such a project proceeds.

“On February 12, we gave testimony to the State House and Senate, outlining that the $28.5 million contract commits funds for this state to have momentum on this project in advance of the consultation and permitting processes that are intended to inform whether a project should happen.” Breen said, “So tribal consultation has not yet happened. By committing that $28.5 million in advance of assessing these baseline studies and doing the processes of assessing potential alternatives, they’ve constrained the potential outcome. That is, from my perspective as a policy analyst, a grave oversight.”

Tribal consultation as well as Clean Water permitting, have not been completed, the group said.

The Southeast Alaska Land Trust, which conserves about 280 acres downriver of the proposed mining expansion at Herbert Glacier, is backing the conservation council’s push for a more public comment and conversation.

Unzicker described Berners Bay as the “breadbasket of Juneau,” a place where Indigenous communities and local residents have long fished, hunted and recreated. The area supports herring runs, salmon streams and habitat for brown bears, moose and wolverines.

“These are clean, Lingít lands, specifically Wooshkeetaan lands in Berners Bay,” Unzicker said. “People actively go there to subsist and harvest from the sea and the land. We need to protect our anadromous fish because they’re the bounty that keeps giving, and mines are only there for a short time.”

In recent legislative testimony, a regional transportation official said 92% of public comments submitted during a comment period opposed the Cascade Point proposal, attributing much of that opposition to “fear of the unknown.” Conservation advocates dispute that characterization, saying the public is reacting to the information that has been made available.

“We want to make it vociferously clear that we are quite aware of everything that there has been transparency on,” Unzicker said, adding that the group is trying to maintain a constructive working relationship with transportation officials. “We believe they want to do good work, and we appreciate the ways they keep Alaska moving. We also want to make sure people aren’t getting lost in political agendas.”

To broaden the discussion, the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and Southeast Alaska Land Trust are hosting a public event today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center.

The first panel will feature tribal representatives speaking about their lineal connections to the land and the lack of consultation, followed by a second panel with conservation staff, a naturalist and a civil engineer taking questions from the public.

Organizers plan to livestream the event on the conservation council’s YouTube channel, with staff moderating comments so residents in communities such as Haines and Skagway can participate remotely.

“Please help us make sure that the decision makers, CBJ, legislators, DOT, all of these decision makers, need to hear from us really broadly about how this will impact us.” Unzicker said.

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Alaska lawmakers question release of voter data to DOJ

Judiciary presentation on March 2 on voter data sharing, photo courtesy of KTOO

NOTN- Alaska lawmakers are examining why the state turned over confidential voter information, including birth dates and parts of Social Security and driver’s license numbers to the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a joint hearing Monday of the House Judiciary and House State Affairs committees, Rep. Andrew Gray said the U.S. Justice Department’s 2025 request for complete voter registration lists from every state was unprecedented.

“This request by DOJ has never happened before, the Department of Justice has never asked for the confidential information of voters at any point in our history.” Gray said.

Alaska first sent only public voter information, but in December agreed to transmit a full electronic file with all data fields visible.

“On December 19, under the authority of Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, the state agreed to transmit an electronic voter file with all data fields visible, records were provided that included voter’s full names, dates of birth, residential addresses and either driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of social security numbers. Not every single state responded the way Alaska did.” Said Gray.

Attorney Libby Bakalar, who formerly represented Alaska’s Division of Elections, told lawmakers the disclosure likely conflicts with state law and Alaska’s constitutional right to privacy.

“Before I get into why this data transfer is problematic, if not unconstitutional, I just want to offer some context on the relationship between the state and federal government when it comes to running elections, the administration of elections in this country is the purview of the states. Those of you on the committee who support states’ rights would be pleased to know that states, including Alaska, maintain a lot of leeway and control over how their elections are run, issues like voter identification and voter list maintenance have historically fallen within the state’s remit. There is good reason for this.” She said, “For example, Alaska’s voter ID law allows for tribal IDs and confirmation of identity by a poll worker’s personal knowledge of the voter which aids voting in rural Alaska, where voters may not hold driver’s licenses or passports. We also have our own very detailed voter list maintenance statute that governs the way the division of elections adds and removes voters from the rolls and is supposed to determine who is eligible to vote in our state. The Alaska constitution, which affords greater protections of individual liberty than its federal counterpart, establishes a state based constitutional system of suffrage that includes provisions on the qualifications and disqualifications of voters. Perhaps most significantly, Alaska also has a specific constitutional provision that explicitly protects our citizens right to privacy.” She said.

