Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2026-05-20 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2876 HB 302 SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 302(TRA) "An Act relating to travel insurance; relating to the business of insurance; relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates; relating to the powers of the director of the division of insurance; relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance; and providing for an effective date" was read. Senator Kiehl offered Amendment No. 2 : Page 1, line 3, following the second occurrence of "insurance;": Insert "relating to unemployment benefits;" Page 21, following line 7: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 10. AS 23.20.350(d) is amended to read: (d) An individual who is eligible under (a) of this section is entitled to receive the weekly benefit amount set out in column (B) of the table in this subsection that is opposite the amount set out in column (A) of the individual's base period wages determined under (c) of this section: (A) (B) Base Period Wages Weekly Benefit Amount At least But less than 0 2,500 $ 0 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2877 2,500 2,750 56 2,750 3,000 58 3,000 3,250 60 3,250 3,500 62 3,500 3,750 64 3,750 4,000 66 4,000 4,250 68 4,250 4,500 70 4,500 4,750 72 4,750 5,000 74 5,000 5,250 76 5,250 5,500 78 5,500 5,750 80 5,750 6,000 82 6,000 6,250 84 6,250 6,500 86 6,500 6,750 88 6,750 7,000 90 7,000 7,250 92 7,250 7,500 94 7,500 7,750 96 7,750 8,000 98 8,000 8,250 100 8,250 8,500 102 8,500 8,750 104 8,750 9,000 106 9,000 9,250 108 9,250 9,500 110 9,500 9,750 112 9,750 10,000 114 10,000 10,250 116 10,250 10,500 118 10,500 10,750 120 10,750 11,000 122 11,000 11,250 124 11,250 11,500 126 11,500 11,750 128 11,750 12,000 130 12,000 12,250 132 12,250 12,500 134 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2878 12,500 12,750 136 12,750 13,000 138 13,000 13,250 140 13,250 13,500 142 13,500 13,750 144 13,750 14,000 146 14,000 14,250 148 14,250 14,500 150 14,500 14,750 152 14,750 15,000 154 15,000 15,250 156 15,250 15,500 158 15,500 15,750 160 15,750 16,000 162 16,000 16,250 164 16,250 16,500 166 16,500 16,750 168 16,750 17,000 170 17,000 17,250 172 17,250 17,500 174 17,500 17,750 176 17,750 18,000 178 18,000 18,250 180 18,250 18,500 182 18,500 18,750 184 18,750 19,000 186 19,000 19,250 188 19,250 19,500 190 19,500 19,750 192 19,750 20,000 194 20,000 20,250 196 20,250 20,500 198 20,500 20,750 200 20,750 21,000 202 21,000 21,250 204 21,250 21,500 207 [206] 21,500 21,750 209 [208] 21,750 22,000 212 [210] 22,000 22,250 214 [212] 22,250 22,500 216 [214] 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2879 22,500 22,750 219 [216] 22,750 23,000 221 [218] 23,000 23,250 224 [220] 23,250 23,500 226 [222] 23,500 23,750 228 [224] 23,750 24,000 231 [226] 24,000 24,250 233 [228] 24,250 24,500 236 [230] 24,500 24,750 238 [232] 24,750 25,000 240 [234] 25,000 25,250 243 [236] 25,250 25,500 245 [238] 25,500 25,750 248 [240] 25,750 26,000 250 [242] 26,000 26,250 252 [244] 26,250 26,500 255 [246] 26,500 26,750 257 [248] 26,750 27,000 260 [250] 27,000 27,250 262 [252] 27,250 27,500 264 [254] 27,500 27,750 267 [256] 27,750 28,000 269 [258] 28,000 28,250 272 [260] 28,250 28,500 274 [262] 28,500 28,750 276 [264] 28,750 29,000 279 [266] 29,000 29,250 281 [268] 29,250 29,500 284 [270] 29,500 29,750 286 [272] 29,750 30,000 288 [274] 30,000 30,250 291 [276] 30,250 30,500 293 [278] 30,500 30,750 296 [280] 30,750 31,000 298 [282] 31,000 31,250 300 [284] 31,250 31,500 303 [286] 31,500 31,750 305 [288] 31,750 32,000 308 [290] 32,000 32,250 310 [292] 32,250 32,500 313 [294] 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2880 32,500 32,750 315 [296] 32,750 33,000 317 [298] 33,000 33,250 320 [300] 33,250 33,500 322 [302] 33,500 33,750 325 [304] 33,750 34,000 327 [306] 34,000 34,250 329 [308] 34,250 34,500 332 [310] 34,500 34,750 334 [312] 34,750 35,000 337 [314] 35,000 35,250 339 [316] 35,250 35,500 341 [318] 35,500 35,750 344 [320] 35,750 36,000 346 [322] 36,000 36,250 349 [324] 36,250 36,500 351 [326] 36,500 36,750 353 [328] 36,750 37,000 356 [330] 37,000 37,250 358 [332] 37,250 37,500 361 [334] 37,500 37,750 363 [336] 37,750 38,000 365 [338] 38,000 38,250 368 [340] 38,250 38,500 370 [342] 38,500 38,750 373 [344] 38,750 39,000 375 [346] 39,000 39,250 377 [348] 39,250 39,500 380 [350] 39,500 39,750 382 [352] 39,750 40,000 385 [354] 40,000 40,250 387 [356] 40,250 40,500 389 [358] 40,500 40,750 392 [360] 40,750 41,000 394 [362] 41,000 41,250 397 [364] 41,250 41,500 399 [366] 41,500 41,750 401 [368] 41,750 42,000 404 [370] 42,000 42,250 406 42,250 42,500 409 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2881 42,500 42,750 411 42,750 43,000 413 43,000 43,250 416 43,250 43,500 418 43,500 43,750 421 43,750 44,000 423 44,000 44,250 425 44,250 44,500 428 44,500 44,750 430 44,750 45,000 433 45,000 45,250 435 45,250 45,500 438 45,500 45,750 440 45,750 46,000 442 46,000 46,250 445 46,250 46,500 447 46,500 46,750 450 46,750 47,000 452 