Senate Floor Session, 4/15/26, 11am

Will the Senate please come to order, and will members please signify your presence by voting.

The roll shows 18 members present. Thank you. With 18 members shown as present, we have a quorum to conduct business. The invocation this morning will be given by Pastor Anthony Farrell with the Calvary Fellowship, Juneau. Members, please rise.

With the deepest respect for all religious beliefs of all Alaskans, I offer the following prayer. Let us pray. Almighty God, today we pause to remember the people who make the work in this room possible, the families. We know that serving Alaska is a sacrifice carried by the whole household. We think of the families who packed up their lives to move to Juneau, pushing through a remarkable tough winter just to be together.

We ask for extra grace for the children navigating new hallways and trying to feel at home in an unfamiliar place. We know that serving Alaska is a profound and shared sacrifice. We lift up the families who have walked alongside these senators through grueling elections and given up precious time and normalcy. So that their loved ones can serve this state. And we remember the loved ones back in our hometowns across this state, feeling the distance and missing their people.

And today, we also lift up and remember the staff members, the dedicated individuals serving quietly in the background. They are the unseen foundation of this Capitol, carrying the heavy load of late nights, complex details, and endless preparation to keep this body moving forward. God, the physical, mental, and emotional toll of this season is real. And when the heavy demands of this work leave the families, the staff, and these leaders feeling stretched and overwhelmed, we ask that you give genuine rest. Guard their emotional and mental well-being.

Bring a quiet peace to their minds, their offices, and their homes. May the love of their families anchor them today, and may the comfort of knowing that their sacrifices truly matter give these senators the clear minds and courageous hearts they need for the decisions ahead. We ask for your blessing upon this Senate today. Upon their homes and their families, that you would sustain them. Amen.

Amen. Thank you, Pastor Farrell. Senator Gray Jackson, would 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.

Thank you, Senator Gray Jackson. Will the Secretary please certify the journals? I certify as to the correctness of the journals for the 84th and 85th legislative days. Thank you. Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the journals be approved as certified by the Senate Secretary. Hearing no objection, the journals have been approved. Senator Heel. Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning.

I move and ask unanimous consent that the prayer be spread upon the journal. Thank you. Seeing no objection, the prayer has been spread upon the journal. At this time, are there guests for introduction?

I know there are several guests. Senator Kiel. Thank you, Mr. President. While others grab their notes, I'll go to mine. I do have a guest to introduce in the gallery before me.

Behind me, excuse me, if James Oglesby would step up where folks can see him. James has been in my office the entire session. He is the University of Alaska Ted Stevens Foundation intern who I managed to hornswoggle into working in my office this year. Mr. President, James has suffered— excuse me— served nobly in my office. He's a lifelong Alaskan.

He grew up in Soldotna. He has family outside who he likes to visit, but he has— is a man with an interesting set of interests. He is a drummer, although we didn't let him set up a drum kit in the office. The senator next door objected to the idea. His studies have taken him to the University of Alaska, to McGill University in Quebec, and brought him back again to Alaska.

He began studying computer science. It has— it was a good fit with an analytical mind, a quick study. They are skill sets that helped him to work his way through a criminal law bill that he has been carrying in my office. The multi-layered analysis in the situation where every word matters in relation to every other. It's not unlike a little bit of criminal law coding, Mr. President.

However, James's interests run more towards public policy and political science. And so after that thing that happened in 2020 that reset a lot of people, got him thinking, he is back to school to pursue his political science degree. He will graduate this semester. Unfortunately, the internship ends before the session does. And so it has been my great privilege to have James Oglesby in my office.

I hope the members will help me welcome him to the Senate chamber today.

Thank you, Senator Keele. Senator Yunt. Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity to introduce to you some, some wonderful people from my community. So if All of the chaperones and students from Matsu Central could please stand up.

Thank you. So Matsu Central is a program that's been in our community for a long time and recently just, uh, was able to build their own building. Finally no longer have to rent a facility that was previously in our community who had terrible, very dangerous parking lot access. In and out for, for parents and the students. And so it's, it's been a great thing.

It's a phenomenal program. We now have a hybrid program there as well, which is growing and expanding very quickly. And so the students— and we're lucky enough that their chaperones brought them down to learn about, uh, the government and how we do things down here. And it's been a long time. You guys may not remember, but it was my amendment on the assembly 4 years ago that actually led to the construction of the program.