Bakalar read from the federal agreement Alaska signed, under which the state pledged that within 45 days of receiving notice from DOJ about any “issues, insufficiencies, inadequacies, deficiencies, anomalies or concerns,” it would “clean its voter registration list by removing ineligible voters and resubmit the updated data.

“This process effectively turns Alaska’s independent voter list maintenance process into an audit and referendum by the federal government, in which the DOJ in Washington, has the final say over which Alaskans are allowed to vote here or not.” Bakalar said, “This has the potential to disenfranchise huge numbers of Alaskans at the whim of the DOJ, a whim which the DOJ may not necessarily be inclined to explain to the public’s satisfaction. And to what use will the DOJ put this data beyond just elections? We don’t know. We have seen aggressive immigration enforcement and unprecedented citizen surveillance under this administration. I think it’s fair to say that we cannot necessarily trust the federal government to use this data in good faith and for the purposes it claims.”

Election researcher Dr. Paul Manson of Portland State University warned that federal databases used to check voter eligibility are imperfect and often return non-matches that may still be U.S. citizens due to data inconsistencies.

He said that federal law bars large-scale voter removals in the 90 days before federal elections.

Lawmakers plan further questioning of state officials and experts about whether the Dunleavy administration’s cooperation was legally required and what protections now exist for Alaskans’ personal data.

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Facing teacher shortage, Alaska lawmakers urge waiver of $100,000 visa charge

Rep. Alyse Galvin at the Alaska House Education Committee presenting HJR39, photo courtesy of Gavel Alaska

NOTN- Alaska lawmakers are urging the federal government to waive steep new fees on H-1B visas for international teachers, warning that hundreds of classrooms could be left without educators if school districts are forced to absorb the added costs.

On Monday, the Alaska House Education Committee heard testimony on House Joint Resolution 39, which calls on the state’s congressional delegation to seek an exception to a recent presidential proclamation that imposes a $100,000 annual fee per H‑1B visa holder.

Many Alaska districts, particularly in rural and remote communities, rely heavily on international teachers to fill longstanding vacancies.

Rep. Alyse Galvin, the sponsor of HJR 39, told the committee the resolution is meant to give U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and the rest of Alaska’s delegation a stronger hand in Washington, D.C.

“We are unfortunately without enough educators before students, and so we are facing a really tough time in recruitment and retention of teachers, especially in rural and remote communities. Many school districts across Alaska use international recruitment to fill our school vacancies, with cases of international hires filling 60% of the total teaching staff in western Alaska.” Said Galvin, “We heard last week about how hard they’re working to grow our own teachers, we are still facing this gap. Our H-1B teachers are very important to us, and with the most recent proclamation by the President, we now have an imposition of a $100,000 fee for any employer who is hiring H-1B, so any new ones coming in will be having to face that cost, at least our school districts will and this is insurmountable.”

Galvin said some districts also face deep budget holes, including an estimated $90 million deficit for the Anchorage School District alone and more than $200 million in combined shortfalls across the state. Many districts have already exhausted their reserves, she said.

The committee also heard from Dr. Lisa Parady, executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators, who said Alaska employs 573 international teachers, including 341 on H‑1B visas.

“Alaska is already facing a severe teacher shortage, at the start of the school year, we had at last report, 345, first day teacher vacancies, which equates to thousands of Alaska students beginning school without a teacher. Many Alaska districts, especially rural and remote communities, struggle annually to fill critical positions. International educators are not a luxury, without these educators, class sizes increase, course offerings shrink, student services are reduced, student outcomes suffer.” Said Parady.

Some lawmakers used the hearing to argue that while HJR 39 may help in the short term, it does not solve deeper problems with Alaska’s teacher workforce.

Rep. Andi Story, who co-chaired the committee Monday, heard concerns about pay and retirement. Galvin noted that unlike other states, Alaska does not have a single statewide pension system for all educators, and cited research that found Alaska’s average teacher salaries are roughly 30% lower than those in Washington state.

HJR 39 would not change the law, but would formally express the Legislature’s support for waiving or exempting Alaska school districts from the new visa fees.

