SFLR-20260429-1100

[FOREIGN] Will the Senate please come to order, and will members please signify your presence by voting?

The roll shows 20 members present. Thank you. With 20 members shown as present, we have a quorum to conduct business. The invocation this morning will be given by Pastor Nathaniel Habegger with the Juneau Christian Center. Members, please rise.

Dear God, I come before you with humility and gratitude, acknowledging that every good and perfect gift comes from you. You are the source of wisdom, justice, and truth. As it is written, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach. James 1:5. In alignment with James, I pray that you give wisdom generously to these leaders.

Guide their hearts and minds, for though we make our plans, it is you who establishes our steps. Let every decision be shaped by your truth and grounded in what is right. Your word calls us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. May that calling rest upon this body today. Where there is disagreement, bring unity.

Where there is challenge, grant clarity. And where there is responsibility, give strength and integrity. May this chamber be a place where truth is spoken, where the common good is pursued and where your light shines through every action taken. And I bless and I ask that you bless this body and this great state of Alaska. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. Amen. Thank you, Pastor Haviger. Senator Olson, will you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Senator Olson. Will the Secretary please certify the journal? I certify as to the correctness of the journal for the 99th legislative day. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the journal be approved as certified by the Senate Secretary.

Hearing no objection, the journal has been approved. Senator Hoffman. Thank you, Mr. President. On this 100th day of the legislative session, I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread on the journal. Thank you, Senator Hoffman.

Seeing no objection, the prayer has been spread upon the journal. At this time, our guest for introduction, Senator Gray Jackson. Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to introduce Deb Jenkins. She's in the gallery behind me.

Deb is visiting from her home in San Diego, and she's a retired language interpreter. She loves music and art, and she's also an RV road trip enthusiast. And she's here supporting our efforts recognizing the deaf and hard of hearing community. And she's also going to be in town for a couple of weeks to support both of the festive events that occurred over this past weekend, Skits and the retirement party, and also to visit her son and grandchildren. And by the way, Mr. President, her son is one of your staff, Tim Lampkin, and his daughter-in-law— and her daughter-in-law Mercedes Colbert.

Please join me in welcoming Deb to Senate floor. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Gray Jackson. Senator Giesel. Thank you, Mr. President.

In the grow gallery, I have a constituent, Matt Blattmacher. He is the CEO of Peak Trust Company. He lives in Anchorage and in fact has been an Alaska resident for over 30 years, coming here as a young child. He's hosting students, Mr. President. I mean, this is really key.

Training, educating the next generation. His students come from the University of Delaware Trust Management Program, and they are engaging with Alaska's trust and legislative community. Matt has several students here with him today. They're here to work and study the trust industry and learn how about Alaska's trust law. So I'm going to ask each of the students to stand.

Don Getty Sutphin, Jennifer Zelvin McCluskey, Prisha Kumar, Clay Lancelotta, Maria Magawan, and Micah Wilson. Please join me in giving them a warm Senate welcome.

Thank you, Senator Giesel. Further guests for introduction? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, are there messages from the Governor? Messages dated April 28th stating, in accordance with AS3905080, I submit the following list of appointees for confirmation. Board of Fisheries: Mike Wood, Talkeetna, Blair Hickson, Wasilla, Paul Cyr, Ketchikan.

Referred to the Resources Committee. Board of Game: Stanley Hoffman Jr., Bethel, Jacob Fletcher, Talkeetna, David Loring, Fairbanks. Referred to the Resources Committee as well. State Medical Board, Hannah Milkey, Big Lake. Referred to Health and Social Services.

Those are all the messages from the Governor this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there messages from the House? I have no messages from the House this morning. And are there communications?

The following reports are on file. From the Department of Public Safety, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault 2025 Annual Report in accordance with AS 186. 1966050. From the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board 2025 Annual Report in accordance with AS1965180. Those are all the communications this morning, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there reports of standing committees? The Health and Social Services Committee considered Senate Bill number 261, unhoused young adults' IDs, birth certificates, and recommended it be replaced with a health and Social Services Committee substitute. New fiscal and zero fiscal notes. Signing to pass: Senator Dunbar, Chair, Senators Myers, Tobin, Giesel.

The bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee. Those are all the standing committee reports this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there reports of special committees? I have no special committee reports today.

And are there Senate resolutions for introduction? There are no Senate resolutions for introduction today. And Senate bills for introduction? I have no Senate bills for introduction today. Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Please read the first item on today's calendar. Senate Bill 239, an act relating to the regulation and titling of legally imported motor vehicles and providing for an effective date before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Senator Tilton to carry the bill. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to my colleagues for hearing this bill on the floor today. Senate Bill 239 is a bill to modernize Alaska's motor vehicle registration and titling laws for legally imported vehicles.

Senate Bill 239 is just a technical fix that was brought to me by a constituent who has titled one of her vehicles but was blocked from titling her second vehicle. This block happened because of a regulation that was drafted over 20 years ago that did not align with the federal exemption and started arbitrarily being enforced about a year ago. As I was, as I was taking on this challenge, I looked around the building and had conversation with many of my colleagues and found out that many of you have the same issues, that your constituents have those same issues. So we decided to do a bill for this. For too long, our statutes have relied on outdated fixed cutoff date that was never correctly aligned with federal law.