And so in the new school, I'm very grateful that it's there, and I hope everyone is having a great time down here and that you learn a lot. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Yount. Further guests for introduction? Madam Secretary, are there messages from the governor? I have no messages from the governor this morning, Mr. President. Thank you.

Are there messages from the House? Received message dated April 13th stating the House failed to concur in the Senate amendments to House Bill 194, namely Senate CS for House Bill 194 Finance, amended Senate effective date failed Senate oil gas corporate income tax royalty sale, and respectfully requests the Senate to recede from its amendment. Those are all the messages from the House this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary. House Bill 194.

Will lay on the Secretary's desk. Are there other communications, Madam Secretary? The following are on file from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Division of Insurance: 2025 Annual Report in accordance with AS 2106110, a letter dated April 8th from the Office of the Idaho Secretary of the Senate forwarding a Senate joint memorial urging the United States Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment to to the Constitution of the United States. Those are all the communications this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Are there reports of standing committees? Report dated April 13th stating, in accordance with AS3905080, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the following appointee. A signature on this report does not reflect an intent by any of the members to vote for or against the confirmation of the individual during any further sessions. State Board of Parole, Steve Meyer. Signing the report, Senator Clayman, Chair, Senators Tilton, Keel, Stevens, Tobin.

The Health and Social Services Committee considered Senate Bill 187, School Nutritional Meal Prohibit Food Dyes, and recommended the adoption of the previous Education Committee substitute. Previous zero fiscal notes. Signing no recommendation, Senator Dunbar, Chair, Senator Myers. Signing do pass, Senators Tobin, Giesel. The bill has no further referral.

The bill is in the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee has placed the bill on today's calendar. The Labor and Commerce Committee considered Senate Bill 217, Employer Contributions, and recommended it be replaced with the Labor and Commerce Committee substitute, New Fiscal Notes. Signing no recommendation, Senator Bjorkman, Chair, Senators Dunbar, Merrick, Yunt. Signing do pass, Senator Gray Jackson, The bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee.

The Health and Social Services Committee considered CS for House Joint Resolution No. 32, Health and Social Services Rural Health Transformation Program. Previous zero fiscal note. Signing to pass, Senator Dunbar. Chair, Senator Giesel.

Signing the recommendation, Senators Meyer, Tobin. The resolution has no further referral. It is in the Rules Committee. The Labor and Commerce Committee considered Senate Bill No. 121, Health Insurance Allowable Charges.

And recommended to be replaced with the Labor and Commerce Committee substitute. New fiscal notes. Signing amend, Senator Bjorkman, chair. Signing do pass, Senator Gray Jackson. Signing no recommendation, Senators Dunbar, Yunt.

Given Senate Bill 121 has picked up a fiscal note, I'm adding a finance referral. Those are all the Senate committee reports for introduction today, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there reports of special committees? I have no special committee reports today.

And are the Senate resolutions for introduction? I have no Senate resolutions for introduction today. Thank you. Senate bills for introduction? Senate Bill number 283.

Brief addis.

If the Senate would come back to order, please. We are under Senate bills for introduction. Madam Secretary. Senate Bill 283 by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, an act relating to staffing standards for registered nurses and providing for an effective date. Refer to Labor and Commerce and Health and Social Services.

Senate Bill 284 by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, an act relating to prohibited conduct relating to drunken persons and relating to civil liability of persons providing alcoholic beverages. Labor and Commerce and Judiciary. Senate Bill Number 285 by the Senate Finance Committee, an act relating to the Rural Energy Infrastructure Organization, relating to the Alaska Affordable Energy Fund, relating to the Alaska Energy Authority, and providing for an effective date. Refer to Committee on Regional Affairs and Finance. Those are all the Senate bills for introduction today, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Please read the first item on today's calendar.

Senate Bill 258 by Senator Keehl, an act relating to contracts for the licensing of software applications. The Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered the bill, new zero fiscal note, signing no recommendation, Senator Merrick, Chair Senator Yunt. Signing do pass, Senators Dunbar, Gray, Jackson. The Labor and Commerce Committee considered the bill, previous zero fiscal note, signing no recommendation, Senator Bjorkman, Chair Senators Merrick Yunt. Signing do pass, Senators Dunbar, Gray, Jackson.