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Alaska House OKs bill to crack down on AI-generated child sexual abuse material

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, speaks in support of a bill she sponsored, HB 47, that would add state criminal penalties for AI-generated child sexual abuse material, on the House floor on Feb. 27, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Anyone that possesses, creates or shares child sexual abuse material created with artificial intelligence in Alaska would face new state felony charges under legislation advanced by the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday — plus AI companies and social media companies could face state penalties too. 

House members passed House Bill 47 almost unanimously by a 39 to 0 vote, with Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome, absent. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, and would enact new state felony charges for creating AI-generated images or videos that visually depicts sexually explicit or obscene content involving anyone under the age of 18. Previously known as child pornography, it’s now referred to as child sexual abuse material or CSAM.

“A decade ago, we couldn’t even imagine what it is that the vulnerable and our children are facing, and tools that are being used to exploit them,” Vance said Friday on the House floor ahead of the vote. “But here we are in a fast-paced technological environment, and our prosecutors are left with very few tools,” she said. 

Vance lauded the bill as closing a gap in state criminal law. Currently there are no state laws directly addressing AI-generated CSAM, though there are statutes that prohibit the viewing, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Vance emphasized that the bill would update Alaska law to penalize AI-generated CSAM, and noted it would apply regardless of whether images depict a victim or AI-generated material.  

“Currently in statute, you have to prove the harm of an actual child. And what this bill does is says that anything that is generated obscene material of minors will be criminalized to the same level as if it were a real child,” Vance said. 

Vance and others pointed to the recent arrest of an Alaska senator’s chief of staff for soliciting minors for CSAM on Snapchat, and the need to increase state penalties. Other lawmakers said the case demonstrates the need for more parental controls on minors’ social media. 

Legislators added on and approved significant parental controls and penalties for tech companies too, through an amendment process on Wednesday. 

Under the revised bill, social media companies will require age verification and parental or guardian consent for minors to create or maintain social media accounts. Parents would have full access to minors’ social media, including all minors’ messages and interactions on the platform. The bill enacts a social media curfew for minors from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., unless modified by a parent. 

Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, sponsored the amendments and said with increased parental control measures, parents and guardians will be able to intervene on potentially predatory behavior or victimization of children. 

“The fundamental question is: Do parental rights supersede the rights of predators?” Fields said on the House floor Wednesday. “And do parental rights supersede the rights of multi-national corporations, which we have heard knowingly target children with addictive, destructive algorithms. We know that.”

Targeted advertising to minors on social media would also be prohibited, as would content targeting minors, addictive design or features that “encourages or rewards a minor user’s excessive or compulsive use of the platform or that exploits the psychological vulnerabilities of a minor user,” according to the bill. 

Families or the state would be able to bring civil legal action against social media companies for harm due to such violations under the bill, and companies could face a penalty of up to $10,000 for each violation. 

“I don’t care how hard it is. We should not back down from Big Tech when it comes to protecting our children,” Fields said. 

The amendment passed with a 28 to 12 vote, with supporters and opponents spanning party lines.

Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, the youngest member of the House, opposed the provision. 

“I absolutely agree that social media can be harmful for youth, especially given the vast environment, where there are a lot of different strangers and people on the internet. I also know I’m probably one of the only people in the body who very much grew up online,” she said Wednesday on the House floor.  

“I’ve wrestled back and forth with these types of policies, especially as it relates to age verification or requiring consent from a minor,” she said, and added that she shared concerns about first amendment and privacy rights. “But I just don’t believe that age verification through government regulation is the right way.” 

Vance, the sponsor of the bill, also opposed the increased parental controls provision citing First Amendment concerns. 

Lawmakers also voted to approve a provision levying civil penalties on any AI organization that facilitates users creating AI-generated CSAM of up to $1 million for each instance. 

Rep. Calvin Schrage, D-Anchorage, sponsored the amendment which was passed unanimously. 

“I think this is something that creates an incentive for these large companies to curtail or at least put some controls and protections around what I think can be a very powerful and useful tool, but is so often used today for really malicious, nefarious and, I would say, disgusting purposes,” Schrage said. 

The bill would also prohibit the distribution of generated sexual depiction of adults without their consent or participation. It would also prohibit distribution of a “forged digital likeness,” known as “deep fakes” often used as misinformation, revenge pornography, scams or blackmail. 

The bill now advances to the Senate.

