Anchorage, Alaska – Continuing his commitment to grow Alaska’s tourism economy and create more opportunities for Alaskans and Alaska businesses, Governor Sean Parnell Thursday signed several bills into law, including Senate Bill 194, legislation establishing the Alaska Tourism Marketing Board within the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Among other things, the board will be charged with encouraging the expansion and growth of Alaska’s visitor industry and maximizing the number of Alaskans employed in tourism. Senator Lesil McGuire sponsored the legislation.

Governor Parnell also signed other legislation, including:

• Senate Bill 106, sponsored by Senator Kevin Meyer, allows individuals who hold a state lease to purchase the land before the state conveys the land to a municipality.
• House Bill 369, sponsored by Representative Lance Pruitt, provides immunity for certain drug offenses for a person who seeks medical assistance during a drug overdose. Additionally, HB 369 provides immunity for a person who sought medical or law enforcement assistance for another person who was believed to be experiencing a drug overdose.
• House Bill 366, sponsored by Representative Lance Pruitt, establishes a system to transfer the limited necessary information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) administrators regarding individuals who are adjudicated in Alaska courts as unfit to possess a firearm due to mental health reasons.
• House Bill 193, sponsored by Representative Lance Pruitt, allows the Department of Revenue to enter into agreements with municipalities to jointly audit taxpayers for taxes on cigarettes or other tobacco products.
• House Bill 297, sponsored by Representative Lance Pruitt, recognizes the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) as the authorizing agency to approve home energy rating systems (HERS) utilized in Alaska.

• Senate Bill 200, sponsored by Senator Lesil McGuire, amends Alaska statute to allow a parent to seek civil action in the case of the death of an unborn child caused by the wrongful acts or omissions of others. SB 200 is known as “Jackson’s Law.”

• House Bill 206, sponsored by Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, exempts motor vehicle service contracts from regulation as insurance, but provides for alternative regulation of motor vehicle service contracts by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Insurance.
• House Joint Resolution 25, sponsored by Representative LeDoux, urges the U.S. Congress to restore medical benefits related to Agent Orange exposure for certain military personnel who served in the Vietnam War.
• House Bill 262, sponsored by Representative Lindsey Holmes, exempts the Office of Public Advocacy and the Public Defender Agency from having to seek the attorney general’s approval to contract for legal services in cases in which the attorney general is an adverse party.
• House Bill 378, sponsored by the House Transportation Committee, allows Alaska’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program to continue to license commercial drivers in Alaska.
• Recognizing the service of Alaska’s military members and peace officers, House Bill 116, sponsored by Representative Charisse Millett, allows retiring employees in the PERS Tier II and III peace officer/firefighter classifications who have less than 25 years of police/fire membership service to use claimed military service to reach the 25-year requirement for system paid medical premiums at retirement.

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