I have no amendments. Senate Bill 258 will advance to third reading at our next regular session. Madam Secretary. Senate Bill 187 by Senator Wilkowski, an act prohibiting certain food additives in public school meals and providing for an effective date. The Education Committee considered the bill and recommended it be replaced with an Education Committee substitute, new zero fiscal note.

Signing no recommendation, Senator Tobin, Chair Senator Keele. Signing do pass, Senators Yunt, Stevens. Signing do not pass, Senator Bjorkman. The Health and Social Services Committee considered the bill and recommended the adoption of the previous Education Committee substitute, previous zero fiscal note. Signing no recommendation, Senator Dunbar, Chair Senator Myers.

Signing do pass, Senators Tobin, Giesel. There is an Education Committee substitute. Thank you, Senator Tobin. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee Education Substitute for Senate Bill 187 be adopted in lieu of the original bill.

Thank you. Would you explain the changes? Most assuredly, Mr. President. So the Senate Education Committee considered Senate Bill 187. We, uh, reviewed version A, which prohibited the use of food dyes in any public school nutrition or meal program.

We did find that this prohibition was too limiting and would have made it nearly impossible for school districts to provide snacks to athletes during competitions, potentially impact cultural programming or extra services. So to alleviate this concern, we did recommend a committee substitute and changed the legislation to ensure that the prohibition on the use of certain food dyes only applied to breakfast or lunch provided by the school to enrolled students during the school day. We believed that this change would allow for the use of snacks for athletes and for other activities, and also ensure that we did not impede on any cultural programming that was happening at the school during or after school hours. Thank you, Senator Tobin. Hearing no objection, the Senate Education Committee substitute has been adopted.

This bill would advance to third reading on our next legislative calendar. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

Senate Joint Resolution number 28 by the Senate Education Committee, recognizing the vital role of workers serving in the state under the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and the H-1B program for specialty occupations in supporting the state's economic security and Continuity of critical services. The Labor and Commerce Committee considered the bill and recommended it be replaced with the Labor and Commerce Committee substitute. New zero fiscal note, signing do pass. Senator Bjorkman, Chair, Senators Dunbar, Merrick, Gray Jackson, Yunt. I have no amendments.

Thank you. Senator Bjorkman. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee substitute substitute for STR 28 be considered in lieu of the original bill. Thank you.

Would you explain the changes? Yes. In the Labor and Commerce Committee, we amended the resolution to add the H-2B program for temporary non-agricultural workers. The resolution was further amended by updating the name of the Secretary of Homeland Security to Mark Wayne Mullen. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Bjorkman. Hearing no objection, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee substitute has been adopted, and this resolution will advance to third reading on our next legislative calendar. Madam Secretary, the next item on our calendar. There is a special order of business citation calendar on members' desks. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate take up the special order of business citation calendar. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Special Order of Business Citation Calendar is before the Senate. Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Special Order of Business Citation Calendar be approved.

Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Special Order of Business Citation Calendar is approved. Madam Secretary. There are no further items of business to consider on today's daily calendar. Thank you.

Is there unfinished business? Senator Keele. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent to roll back up the calendar to introduction of guests. Without objection, back up to introduction of guests. Senator Kehoe.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have another guest in the Groh Gallery now that there's room. If Grant Taylor would stand up. Grant is visiting Juneau for the first time. He may have expected spring, but you know, you take your chances these days.

Grant is actually not only not an Alaskan, but not an American. He's visiting from from Ontario, Canada, where he lives in St. Catharines. He is a survey crew chief for a private land surveying firm, but he's here in the capital city visiting his best friend and his friend's family for a couple of weeks. So hopefully he'll get to see the trees bud out and maybe a crocus pop up when a little more snow melts. Please help me welcome Grant Taylor to the Senate.

Thank you, Senator Kiel. Further guests for introduction? Senator Roger. It is, sir. It is.

Now, will the Senate come back to order, please? Senator Robshaw. Yeah, to, uh, I'd like to introduce a few guests, uh, in the gallery if I could. They, uh, they're in the Ziegler Gallery, and if they would stand up, it's, uh, Joe Lally and Dorothy Moore. From Valdez.