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Alaska House advances bill intended to boost workforce housing

Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, speaks Wednesday, May 8, 2024, on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

By: Sean Maguire, Alaska Beacon

Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, speaks Wednesday, May 8, 2024, on the floor of the Alaska House of Representatives. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska House on Friday advanced legislation intended to increase construction of workforce housing.

Alaska has long had a severe and persistent housing shortage. House Bill 184 attempts to address that by allowing the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, the state’s economic development agency, to finance construction of commercial housing with more than five units.

The House approved the bill on a 23-15 vote with two lawmakers absent.

Juneau Democratic Rep. Andi Story, the bill’s prime sponsor, said that Alaska’s housing shortage is “at crisis levels,” which is contributing to workforce challenges. 

“This shortage is very discouraging to Alaskans and businesses, and it is a persistent barrier to economic growth,” she said before Friday’s final vote.

In 2023, Agnew::Beck Consulting estimated that Alaska would need to build 27,500 new units over the next decade to meet demand. However, actual construction numbers have fallen far below those targets.

HB 184 was supported by all present members of the Democrat-dominated House majority and three minority Republicans.

Supporters said the legislation would help with resource development projects and to address workforce shortages more generally. Story cited examples of health care workers who had turned down jobs in Juneau due to a lack of housing. 

Rep. Jeremy Bynum, a Ketchikan Republican in the minority, voted for the bill. He said shipyard projects and fish processors in Ketchikan and Wrangell were exciting developments for Southeast Alaska, but a shortage of housing remained a concern.

“We have a tremendous need for workforce housing,” he said on Friday.

Opponents of the bill noted that AIDEA already has the authority to invest in multi-unit housing for workers. 

Mark Davis, special counsel for the agency, told lawmakers last year that AIDEA does have that authority and it has invested in workforce housing in the past. He cited examples of the agency financing construction of work camps in Prudhoe Bay.

“However, we have also said that this provides clarification that we would have that power,” he said, later adding that it would be a “positive bill.”

Some opposition to the bill centered on whether new housing units would actually serve workers in critical industries or if it would direct construction of affordable housing. 

A previous version of HB 184 used the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development definition of workforce housing: “(as) residential housing that costs the occupants less than 30 percent of the income of a household with 120 percent of the median family income.”

But that definition was removed from the bill in committee. Instead, the bill states that AIDEA should facilitate the financing of “new workforce housing facilities containing five or more dwelling units.”

Big Lake Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe on Friday suggested the legislation was a “thinly-veiled attempt” to direct AIDEA into the construction of “community housing.” He said the agency, which was established in 1967, should be focused on “job creation.” He said that HB 184 would change AIDEA’s basic structure.

McCabe attempted to amend the bill on Wednesday to limit its scope, but he was unsuccessful. 

HB 184 now heads to the Senate for its consideration. A similar bill in that legislative chamber has advanced to the Senate Finance Committee.

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House Bill 101 would raise Alaska’s Age of Consent to 18

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Representative Andrew Gray at a Senate Judiciary hearing for HB 101 on February 9, 2026, Photo Courtesy of Gavel Alaska.

This article mentions sensitive topics such as sexual assault and child sexual assault, resources for victims in Alaska can be found here.

NOTN- Alaska lawmakers are considering legislation that would raise the state’s age of consent from 16 to 18, a change the sponsor statement says would strengthen protections for teenagers and make it easier to prosecute sexual assault and exploitation.

House Bill 101, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Gray, was introduced as Alaska continues to report some of the highest rates of sexual violence in the country.

“Alaska has the highest rate of rape in the country, which is over 3 times the national average.” Gray said at a Senate Judiciary hearing, “We also have one of the highest rates of child sexual assault in the country, over 6 times the national average, according to the UAA Justice Centers’ Alaska Victimization Survey.”

Under current law, 16- and 17-year-olds can legally consent to sex with adults, which supporters say creates a loophole that complicates prosecutions. Survivors often must prove they did not consent, even when there is a clear power imbalance between adults and teens, which Gray says makes the successful prosecution of cases difficult.

HB 101 would close that gap by establishing that minors under 18 cannot legally consent to sexual activity with adults. The bill includes a four-year “close-in-age” exemption so consensual relationships between peers are not criminalized.

The Anchorage Police Department has formally endorsed the bill. In a letter to lawmakers, Police Chief Sean Case said officers regularly see the harm caused by sexual abuse and exploitation and that the bill would give law enforcement clearer authority to protect minors and hold offenders accountable.

