SESSION UPDATE - March 11, 2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

How cool and what an honor it was to see as many as 2000 young athletes at the Opening Ceremony yesterday of the Arctic Winter games! The excitement at the Menard Sports Center was palpable as young people streamed in from the many provinces of Canada, from Greenland, and from Finland – and of course, our own Team Alaska! In their colorful jackets, the teams waving their province or nation’s flag, the national anthems playing, it was certainly a sight to behold and a moment to experience.

The torch was lit and the games have begun! This is Spring Break week in Mat-Su so it’s a great time to take the family to watch some of the action. See the schedule here!

As we welcome circumpolar north neighbors along with Alaskans from all over the state to our home region, it’s a good time to reflect on the values we share, on the worth and dignity of one another, and on the future we can build together. Like our neighbors, we here in Alaska are a hardy bunch who have together weathered cold and dark winters, survived severe winds and earthquakes; we have overcome obstacles in a remote, northerly, far-away place our lower-48 friends can quite understand.

In remembering our shared struggle, we bond, and when we bond, we can find a path forward together. I know Alaskans can do that; I hope our Alaskan legislators can do the same!

Budget Work and Your PFD

Both the Houe and Senate Finance Committees continue plugging away on the budget. Although the governor’s budget allows for a statutory PFD from the earnings reserve fund of the Permanent Fund, to pay for the budget to run the state government, that funding would require a draw from savings.

Finance members are on record stating they want to balance the budget without a savings draw. That means they plan to draw from the PFD to pay for state government. This is year #8 of this occurring.

This is what happens when we don’t have a sensible spending cap in the constitution and a Sunset Commission (like my proposed bill – see my article from a while ago explaining how this would really, really help) and when the PFD is a political football each year.

Watch to see if the House takes up HJR 7 on the floor this week, a constitutional amendment regarding the PFD. The Senate Majority hasn’t expressed interest in settling the PFD but I believe Alaskans will still be thankful the House had the courage and foresight to take such a step – and perhaps that will send a message to the Senate.

Hidden Agendas?

Rather than go into detail here in my opening letter to you, I’m going to tease you with the above section title about an article I’ve written for you this week. It pertains to a bill I’m concerned may have a hidden agenda that pertains to parents and families. Discussion about my amendment drafted for the legislation hit several news venues this past week, which you can also see in the media section further down in the newsletter.

Ag in Mind

A second article I’ve included this week is what has been on my mind since both the Food & Farm Caucus as well as the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force met in the past few days. Scroll down and check it out!

Joint Session on Executive Orders

Tomorrow there will be a joint session to consider whether to override some of the governor’s executive orders to disband certain boards. Note what many don’t realize: Alaska has more boards than most states, and disbanding a board does not mean the profession or the work ceases or that public input stops. It simply removes a layer of bureaucracy, and the duties are shifted to the department who then must sort through and respond to the public.

SB 173 Safe Schools Act Hinges on Alaskans’ Level of Support

My Safe School Acts bill (that would allow well-vetted and highly trained school personnel concealed carrying to protect students and other staff from an active shooter) awaits a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Chair, Senator Matt Claman, has indicated he does not support the bill and has no plans to move it forward. The bill will ONLY be heard and moved out of committee if there is a huge swell of support from Alaskans that far outpaces the opposition.

PLEASE: Speak up Silent Majority

Tell Chair Claman to hear and pass out SB 173

► Choose one of two ways:

1. Click HERE to quickly sign a petition (or the ad below).
2. Email these five addresses: Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov Sen.Matt.Claman@akleg.gov SJUD@akleg.gov Sen.Donny.Olson@akleg.gov SFIN@akleg.gov

Education Reforms and Funding: Not Over Until the Governor Sings

It appears some legislators who desperately wanted a $680 or even a $1400 base student allocation (BSA) increase are willing to risk it and lose it all. They have fought against and not seriously taken up the education reforms Governor Dunleavy, a former educator, has stressed are important to fixing our abysmal lowest-in-the-nation academic standings. He clearly communicated to the legislature that he would not veto SB 140 if the additional measures were added before the veto deadline this Thursday.

