JUNEAU – The Alaska House Thursday passed a bill establishing Katie John Day on May 31 of each year. “Katie John was an icon who devoted her life to convincing the public of the cultural importance of traditional fishing in her ancestral homeland,” said Representative Neal Foster, D-Nome, sponsor of the House companion bill. […]
JUNEAU – The Alaska Senate Thursday passed the state’s operating budget for fiscal year 2020. The budget includes $4.3 billion in unrestricted general funds (UGF) for agency and statewide operations – a reduction of $258 million over last year – and $1.94 billion to pay each eligible Alaskan a Permanent Fund dividend of approximately […]
JUNEAU – The Alaska Senate Finance Committee today approved amendments boosting this year’s Permanent Fund dividend to about $3,000 per person and transferring $12 billion from the Permanent Fund’s earnings reserve account into the fund’s constitutionally protected corpus. “We must take effective action to protect the Permanent Fund,” said Senator Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, co-chair […]
JUNEAU – The Alaska Senate last week unanimously voted for a resolution urging the U.S. to issue a presidential permit allowing a railroad crossing between Alaska and Canada. “A railroad connecting Alaska to Alberta would provide a huge boost to our state’s economy,” said Senator Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee. […]