“On behalf of the Anchorage Police Department, I express our strong support for House Bill 101. This legislation strengthens protections for Alaska’s youth by aligning our criminal statutes with the realities of adolescent development and the responsibility of adults to safeguard minors from exploitation and harm.” The letter said.

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Alaska House advances bill to boost free legal aid for vulnerable Alaskans

The Alaska House of Representatives is seen in action on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

By: Sean Maguire, Alaska Beacon

The Alaska House of Representatives is seen in action on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska House on Wednesday advanced a bill that would boost state funding for a nonprofit that provides free legal aid to vulnerable Alaskans.

House Bill 48 was approved by the House on a 27-13 vote.

Supporters say the Alaska Legal Services Corporation is critical for assistance in housing disputes, financial abuse cases, for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.

“Those services hopefully keep you housed, keep a restraining order in place, keep children in your custody, (and) help you collect your child support,” said Juneau Democratic Rep. Sara Hannan, the bill’s lead sponsor, before the final vote.

The agency is Alaska’s largest provider of legal aid for civil cases. It is also the largest provider of free legal assistance for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Alaska has routinely had the highest rates of domestic and sexual violence in the nation.

Keeley Olson, executive director of Standing Together Against Rape Inc., said civil legal aid is “an essential service” for survivors of sexual assault to help them rebuild their lives.

“Sexual assault survivors often face significant barriers to justice, including navigating complex legal systems while dealing with the emotional and physical trauma of their experiences,” she said in support of the bill. 

All 21 members of the Democrat-dominated majority supported the bill alongside six Republicans in the minority. All 13 no votes came from minority Republicans who were concerned about its costs. 

State funding for the corporation comes partly from filing fees to the Alaska Court System. HB 48 would direct 25% of those fees to the agency, up from 10% currently in state law.

Court filing fees in Alaska are otherwise deposited in the state treasury and can be spent for any purpose.

In 2025, the Alaska Legal Services Corporation received just under $300,000 in filing fees. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development estimated HB 48 would boost its funding by roughly $460,000 per year. 

Although the Alaska Constitution guarantees the right to a defense attorney in criminal trials, there is no equivalent protection in civil cases. The corporation was founded in 1967 to bridge that gap.

The agency received $1.2 million in state funding in 1984, but that dropped below $700,000 in 2024. The number of Alaskans eligible for civil legal aid more than doubled over the same period. 

Maggie Humm, executive director of ALSC, told lawmakers last year that roughly half of its applicants for help are turned away due to current funding levels.

Humm said the nonprofit provided legal help to roughly 6,200 Alaskans in 2024. A $400,000 funding boost could allow the agency to help roughly 800 additional Alaskans, she added. 

Fairbanks Republican Rep. Will Stapp said that he supported the work of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, but with Alaska facing a fiscal crisis, additional state funding would come with consequences.

“You’re going to have to fill this hole. Where are you going to fill it from?” Stapp said before Wednesday’s final vote.

Palmer Republican Rep. DeLena Johnson, the House minority leader, said using filing fees to fund the agency was “convoluted.”  

“We should just fund it, if that’s what we want to do,” she said.

The funding increase for the agency is supported by the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education and other Alaska organizations.

The Legislature failed to pass a similar bill in 2024. After passing the House on Wednesday, HB 48 now heads to the Senate for its consideration. 

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Alaska House passes nearly $500M budget deficit bill, amid split support for Dunleavy spending

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

Members of the Alaska House of Representatives convene on the first day of the second session of the 34th Alaska State Legislature on Jan. 20, 2026 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska House of Representatives advanced a nearly $500 million supplemental budget bill to address the state’s budget deficit — one of the largest budget shortfalls to date — amid debate and scrutiny from Republicans who opposed drawing from a state savings account to pay for it, leaving the bill unfunded for now. 

Lawmakers passed House Bill 289, known as the supplemental budget, by a 24 to 16 vote on Monday, which is largely a routine process to address budget shortfalls and fund state government services and programs through the fiscal year that ends on June 30.

Top line items include an additional $40 million for disaster relief, following the devastation of the remnants of Typhoon Halong on Western Alaska; $55 million for last year’s million-acre wildfire season in the Interior of Alaska; $70 million in transportation funding to unlock $630 million in federal matching funds; $130 million for the Higher Education Investment Fund; $20 million for the Alaska Department of Corrections; and millions for public assistance including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, housing vouchers and senior benefits.  