Because the measures don’t appear to be moving through the process, we should not be surprised if a veto occurs by the end of the week. Hopefully the legislature will go back to the drawing board and pass a bill to reinstate what is in SB 140 and the additional measures that would help our students and teachers immensely. My article “SB 140 Hardball” from last week explains the situation and you can scroll down and check it out.

Upcoming Attractions

Hope to see some of you at the Arctic Winter Games today before I buzz to the airport later this afternoon to return to Juneau. I won’t be back in time to air our usual Monday evening Facebook Live but the bill hearing slides we feature weekly are below. We’ll also create a special post with the slides on my senator Facebook page today. My next Coffee Chat has been changed to Saturday, April 6, 2024. Details will be forthcoming.

Until We Meet Again

My responsibility to you is always front and center, whether I am on the Senate floor, drafting policy, in a meeting, out and about in our community, or communicating with you. I will strive to be available in multiple ways to hear from you and what concerns you most. I am on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at AKShelleyHughes (links at bottom of email). You can also email me at Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.com or call my office (907)465-3743 (Session) or (907)376-3725 (Interim) to get in touch.

As I state on my Facebook Senator page, mention in live broadcasts, and tell many of you in one-on-one conversations, with the volume of contacts I receive daily (multiple hundreds), my staff and I work hard to read and listen to everything so I can understand what you, our district, and the rest of the state is thinking. If you would like to ensure you receive my feedback on your issue and ideas, please call my office to set up a phone call with me or come by one of my constituent meetings so we can connect in-person. Hearing your input continues to be a top priority to me!

Working on your behalf,

It's a First in Alaska and It's Needed: Artificial Intelligence Bill

Introducing SB 177: AI, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, Deepfakes

A Call for Responsibility: Rejecting SB88 and Prioritizing No-Risk Solutions

Where have all the fiscal conservatives gone?

SB 173 Safe Schools Act Will Deter Active Shooters Taking Lives

When seconds matter for students

Evil Lurks – Trafficking Is Occurring in Alaska

We must pass HB 68 - doing what I can to get the bill moving in the Senate.

Food Security Focus Continues In 2024

Supporting the agriculture industry, promoting locally products, and increasing food security.

Senator Hughes is frequently in the news and mention of the projects from our office also show up from time to time. She is typically on the radio once per week or more on a variety of shows. Below are some links to recent news items.

Mat-Su School Board members were in Juneau and stopped in for a chat. Pictured with Senator Hughes are Vice-President Kathy McCollum and President Jubilee Underwood.

Adam Caswell was in Juneau as part of a Conoco Phillips Tour. He and Senator Hughes talked about the floor session that day along with the hot issues before the legislature. Adam is a longtime friend of Senator Hughes' nephew-in-law who lives in Eagle River.

Members of the Alaska Telecom Association stopped in to visit chat with Senator Hughes. Pictured are Michael Burke (CEO of MTA), Ryan Ponder (VP of MTA), and Christine O'Conner (ED of ATA).

Gabe Kitter and Jim Sykes of the Mat-Su Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission came in to talk with Senator Hughes about the concerning takeover of a large portion of the conservation corridor in Cook Inlet by federal management and what that may mean for fish in our rivers in Mat-Su. It will be all the more important that we stay on top of fish counts and related work.

Senator Hughes introduced an amendment to SB 24 on the floor Wednesday morning to ensure schools inform parents the mental health education topics to be covered for grades K-12, the curriculum to be used, the intervention resources to be provided to students, and that they may opt their child out of the class. The amendment also targeted the instruction to warning signs of suicide, self-harm, and addiction and sociopathy (harming or killing themselves or harming or killing others). The amendment strangely failed; find out why here.

Senator Hughes met with friends from the Mat-Su Borough. Pictured are Borough Manager Mike Brown, and Assembly Members Stephanie Nowers and Bill Gamble.

Palmer residents and farm owners Tom and Kim Bergey, along with their sons Jakob and Donald, came in to chat with Senator Hughes. The senator invited them to sit in on the Food and Farm Caucus meeting later that evening which they did. Tom is currently on the Mat-Su School Board (past president) and Kim is a former superintendent and current educator.