They are here. They are with Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council. They are here to—. They talk about safety, environmental safety and operations with the Alyeska Terminal and other things that are associated with lifestyle in the Sound. So if you would, let's welcome them into the gallery.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator Rosser. Further guests for introduction? If not, moving back down the calendar to unfinished business. Senator Giesel.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that Senator Olson be excused Thursday, April 16th, evening plane time, through Monday, April 20th, evening plane time, and not be subject to a call of the Senate. Without objection, so ordered. Additional unfinished business? Moving on to committee announcements. Committee announcements?

Are there any other announcements? Senator Gray Jackson. Thank you, Mr. President. I have two announcements. The first is the member from District 14 today— not today, I'm sorry.

She's hosting a lunch and learn on understanding child development "Brain Science" with presenters from All Alaska Pediatric Partnership on Thursday, April 16th at 12:00 PM in the Davis Room 106, and lunch will be provided. And Mr. President, I have another announcement. I'd just like to bring to everyone's attention an important documentary titled "Talking to the Tundra: How Yup'ik Village Heals." I was first introduced to this film when I, along with a group group of other legislators were invited to attend a screening of it a couple of weeks ago. This documentary highlights how the community of Tuksook Bay has come together to address grief and then limited availability of mental health resources for our youth. It offers a powerful and moving look at resilience as well as pathways to strengthen mental health and well-being in rural Alaska.

But the good news is today there will be a screening at noon in the in the Senate Finance Room that's hosted by Senator Speaker Edgeman and Representative Jimmy. And we would highly, highly encourage everybody to try and attend this event. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Gray Jackson. Uh, Senator Murkowski, under announcements.

Yes, thank you, Mr. President. There will be a Lunch and Learn today at 12 noon in the Butrovich Room 205, presented by Sandy Snodgrass, founder of the Alaska Fentanyl Response Project. She's presented to thousands of students all across Alaska and has a very compelling story to tell. And I hope to see you there. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Wolkowski. Uh, Senator Kaufman. Thank you, Mr. President. Just a reminder, uh, for members of the Anchorage delegation, there's a port update and housing status for Anchorage members, uh, 11:45 to 12:45, the basement of Rainbow foods. Thank you, Senator Kaufman.

Senator Tobin. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to invite everyone to a must-see task force on education funding happening this afternoon at 3:30 PM in the Davis Committee Room, Davis 106. We will receive a presentation on understanding NAEP and education funding by Paul Thomas, the professor of education at Furman University. We will also receive a presentation by NCSL on federal accountability.

Assessment requirements. And what I am most looking forward to, anyone who is there can join us in taking the AKSTAR, where you may or may not see your immediate assessment results, and we can compare and see who is doing very well here in the state legislature. Wow. We get a report on that. Thank you, Senator Tobin.

Senator Rascher. Thank you, Mr. President. The Legislative Prayer Caucus will be held tomorrow morning at 7:30 7:00 AM in the Butrovich Room, 205. All legislators, staff, and administration are invited to attend, and all faiths and denominations are welcome as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Rauscher. Seeing no additional announcements, are there special orders?

Senator Gray Jackson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent to be allowed to speak on a wonderful Without objection, so ordered. Thank you. Alaska, and particularly Alaska's political community, suffered a great loss this week with the passing of Elson Lawson. Elson was a member, a mentor to many young Democrats considering running for office or serving in staff roles.

He was proudly and unapologetically a Democrat, and his lighthearted, often goofy spirit brought joy to those around him. When Elston called legislators, we often walked away smiling, lifted by his humor. At the same time, he was deeply thoughtful and genuinely caring. He was also a member— a mentor to me, consistently encouraging me to seek higher office, even knowing I was content serving at the local level. Elston was the husband of Harry Drummond, a former member of the House.

I had the privilege of serving with Harriet both in the legislature and also in the Anchorage Assembly. Both Harriet and Elson became very close friends, and although they both enjoyed visiting my home where I would serve a 3-course gourmet dinner just for the two of them, I love the way Elson's eyes would light up whenever I shared the potential menu with him. There is so much more that could be said about this remarkable man and his contributions contributions to Alaska. But I'll simply say that he will be deeply missed, not only by me, but by a community that benefited from his intelligence, insight, and leadership. I will miss my friend, Elson.

But, Harriet, I'm here for you. And I ask that you all join me in a moment of silence. Thank you, Mr. President. [FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Thank you, Senator Gray Jackson.

Thank you. Seeing no additional special orders, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment until tomorrow, tomorrow being at Thursday, April 16th, 2026, at 11:00 AM. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Senate is adjourned.