February 24, 2023
Dear Friends and Neighbors:
The sun has been streaming into my office in the Capitol this week and I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine in your community, too. It has been another busy week in Juneau with floor sessions, committee meetings, an address by Senator Lisa Murkowski, and the Alaska Municipal League and United Fishermen of Alaska meetings among other events. I spend my mornings in committee meetings and on the House Floor, and the afternoons meeting with constituents, stakeholders and legislators.
This week I attended a combination of budget subcommittee and standing committee meetings, with the legislature prioritizing the budget subcommittee work at this time. As a member of the budget subcommittees for the Departments of Education, Corrections, Public Safety as well as Fish and Game, I have been learning about the budgets of each of these departments. The budget subcommittee work will come to an end the week after next, and at that time each subcommittee will make recommendations to the full House Finance Committee, which will then take up the entire operating budget. If you have any recommendations on changes that should be made to the budgets of these departments, please contact me.
While standing committee work was limited this week, the House Education Committee did hear an introduction of HB 65, INCREASE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION on Monday, February 20th. The hearing was the first, of what I hope will be many, hearings on this critical piece of legislation. I will be sure to let you know when there is an opportunity for public testimony on this bill. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me regarding this bill or any other bills we are considering in committee.
Meeting with constituents and stakeholders continues to be one of the highlights of my time in the legislature. It was an honor to meet with the United Fishermen of Alaska Board to talk about the importance of commercial fishing in my district and hear the concerns of the board members. I had the privilege of meeting with city and borough officials from across House District 2 who were here for the Alaska Municipal League conference, including officials from the communities of Petersburg, Sitka and Yakutat. In addition, I enjoyed meeting with constituents who were here with AGE – NET and the Statewide Independent Living Council.
If you are going to be in Juneau, please call ahead and set up a time to meet with me. You are always welcome to email me at rep.himschoot@akleg.gov, or call my office at (907) 465-3732, with a question, suggestion or concern.
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