Senator Hughes in the Butrovich Committee Room with Representatives Mears and Gray at the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force Executive Board meeting. Division of Agriculture Bryan Scoresby was online giving a slide presentation update on the Growing Ag Industry Committee.

Senator Hughes was able to attend the opening of the Arctic Winter Games in Mat-Su yesterday.

"Senator Shelley Hughes, my family is for SB 173, so our children are protected."

"Your “solution” [of SB173] is not the only one."

"Wanted to say Thank You, Senator for taking time for the very informative Coffee Chat on [Saturday]"

"Thank you for your work on food security."

"Please stop the wind farm Dunleavy is allowing on Beluga Mountain. It’s unnecessary and will be a blight for generations to come when the windmills stop working which they always do."

"I always appreciate meeting supporters of individual freedoms & liberties, as I share your sentiments. [regarding Article V Convention]"

"Sometimes a minority is an actual minority. It is not honest to always assume a “silent majority”, as the constitutional convention vote should demonstrate."

"Unbelievable all the dark money that came from outside Alaska to convince voters not to hold a constitutional convention. Just like with the ranked choice voting Alaskans got duped."

"We need to stop giving away "too much" in aid. People will NOT go to work, if the State & Federal government give them enough that there is zero reason for them to go to work. ...We need to get back to personal responsibility."

"While [SB 140] is not my wishlist either, all of you were able to reach a consensus in favor of this current version. Because you all agreed to it, while the governor can indeed veto it if you refuse to change, you can override the veto in order to serve all of your constituents."

"It makes no sense that NEA doesn't want teachers to get bonuses from the state. I thought the big goal for a union is to get more pay for workers. I heard NEA has been pushing CRT too and supporting boys in girls' bathrooms. NEA has really changed for the worse."

"Now that you've explained it's about adding improvements to help kids, not do away with what's in SB 140, I can understand why the gov would use his veto power for leverage. "

"If the Alaska governmental employees were at least able to receive social Security, they would then have some defined benefit retirement. This may help retain teachers, and get more employees for the Marine Highway system to operate more of the ferries."

O P P O R T U N I T I E S   F O R   Y O U   T O   W E I G H   I N   T H I S   W E E K

If you’d like to provide public testimony for any bill, enter the bill number (for example "HB 22") into the search bar here to learn the date and time. Scroll down toward the bottom of this newsletter or view the highlighted bill images to find the public testimony call-in phone numbers.

The following "News from Hughes Alerts" are highlighted bills for this week but please note that this is not an exhaustive list. 

🖱️ Click on the image to view the referenced bill.

Click the button below to see all public testimony opportunities occurring within the next seven days.

Other regions have specific times to call in. Check akleg.gov to find out when your region is invited to weigh-in.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 10:00am

HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Consideration of Governor’s Appointees:

AK Mental Health Trust Board of Trustees: Brent Fisher, John Sturgeon

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 3:00pm

HOUSE HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

Consideration of Governor’s Appointees:

Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives: Bethel Belisle

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1:30pm

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Consideration of Governor's Appointees:

Alaska Police Standards Council: Dusty Dumont

State Commission for Human Rights: Rebecca Carrillo & Willliam Craig

Check out articles from our senators as we post them, take surveys, and more by clicking the picture above.

Then check out and follow our social media platforms

for even more up-to-the-minute info!

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Senate Assignments:

• Senate Minority, Ranking Member
• Alaska Food Strategy Task Force, Chair
• Food and Farm Caucus, Co-Chair
• Special Committee on World Trade
• Victims’ Advocate Selection Committee
• Law Finance Subcommittee

Other Appointments and Assignments:

• NCSL Law and Public Safety Committee, Vice Chair
• State Agricultural and Rural Leaders, National Board Member
• Article V Phoenix Correspondence Commission, National Commissioner
• NCSL Cybersecurity Task Force
• CSG-West Canada Relations
• CSG Interbranch Committee

Click the bill code in green to see more details and follow the individual bill's progress online.

Health Insurance Info; Incentives /Agreements

The bill includes the Alaska Health Care Consumers Right to Shop Act as well as authorizes Direct Primary Care Agreements in order to nudge down the cost of healthcare in Alaska by introducing competition and free market principles.