But members of the Republican-led House Minority caucus raised concerns and frustration at the “fast tracked” budget bill, as well as expansion of spending and high costs for this year. While some members said a few items may be mandatory like funding disaster relief efforts and transportation, other spending items need further vetting and review. 

Voicing opposition, Republican members voted against immediately funding the roughly $490 million budget bill through the state’s principal savings account, the Constitutional Budget Reserve – which failed by a 24 to 16 vote on Monday. 

Unlocking the savings requires three quarters of the 40-person House, or 30 votes. Amid higher than expected state costs, and declining oil prices and state revenues, the Legislature must draw from the savings account to fund the state government. 

The budget bill is expected to advance to the Senate for further debate and possible amendments. But on Monday, Rep. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, a member of the minority caucus, requested a re-vote, expected on Wednesday, which may change the final vote tally but is not expected to delay the bill. 

Historically, members of the minority have withheld support for the CBR vote until after the Senate approves the bill to maintain negotiating leverage. 

Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer who serves as the House Minority Leader, raised objections to what she called a rushed process in the House. 

“A rush through the budget without adequate scrutiny, in my opinion, without transparency, that’s not efficiency, that’s just courting failure, that’s just a rush to failure,” Johnson said. “And history has shown that rushed budgets often lead to unintended consequences.”  

Members of the multipartisan House Majority caucus called for lawmakers to support the budget bill, as requested by Dunleavy, and pay the state’s bills now.

Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage speaks on the supplemental budget bill on the House floor on Feb. 24, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage speaks on the supplemental budget bill on the House floor on Feb. 24, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

“These obligations must be paid,” said Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, who chairs the House Finance Committee, speaking on the House floor on Monday. “There’s nothing unusual. The size is unusual, but the fact that they were requested and filed is not unusual. They are obligations of the state. They are effectively binding contracts that must be paid. And the question is, when.”

Dunleavy first introduced the supplemental budget in December, and requested additional items up to last week, including $35 million more for disaster relief if the state fails a federal appeal and is denied a request for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund 90% of costs for the first three months of the typhoon disaster in October.  

Some items, like the $70 million federal transportation match, replace funds that Dunleavy vetoed last year — to the alarm of some lawmakers, union and construction industry groups because the money unlocks hundreds of millions of federal dollars. Lawmakers say it is time-sensitive to fund it in order to support the summer construction season. 

“I would say these are actually precise invoices, not a blank check,” said Rep. Chuck Kopp, D-Anchorage. “They’re ones that were already on the books, and we’ve already taken the responsibility to pay.”

Lawmakers also allocated nearly $130 million to repay the Higher Education Investment Fund, which in part funds student scholarships, in order to cover state expenses last year. 

Some Republicans questioned departments spending over what the Legislature appropriated last year, particularly the Alaska Department of Corrections, calling for more thorough oversight and transparency.

“We have departments who have come with us, who actually spent like drunken sailors last year,” said Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River. “We need to make sure that they’re reined in.”

Other lawmakers pushed back against critics for holding up the budget bill process.

“I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone,” said Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, on the House floor on Monday, in response to Republicans’ criticisms of Dunleavy’s budget request and administration spending. “And what I’ll say is that sometimes we just have to put our differences behind us. We have to collaborate, cooperate, and do what’s best for Alaska.” 

Following the House votes on Monday, House Speaker Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, pointed out that the governor has not been involved in supporting the budget his administration has requested. “It’s quite interesting if this is a governor’s bill and the governor’s not involved at all in terms of promoting his own bill,” he said. 

Rep. Jeremy Bynem, R-Ketchikan, a member of the minority, raised concerns on the House floor but ultimately voted to support the budget bill and the savings draw. “It was a difficult, challenging vote for me,” he said of voting against his caucus. 

“I absolutely did not love the process we went through to get to where we were today. There are items in that (bill) I still have questions on,” he said. “The reality is that many of these items are things that we will have to take up and pay for.”

A spokesperson for Dunleavy’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the criticisms raised and lack of support from Republicans on the governor’s requested budget.

“The Alaska Constitution grants appropriation powers to the legislature, and that includes the CBR draw,” said Jeff Turner, communications director for Dunleavy. “The governor’s office is not part of any negotiations between the house caucuses.”