47,000 47,250 454 47,250 47,500 457 47,500 47,750 459 47,750 48,000 462 48,000 48,250 464 48,250 48,500 466 48,500 48,750 469 48,750 49,000 470 49,000 470 [370]. * Sec. 11. AS 23.20.350(f) is amended to read: (f) An individual who establishes a benefit year is eligible for an allowance for dependents in addition to the individual's weekly benefit amount. The department may require an individual claiming or receiving an allowance for dependents to produce income tax returns, birth certificates, notices of adoption or custody, social security account number of spouse, verification of support documents, or other information necessary to verify that the allowance is payable to the individual. The allowance for dependents (1) is $72 [$24] per week for each dependent, except that the total allowance for dependents paid to an individual may not exceed $216 [$72] for each week of unemployment; 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2882 (2) is payable beginning with the week during the benefit year in which the individual claims an allowance for the dependent and is payable for the remainder of the individual's eligibility for regular, extended, or supplemental payments during the benefit year; (3) may not be claimed for a new dependent after the end of the benefit year or after the exhaustion of regular benefits in the benefit year [; (4) REPEALED (5) REPEALED]. * Sec. 12. AS 23.20.350 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (h) On January 1 of each year, the department shall increase the maximum base period wages in (d) of this section by a percentage equal to the percentage increase in the base of contributions calculated under AS 23.20.175 in comparison to the base contributions calculated for the prior year. The new base period wage amount shall be rounded to the nearest $250. The department shall increase the corresponding weekly benefit amount in (d) of this section by $2 for each $250 increase in base period wages. The department may not decrease the base period wage amount of the weekly benefit amount." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 21, line 11: Delete "10" Insert "13" Page 21, line 12: Delete "10" Insert "13" Page 21, following line 19: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 16. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAW FEDERAL APPROVAL. To the extent necessary to implement this Act, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall submit for federal approval the changes to the unemployment insurance laws of 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2883 the state enacted by secs. 10 - 12 of this Act. * Sec. 17. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: CONDITIONAL EFFECT; NOTIFICATION. (a) Sections 10 - 12 of this Act take effect only if, and to the extent that, on or before July 1, 2027, the United States Secretary of Labor approves the changes to the unemployment insurance laws of this state under 26 U.S.C. 3304 (Federal Unemployment Tax Act), or determines that approval is not necessary. (b) The commissioner of labor and workforce development shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing within 30 days after the United States Secretary of Labor approves or does not approve the changes to the unemployment insurance laws of this state. * Sec. 18. If secs. 10 - 12 of this Act take effect, they take effect on January 1, 2027, or the day after the United States Secretary of Labor approves the changes to the unemployment insurance laws of this state, whichever is later." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 21, line 20: Delete "Section 12 of this Act takes" Insert "Sections 15 and 16 of this Act take" Page 21, line 21: Delete "sec. 13" Insert "secs. 18 and 19" Senator Kiehl moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 2. Senator Cronk objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 2 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 302(TRA) Second Reading Amendment No. 2? YEAS: 14 NAYS: 6 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bjorkman, Claman, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2884 Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Olson, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski Nays: Cronk, Kaufman, Myers, Rauscher, Tilton, Yundt and so, Amendment No. 2 was adopted. Senator Kaufman offered Amendment No. 3 : Page 1, line 3, following the second occurrence of "insurance;": Insert "relating to minimum paid sick leave requirements;" Page 21, following line 7: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 10. AS 23.10.066 is amended to read: Sec. 23.10.066. Minimum paid sick leave benefit. Employers in the state with 10 or more employees are required to provide their employees paid sick leave as follows: (1) [EMPLOYERS WITH 15 OR MORE EMPLOYEES SHALL ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO ACCRUE] a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave shall accrue for every 30 hours worked, but employees are not entitled to accrue or use