Hello Fellow Voters,
Several new "HOT
BUTTONS" have been added
to the home page so everyone can track bill progress on these important issues.
These hot buttons include: elimination of the Alaska Public Offices
Commission; changes to the lobbyists registration laws; private prison; and the
Permanent Fund Dividend. Take a few minutes now to become familiar with
these issues, it could
save you a lot of money later.
During the week of March 24 the
following bills WILL
be heard by committee:
HB 11, Will
reduce royalties from mineral leases, rentals, net profit shares, and bonuses
paid to the Permanent Fund from 50% to 25%. Sponsored by Representative
Rokeberg. The remaining 75% will go directly to the legislature!
Will be heard by the House Finance Committee
on March 27 (Thursday), at 130 PM.
Recommend: OPPOSE
SB 89,
This special interest legislation will gut the current
laws requiring lobbyist register, declare
who
they work for, and how much they are paid.
Sponsored by Senator Seekins. It will also allow lobbyist that are no
longer classified as lobbyist to participate in fund raising activities for
politicians and promotion of more special interest legislation.
See special
HOT BUTTON page for complete details!
Will be heard by the
Senate Judicial Committee on March 26 (Wednesday), at 130 PM.
Recommend: OPPOSE
SB 117, Will eliminate the Longevity
Bonus Program (Senate version of
HB 158). Introduced by the
Senate Rules Committee:
(COWDERY (Chair), Ben Stevens, Therriault, Ellis, and Guess),
by request of Governor Murkowski. This legislation will help balance the
budget, but puts financial hardship directly on the backs of Alaskan Pioneers,
many of which are on a fixed income. Governor Murkowski could have chosen to
let our honored seniors (and the Longevity Bonus Program) "go silently into the
night". Instead Governor Murkowski is showing favor for the bureaucrats and
corporate supporters, who in many cases contributed NOTHING toward
opening up Alaska as America's last frontier.
Will be heard by the Senate State
Affairs Committee on March 27 (Thursday) at 330 PM.
Recommend: OPPOSE
SB 119,
This special interest legislation
will completely eliminate the Alaska Public Office's
Commission
(Senate version of
HB 157). Introduced by the
Senate Rules
Committee: (COWDERY (Chair), Ben Stevens, Therriault, Ellis, and Guess),
by request of Governor Murkowski.
See special
HOT BUTTON page for complete details!
Will be heard by the Senate State
Affairs Committee on March 25 (Tuesday), at 330 PM.
Recommend: OPPOSE
Check with your local legislative
information office for opportunities to testify before these committees.
If you are not able to testify in person, consider sending written testimony.
Blank forms and details for submitting written testimony are posted on the
Action page.
Bills the public
REALLY
want that will NOT
be heard again this week:
HB 19,
This bill calls for a separate education budget and requires the legislature
approve it by April 1 each year. Sponsored by Representatives Stevens,
and Wolf. If passed, this would ensure that full education funding is
provided, and eliminate it as an end of session bargaining chip!
Recommend: SUPPORT
HJR 3, Puts the question of whether the
PERMANENT FUND
DIVIDEND should be put on the ballot for a vote of the people.
Sponsored by Representatives Crawford and Croft. If approved by
voters the dividend would become part of the constitution, using formula
currently in place.
Recommend: SUPPORT
HJR 4, Proposes amending the
constitution to limit legislative sessions to 90 days. Sponsored by
Representatives Samuels and Rokeberg.
Recommend: SUPPORT
HJR 11, This constitutional amendment will end
the legislature's policy of closed door meetings, and private caucus' when
discussing the public's business. Sponsored by Representatives CRAWFORD and
Croft. This will force our government to be more transparent, honest, and
worthy of trust once again. Recommend:
SUPPORT
SB 80, Finally an election law that
makes sense! Sponsored by Senator Davis. It's about time we started
making it easier rather than harder to vote. Maybe it will help increase voter
turnout? Recommend:
SUPPORT
SJR 6 This proposed constitutional
amendment would reduce legislative sessions from 120 to 90 days. Sponsored
by Senator Guess. This bill could save us $Billions!
Recommend: SUPPORT
It is the
RESPONSIBILITY and
DUTY
of the committee chairperson to bring these bills out of
committee for public discussion and a vote. If these bills are kept
locked up until the end of session they die, and Alaskan voters
are once again denied good public policy because of partisan politics.
Telephone numbers and email
addresses for all legislatures are available on the
Links page.
Take a few minutes and tell them what you think.
When you send letters or written testimony to the
legislature remember
to copy the
media with your important message, because
EVERYONE needs to know how
you feel about the issues. Also
consider
copying us with your letter for inclusion
on AK Voters
editorial page.
1.
Do you favor reducing certain oil royalties deposited into the Permanent Fund
from 50% to 25%?
2. Do you think everyone seeking public money from the legislature
should be called a lobbyist?
3. Would you
favor a separate school budget, that must be submitted to the governor by
April 1 of each year?
4. Do you
agree with "same day" voter registration?
Click
here
to take the survey. If you
have suggestions for future survey questions, feel free to
email
them to us.
Please forward this message to everyone
you know in Alaska, and ask them to do the same. Everyone is welcome and
strongly encouraged to
join AK Voters.
It is absolutely FREE to join, and each member
automatically receives future issues of the "Spotlight
on Juneau
". Working together we CAN and WILL make a positive
difference for Alaska's future!
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