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Former Dunleavy recall leader is latest candidate for Alaska governor

Meda DeWitt holds up a plant in this undated photo provided by the candidate. (Handout photo)

By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon

Meda DeWitt holds up a plant in this undated photo provided by the candidate. (Handout photo)

Six years ago, Meda DeWitt was seeking to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy from office. Now, she’s looking to take his position.

Last week, DeWitt became the 17th person and second independent to file a letter of intent for Alaska’s gubernatorial race.

Speaking by phone, she said a majority of the candidates in the race are Republican and all working off the same talking points.

“We need somebody who isn’t owned by a specific party and required to use those talking points shared among all of the party, and really listen to Alaskans and get the job done,” she said.

DeWitt is a lifelong Alaskan, born and raised in the state. She is Tlingit from the Naanya.aayí clan in Wrangell, she is senior state manager for the Wilderness Society in Alaska and president of Yak-Tat K̲wáan Inc., the village corporation for Yakutat. 

A traditional healer, she has 20 years of experience as a community and political organizer.

“I have experience in working with the different components that a community needs to thrive,” she said. “And I believe that our state has some hard realities that we need to address. You know, we need to address climate change. We have 141 communities that are going to have to be relocated.”

DeWitt said the state’s budget will need “some tough love” but that the next governor should also be prepared to support the base needs of what the state is supposed to provide its residents.

Asked why she believes she’s the best person to organize that, she said, “Well, Alaska needs a mom. My elders that I work with have asked me to run. Communities have asked me to run. My children have asked me to run. They believe that I can make a difference, and so I personally may never have just chosen on my own to step up into that space, but when you have your elders in your life that matter, your children in your life that matter, and your community in your life that matter, that ask you to do it, then you have to take the time to honor that.”

The recall campaign against Dunleavy launched in 2019, after the governor proposed sweeping budget cuts. It alleged a variety of illegal and incompetent acts.

Dunleavy’s attorney general rejected the campaign, stalling it until the following year, when it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The campaign ultimately fell short of the signatures needed to force a recall vote.

“He cut safety, he cut education, he cut elder benefits, he cut all of these things that underpin being able to live here and survive,” she said, recalling the campaign. “Alaska is hard to live in.”

She noted that Dunleavy now has the worst approval rating of any governor in the United States.

“The recall, even though we didn’t recall him, we did hold him in check. He knew that that was always looming there in the background for his entire eight years,” she said.

The next governor will have to deal with tough issues, DeWitt said. 

“We have to talk about ferries in Southeast,” she said. “We have to talk about coastal erosion on the West Coast, we have to talk about our oil and gas dependency and how that’s not healthy for us. Also, who’s talking about the fact that we ship in 95% of our food and goods?” 

DeWitt sees her campaign as one focused on issues that people are talking about.

“I think that this is a people’s campaign that’s going to take people power to do it, and I look forward to working with Alaskans in the process,” she said. “And I humbly ask for their support and their vote and to be given the opportunity to serve.”

Candidates for Governor

  • Former state Sen. Tom Begich (Democrat)
  • Former state Sen. Click Bishop (Republican)
  • Former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson (Republican) and Lt. Gov. candidate Josh Church (Republican)
  • Former state revenue commissioner Adam Crum (Republican)
  • Current state Sen. Matt Claman (Democrat)
  • Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (Republican)
  • Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries (Republican)
  • Organizer Meda DeWitt (independent)
  • Kasilof resident Jessica Faircloth (independent)
  • Anchorage podiatrist and state medical board member Matt Heilala (Republican)
  • Former state Sen. Shelley Hughes (Republican)
  • Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (Democrat)
  • Author Hank Kroll (Registered Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Tommy Nicholson (Undeclared)
  • Angoon resident and former teacher James William Parkin IV (Republican)
  • Former Attorney General Treg Taylor (Republican)
  • Palmer resident Bruce Walden (Republican)
  • Businesswoman Bernadette Wilson (Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Mike Shower (Republican)
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UA Board of Regents to continue anti-DEI policy, despite federal court ruling

By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon

 Student walks along West Ridge at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

The University of Alaska Board of Regents says the university will continue the policy to ban references to “DEI,” or “diversity, equity and inclusion,” enacted last year, despite a federal court ruling that struck down the policy and the U.S. Department of Education agreeing to drop an appeal.

