The Spring Creek Correctional Center located in Seward. Image Alaska Department of Corrections
JUNEAU – House Bill 35, legislation allowing supervised access to electronic devices in Alaska’s correctional facilities, is now law.
Passed with bipartisan support, HB 35 allows the Department of Corrections to permit limited use of tablets or computers by incarcerated individuals for specific, approved purposes—such as education, legal research, Telehealth, and communication with family or support networks. The law prohibits fees for email or virtual visitation and requires strict content controls for entertainment, social media, and unsafe material.
The law reflects a growing recognition that reentry begins during incarceration. By connecting people to educational tools and family support in a structured, secure environment, HB 35 helps prepare individuals to return to their communities more successfully—while reducing tensions and improving safety within facilities.
“It’s exciting to see Alaska join the other 48 states with electronic tablet access in their system of corrections. The question of how to fund these devices is still ahead of us, but I am pleased the Legislature and the Governor’s office were able to adopt the policy the Department of Corrections needs to begin negotiations with vendors,” said bill sponsor Representative Rebecca Himschoot (I-Sitka).
“This bill gives us the opportunity to increase security at our prisons while working to decrease our recidivism rates. Those are both wins for public safety,” said Senator Robert Myers (R-North Pole), who carried companion legislation to the bill.
The law will take effect under Alaska’s standard enactment schedule. Implementation procedures will be developed by the Department of Corrections.
