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Alaska health care providers sue to keep state rule mandating minimum payments for care
A group of Alaska health care providers has sued the state government, seeking to keep in place a state regulation that sets a floor for how much private health insurance plans pay for out-of-network services. The Alaska Division of Insurance plans to repeal the rule effective Jan. 1. The regulation, which has been in place […]
Gov. Dunleavy appoints Bethel judge to be top public defender and Anchorage judge to Superior Court
A judge who has served at the Bethel Superior Court has been named by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to lead the state Public Defender Agency. Judge Terrence Haas worked as a public defender in Bethel for more than a decade before he was appointed as a Superior Court judge in the city in 2018. Haas replaces […]
Eugene Peltola Jr., retired BIA official and husband of U.S. Rep. Peltola, dies after plane crash
Eugene Peltola Jr., who held senior positions with the federal government and was the husband of U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, has died after an airplane crash in Southwest Alaska. He was 57 years old. Anton McParland, chief of staff to Rep. Peltola, announced the death on Wednesday morning. “We are devastated to share that Mary’s […]
Questions on minimum wage, paid sick leave and campaign funding could be heading to Alaska voters
Proposed ballot measures would raise Alaska minimum wage, add mandatory paid sick leave, as well as limit campaign contributions and state spending on party candidate nominations. The Alaska Division of Elections received the proposals this week. One proposed ballot measure would make a series of changes to state labor laws. It would raise the hourly […]
Top Alaska tourist attraction Mendenhall Glacier to hit capacity for visitors by late summer
Alaska’s top tourist attraction, the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, is reaching its capacity for commercial tours this year sooner than in previous years, due to the growing number of visitors. This means tour operators are also facing limits in the second half of the summer season on how many tours have permits to visit the […]
Alaska Permanent Fund account that pays for state budget, dividends is under pressure
For 41 years, Alaskans’ bank accounts have been refilled with dividends – usually more than $1,000 – from the $76.6 billion Alaska Permanent Fund. More recently, the fund also has been the biggest source of money paying for state government. But what if there was no money available for either dividends or the state budget? […]
Alaska Redistricting Board decides against attempting to redraw map again
The board responsible for drawing the boundaries of Alaska’s legislative districts voted Monday against making any changes after the state Supreme Court recently issued its full ruling on lawsuits challenging the map. That likely means there won’t be any changes to the district lines used in last year’s election until 2032, though Alaskans displeased with […]
GCI pays $40.2 million to settle federal allegations it violated False Claims Act, bidding rules
GCI Communications Corp., Alaska’s largest telecommunications company, has agreed to pay $40.2 million to settle allegations by federal prosecutors that it violated the U.S. False Claims Act and competitive bidding rules. The U.S. Justice Department had alleged that GCI knowingly inflated its prices in order to receive federal subsidies for its services in rural areas. […]
Alaska sports board decides against barring trans girls from girls sports, for now
The board that governs school sports in Alaska decided against adopting a change to its bylaws that would have prevented transgender girls from participating in girls sports. But the Alaska School Activities Association said its board could still adopt the change in the future if state Department of Education and Early Development rules compel it […]
Alaska Senate passes bill to allow municipal blight tax, property tax exemptions
The Alaska Senate voted 13-6 on Tuesday to pass a bill that would apply both a carrot and a stick for local governments to encourage the construction and maintenance of developments. One provision of Senate Bill 77 would allow municipalities to exempt the owners of newly developed or redeveloped commercial properties from paying property taxes. […]
Alaska lawmaker can’t block public from social accounts based on their views, judge rules
An Alaska state legislator can’t block members of the public who they disagree with from commenting on a social media account the lawmaker maintains in connection with her elective office, a judge has ruled. Anchorage Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews said in a decision he issued Friday that the account is a limited public forum […]
Eastman trial to advance, focus on whether Oath Keepers advocate concrete overthrow of government
A trial on whether Wasilla Republican Rep. David Eastman is eligible for state office is set to begin on Monday, after a judge ruled on Friday against attempts by him and the state Division of Elections to dismiss the case. The trial will focus on whether the Oath Keepers advocate the forceful overthrow of the […]