Jonathon Taylor, a spokesperson for the university, said even though the policy was struck down, “the direction of enforcement and potential risk has not gone away.”

Last year, the Trump administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to all pre-K through 12 schools, colleges and universities who receive federal funding outlining its opposition to diversity initiatives it called discriminatory, and threatened to withhold federal funds from schools if they had diversity or equity programs.

As a result, the board moved quickly to comply, approving a policy on Feb. 21, 2025 to scrub references to DEI and affirmative action from all university programs and operations, job titles and office names. At the time, Ralph Seekins, chair of the Board of Regents, defended the policy, saying the action to remove DEI language as committing to “equal opportunity” for everyone. 

Several education and civil rights groups filed lawsuits and a federal court blocked the directive in April. This week, a New Hampshire federal judge dismissed the case, following a January agreement by both parties and the Department of Education to drop its appeal. The ruling invalidates the directive, and prevents the government from enforcing it. Plaintiffs celebrated the court’s move, with some saying it was a victory for free speech and academic freedom.

Taylor confirmed that the UA Board of Regents had no immediate plans to change or rescind the policy for the University of Alaska.

“The Dear Colleague Letter from February 2025 has indeed been struck down by the courts, and the Department of Education has declined to appeal,” Taylor said by email. 

“However, the federal administration’s policy goals and concerns that led to the letter – including what they see as discriminatory DEI practices, and attempts to tie enforcement to federal funding – have not changed. Federal agencies can still pursue similar goals through other legal or regulatory means and have demonstrated an intent to focus oversight or investigations on what they see as DEI-related policies and programs using mechanisms other than agency guidance (the original Dear Colleague letter),” he wrote.

Taylor said the board enacted the policy to mitigate risks of federal funding being withheld. He said the board has had to “balance their concern about the potential medium- and long-term regulatory and funding risks to which UA may be exposed with the University’s unchanging and unwavering commitment to equal access, equal opportunity, and no discrimination, as well as free speech, academic freedom, and freedom of expression.”

Taylor added that overall, UA has so far been effectively able to “weather the storm” of federal funding cuts, grant freezes and terminations. As of September, and most recently available data, UA had roughly $530 million in active federal grants. There has been $24.6 million, or 4.6% that have been delayed, frozen or terminated.

The item was not on the Board of Regents’ February meeting agenda, scheduled for two days this week in Dillingham, at the University of Fairbanks’ Bristol Bay campus.

But several university faculty weighed in during public comment to the board on Monday.

Jill Dumesnil, a professor of mathematics at the University of Southeast and president of the largest faculty union, United Academics, called on board members to create updated guidance following the ruling. 

“Many faculty are still experiencing a chilling effect on our campuses. Some fear retaliation or punishment for teaching or discussing DEI-related subject matter, others just feel uncomfortable, unsupported and unwelcome,” she said. 

“Teaching about race, racism, inequality and related issues, continues to be lawful, supporting students in a way that acknowledges racial or ethnic identities continues to be lawful,” she added. “Schools may continue operating programs that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion in accordance with existing law, and the Dear Colleague letter and the certification requirement cannot be enforced against educators or schools.” 

Michael Navarro, a professor of marine fisheries at the University of Alaska Southeast, and co-chair of the Belonging, Empowerment, Access, Representation and Safety Committee, known as UAS BEARS, made a plea to the board to rescind the anti-DEI motion. 

“As a direct result of this board decision, UAS has lost faculty and staff and some students question the university’s commitment to their success and safety on campus,” he said. 

“Despite the anti-DEI motions, reaffirmation towards maintaining a welcoming environment and honoring Alaska Native culture and heritage, after this motion, many people now feel less welcome or even unwelcome, and are not testifying today because they don’t feel safe to do so.”

Taylor, with the university, said as of now the board does not have plans to take up the issue but continually accepts written comments from the public. “The Board continues to receive testimony both in support of and in opposition to last year’s motion, and takes that feedback into consideration when setting meeting agendas,” he said.

To date, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has taken the hardest hit with federal funding cutbacks — of the $24.6 million in grants delayed, frozen or terminated, approximately $20 million has been at UAF, including $8.8 million terminated for funded programs for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students last year. The Trump administration has terminated $4 million in grant funding at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Taylor confirmed, and no federal grant funding has been frozen at the University of Alaska Southeast.

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