Alaska Sunset Commission

SB 9 establishes the Alaska Sunset Commission, an  independent entity charged with meticulously reviewing each state agency to make recommendations to  legislature to improve the efficacy of, or disband, that agency. The agency auto-sunsets if legislature doesn't take up recommendations in bill form. S State Affairs heard SB 9 March 2023. H Ways & Means Committee filed companion HB 190 May 2023 and held a hearing on the bill this past Wednesday.

Constitutional Amendment: Abortion/Funding

This proposed constitutional amendment will prevent judges from ruling that statutes which protect babies in the womb are unconstitutional. A hearing request was submitted March 2023 to Senate Judiciary Chair Matt Claman.

School/University Employee Health Insurance

SB 110 gives districts the option to participate in the state employee health plan, AlaskaCare. If passed, Senate Bill 110 could ease the financial burden of school districts and give the State of Alaska more leverage to negotiate with healthcare providers, improving services, and leaving more funds for classroom use. Senate Education hearings held April 2023.

Rejecting Commission's Recommendation to Raise Salaries

SB 111 rejects the recent recommendation in the Alaska State Officers Compensation Commission report to raise legislators' salaries by 67%. It rejects the salary increases and provides a vehicle for changes to the compensation commission process. Hearing request submitted to Senate Finance March 2023.

Extending Alaska Senior Benefits

This bill would extend senior benefits in Alaska for one decade to June 30, 2034 to prevent the program from expiring. Our office has submitted hearing request to Sen. Olson, Senate Finance Co-Chair. A similar bill, SB 170 passed the Senate that removes the sunset date of June 20, 2024.

Safe Schools Act

We must not wait until an active shooter tragedy occurs in one of our schools to start the policy discussion on how to protect lives. This bill requires districts to assign one or more highly trained, stable and responsible individuals to conceal-carry on school grounds and coordinate with local law enforcement. Every second makes a difference. An on-site immediate response will save lives. Second hearing held March 1 by Senate Labor & Commerce. Public testimony held. Amendment adopted for state to reimburse districts for training costs. Bill moved to the next committee, Senate Judiciary. A hearing has been requested.

Artificial Intelligence

This bill works to protect individuals from potential harm due to use of artificial intelligence by state entities, regulates personal data storage and collection, and use of deepfakes in political media. First hearing was in front of Senate State Affairs February 1st with quite a line-up of expert testimonies. Another hearing may be scheduled soon.

For Information on bills I'm co-sponsoring

For information on all bills filed during this session

Keep up with updates, notices, news, and photos throughout the week and live broadcasts every Monday evening at 6pm

Join Shelley on Facebook Live each week to ask questions and give input.

We typically broadcast Mondays at 6:00 pm, but watch for a notification on Facebook as the day/time is subject to change.

Be sure to "like" the "Senator Shelley Hughes" Facebook page www.facebook.com/AKShelleyHughes

so you'll get a heads-up each time we air! 

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Alaska State Legislature web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators, and access committee information. Questions? Try the help wizard or call 1-800-478-4648.

SMS Bill Tracking! Once you know what bill(s) you want to monitor, here’s a convenient way to track what’s happening. Text any bill number (ex: SB1) to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts for that particular piece of legislation. You’ll receive an enrollment confirmation as well as instructions on how to unsubscribe.

How to Get in Touch with Shelley! Give our office a call at 907-465-3743 or 800-565-3743 or send an email to Sen.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov. If you need assistance, want a response, or need other follow-up, please call rather than email.

Anneliese Roberts

Chief of Staff

Anneliese.Roberts@akleg.gov

907-465-5025

Stephen Knouse

Legislative Aide

Stephen.Knouse@akleg.gov

907-465-3743

Lisa Murkowski - Senator

Anchorage: 907-271-3735

Mat-Su: 907-376-7665

Dan Sullivan - Senator

Anchorage: 907-271-5915

Mat-Su: 907-357-9956

Mary Peltola - Representative

Anchorage: 907-921-6675

You can watch senate floor sessions, typically Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:00 am and Fridays at 10:30 am online or on your local 360North television channel.

Best regards,

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