more than 56 hours of paid sick leave a [PER] year, unless their employer sets a higher limit; (2) [EMPLOYERS WITH FEWER THAN 15 EMPLOYEES SHALL ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO ACCRUE A MINIMUM OF ONE HOUR OF PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EVERY 30 HOURS WORKED, BUT EMPLOYEES ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ACCRUE OR USE MORE THAN 40 HOURS OF PAID SICK LEAVE PER YEAR, UNLESS THEIR EMPLOYER SETS A HIGHER LIMIT; (3)] employees who are exempt from overtime requirements under 29 U.S.C. 213(a)(1) shall be assumed to work 40 hours in each work week for purposes of paid sick leave accrual unless their normal work week is less than 40 hours, in which case paid sick leave accrues based on [UPON] that normal work week; (3) [(4)] paid sick leave shall carry over to the following year, but an employer is not required to allow 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2885 an employee to use more than the applicable amounts of paid sick leave described in (1) [AND (2)] of this section a [PER] year; (4) [(5)] paid sick leave as provided in this section shall begin to accrue at the commencement of employment or July 1, 2025, whichever is later; an employee shall be entitled to use paid sick leave as it is accrued; (5) [(6)] any employer with a paid leave or paid time off policy [,] who makes available an amount of paid leave that is sufficient to meet the requirements of this section and that may be used for the same purposes and under the same conditions as paid sick leave under this section [,] is not required to provide additional paid sick leave; (6) [(7)] an employee who is transferred to a separate entity or location, but remains employed by the same employer, is entitled to all paid sick leave accrued at the former [PRIOR] entity or location; when there is a separation from employment, but the employee is rehired within six months after [OF] separation by the same employer, previously accrued and unused paid sick leave shall be immediately reinstated; when a different employer succeeds or takes the place of an existing employer, all employees of the original employer who remain employed by the successor employer are entitled to all accrued and unused paid sick leave; (7) an employer may, at the employee's request, allow an employee to exchange accrued sick leave for the cash value of the accrued sick leave. * Sec. 11. AS 23.10.067 is amended to read: Sec. 23.10.067. Use [UTILIZATION] of paid sick leave benefit. The paid sick leave benefit required under AS 23.10.066 may be used [UTILIZED] as follows: (1) employees shall be permitted to use paid sick leave for [:] (A) an employee's mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; the employee's need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment; or the employee's need for preventative medical care; (B) care or assistance to the 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2886 employee's family member relating to the needs described in (A) of this paragraph; in this subparagraph, "family member" means an immediate family member as defined in AS 39.52.960 [PURSUANT TO AS 39.52.960(11)]; a domestic partner; a foster child, legal ward, or person to whom the employee stands in loco parentis; a foster parent, adoptive parent, legal guardian, or [A] person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor child; or any other individual related by blood or whose close association is the equivalent of a family relationship; or (C) absences necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, if [PROVIDED] the leave is to allow the employee to obtain, for the employee or a family member, [:] medical or psychological attention; services from a victim's aid organization; relocation or steps to secure an existing home; or legal services, including participation in any investigation or civil or criminal proceeding; (2) when the need for paid sick leave is foreseeable, an [THE] employee who is not incapacitated shall make a good faith effort to provide notice to the employer in advance of the use of paid sick leave and before the beginning of the employee's workday for which the sick leave is used and make a reasonable effort to schedule use of paid sick leave in a manner that does not unduly disrupt the employer's operations; (3) for paid sick leave of more than three consecutive workdays, an employer may require reasonable documentation as follows, showing that the paid sick leave has been used for a purpose covered by (1) of this section: (A) [;] documentation signed by a health care professional indicating that paid sick leave is or was necessary shall be considered reasonable documentation for the purposes of (1)(A) or (B) of this section [PURPOSES], but an employer may not require that the documentation explain the nature or details of the illness or underlying health 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2887 needs; (B) [(A)] in cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking [,] under (1)(C) of