Right now, collectors, enthusiasts, and everyday Alaskans who want to bring an imported classic vehicle that are 25 25 years or older and fully compliant with federal import laws are hitting unnecessary roadblocks by DMV. SB 239 simply aligns our state process with the federal 25-year rolling exemption. No new mandate, no safety compromises, just a common sense update that lets us title and register these vehicle— vehicles cleanly and efficiently. This is good for Alaskan families, good for small business that are restoring and selling plastics. And good for our collectors who are adding vibrancy to our communities, Mr. President.

It also removes the red tape without costing us a dime. So there is a zero fiscal note, and it brings us in line with 46 other states that are already handling the imports the same way. So I appreciate the bipartisan support this bill has received in committee and the thoughtful input from the Department of Administration. It is a straightforward, pro-Alaska measure that respects both safety standards and personal freedom. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing SB 239 today.

Let's make it easier for Alaskans to enjoy their vehicles, old and new, on our roads. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Tilton. Is there discussion? If you are ready for the question.

The question being, shall Senate Bill 239 239, passed the Senate. Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays, Senate Bill 29 has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Hearing no objection— there is an objection? No, hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted.

Senator Groschert. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent to be shown co-sponsor on Senate Bill 239, motor vehicle registration. Without objection, so ordered, along with Senator Kaufman and Senator Senator Merrick and Senator Young.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar. Senate CS for CS for House Bill 26, Transportation, an act relating to the duties of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and relating to a statewide public and community transit plan, before the Senate in third reading on final passage. Thank you. Senator Bjorkman to carry the bill.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I am honored to carry this bill for the member of the other body from District 19 in Mountain View. Uh, the reason why I'm carrying this bill today is that many of my constituents on the Kenai Peninsula also support this concept that DOT, when developing transportation plans, are developing those plans for rural areas of our state. And not just urban areas. Also, they would like to see DOT consider more non-motorized users of our rights-of-way as they are engaging in transportation from place to place.

This would include their needs when seeking to take public transportation to a place, or maybe using a wheelchair on the sidewalk, or other form of transportation that's not a car. And allowing for a statewide transportation plan to be developed in consideration of those factors is very important to senior citizens in my community, as well as folks who have some form of disability that does not allow them to participate the way that other able-bodied persons might. So I think this is an interesting change. It has zero fiscal note. But it ensures that DOT takes into account the needs of our senior citizens as well as disabled folks when they are engaged with planning with our municipal planning organizations, also known as MPOs, or tribal entities and others to make sure that they are accounting for all users of our state's transportation infrastructure.

I urge members to vote yes. Thank you, Senator Birkeland. Is there discussion? Seeing none, if you are ready for the question, the question being, shall Senate CS for CS for House Bill 26, Transportation, pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 16 Yeas, 4 nays. And so by a vote of 16 yeas to 4 nays, Senate CS for CS for House Bill 26, Transportation, has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader, Senator Dunbar. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be listed as a cross-sponsor for that bill we just passed, HB 26, Transportation Plans. Thank you, Senator Dunbar. Without objection, you will be shown as a cross-sponsor, as well as Senator Gray Jackson.

Madam Secretary, the next item on our calendar—. Citations honoring Elsie Vent, honoring Chugiak High School Mustangs girls cross-country team, honoring Team USA women's Olympic hockey team, honoring Joy Barrows Thompson, honoring Eagle River High School baseball team, honoring University of Alaska Anchorage and Idaho State University Doctor of Pharmacy program 10th anniversary. In memoriam, Sandra Sandy Lynn Taylor. In memoriam, Elston Lawson. Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the citations on today's calendar be approved. Hearing no objection, the citations are approved. Madam Secretary, there are no further items for consideration on today's daily calendar. Thank you. At this time, is there unfinished business?

Unfinished business. Moving on to committee announcements. Are there committee announcements? How about any other announcements? Senator Tobin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to invite everyone to what may potentially be the last task force on education funding during this legislative session. It is tonight— excuse me, this afternoon in Davis 106. 106 At 3:30 PM. We will be talking about local contribution and federal impact aid.

We have a bevy of presenters. It will be very robust and lively conversation. I invite everyone today, 3:30 PM in Davis 106. Thank you, Senator Tobin. Are there any other announcements?

Senator Rauscher. Thank you, Mr. President. The legislative prison ministry will be held on Monday, May 4th at 5:30 PM, Lemon Creek Correctional Center. This will be the last prison ministry for this season. And if you're interested, please contact my office for more information.

And I also want to say thank you for all those that have attended in the past year, and it wouldn't have been possible without you. And just so they know that members from the administration, the legislature, and pages are all welcome. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Rosser. I see no further other announcements.

Are there special orders?

See no special orders. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment until 10:30 a.m. Friday. That's May 1st, 2026. Thank you.

Hearing no objections, the Senate is adjourned.