this section, one of the following types of documentation selected by the employee shall be considered reasonable documentation: a police report; a written statement from a witness advocate affirming services from a victim's aid organization; a court document indicating relevant legal action; or a written, non-notarized statement from the employee affirming that paid sick leave was taken for a qualifying purpose of (1)(C) of this section; (C) [(B)] unless otherwise required by law, an employer may not require disclosure of the details of an employee's or an employee's family member's health or safety information as a condition of providing paid sick leave under AS 23.10.066 and must treat any health or safety information regarding an employee or employee's family member as confidential medical records; (4) paid sick leave under AS 23.10.066 may be used in the smaller of hourly increments or the smallest increment that the employer's payroll system uses to account for absences or use of other time; (5) an employer may not interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of, or the attempt to exercise, the right to paid sick leave under AS 23.10.066; an employer may not [:] (A) engage in retaliation or discrimination [,] or take any other adverse action, against an employee who uses [UTILIZES], or attempts to use [UTILIZE], their paid sick leave; (B) require, as a condition of an employee's taking paid sick leave under this section and AS 23.10.066, that the employee search for or find a replacement worker to cover the hours during which the employee is using paid sick leave; or (C) use an absence control policy that counts paid sick leave taken under AS 23.10.066 and this section as an absence that may lead to or 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2888 result in retaliation or any other adverse action. * Sec. 12. AS 23.10.068(c) is amended to read: (c) Employers shall give employees who are entitled to paid sick leave written notice of the following at the commencement of employment or within 30 days after [OF] this section's effective date, whichever is later: that beginning July 1, 2025, employees are entitled to paid sick leave and the amount of paid sick leave, the terms of its use guaranteed under AS 23.10.066 and 23.10.067, and that retaliation against employees who request or use paid sick leave is prohibited. * Sec. 13. AS 23.10.069 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (d) Employment of seasonal workers is exempt from the requirements of AS 23.10.066 - 23.10.068. In this subsection, "seasonal worker" means an employee who is hired for a specific period related to peak business need, not to exceed six months in each calendar year." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 21, line 11: Delete "10" Insert "14" Page 21, line 12: Delete "10" Insert "14" Page 21, line 20: Delete "Section 12" Insert "Section 16" Page 21, following line 20: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 18. Sections 10 - 13 of this Act take effect July 1, 2026." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 21, line 21: 2026-05-20 Senate Journal Page 2889 Delete "sec. 13" Insert "secs. 17 and 18" Senator Kaufman moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 3. Objections were heard. Senator Kaufman moved and asked unanimous consent to withdraw Amendment No. 3. Without objection, Amendment No. 3 was withdrawn. SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 302(TRA) am S "An Act relating to travel insurance; relating to the business of insurance; relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates; relating to the powers of the director of the division of insurance; relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance; relating to unemployment benefits; and providing for an effective date" was automatically in third reading. The question being: "Shall SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 302(TRA) am S "An Act relating to travel insurance; relating to the business of insurance; relating to exceptions to prohibited rebates; relating to the powers of the director of the division of insurance; relating to prohibited practices in the advertisement of insurance; relating to unemployment benefits; and providing for an effective date" pass the Senate?" The roll was taken with the following result: SCS CSHB 302(TRA) am S Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) YEAS: 14 NAYS: 6 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bjorkman, Claman, Dunbar, Giessel, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Kawasaki, Kiehl, Merrick, Olson, Stedman, Stevens, Tobin, Wielechowski Nays: Cronk, Kaufman, Myers, Rauscher, Tilton, Yundt and so, SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 302(TRA) am S passed the Senate. Senator Giessel moved and asked unanimous consent the vote on the passage of the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clauses. Without objection, it was so ordered and the bill was referred to the Secretary for engrossment.