Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2026-03-23 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1916 SB 64 The following was read the second time: CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 64(FIN) am "An Act relating to elections; relating to voters; relating to voting; relating to voter registration; relating to election administration; relating to the Alaska Public Offices Commission; relating to campaign contributions; relating to the crimes of unlawful interference with voting in the first degree, unlawful interference with an election, and election official misconduct; relating to synthetic media in electioneering communications; relating to campaign signs; relating to voter registration on permanent fund dividend applications; relating to the Redistricting Board; relating to the duties of the commissioner of revenue; and providing for an effective date." 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1917 with the: Journal Page FIN RPT HCS(FIN) NEW TITLE 6DP 1DNP 4AM 1909 TITLE CHANGE: HCR 12 1909 FN4: ZERO(ADM) 1909 FN5: (GOV) 1909 FN6: INDETERMINATE(REV) 1909 Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the following committee substitute be adopted in lieu of the original bill: HOUSE CS FOR CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 64(FIN) "An Act relating to elections; relating to voters; relating to voting; relating to voter registration; relating to election administration; relating to campaign contributions; relating to write-in candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States; relating to the crimes of unlawful interference with voting in the first degree, unlawful interference with an election, and election official misconduct; relating to voter registration on permanent fund dividend applications; relating to the duties of the commissioner of revenue; and providing for an effective date." There being no objection, it was so ordered. Amendment No. 1 was offered by Representatives Schrage and Vance: Page 16, following line 11: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 24. AS 15.20.203(b) is amended to read: (b) An absentee ballot may not be counted if (1) the voter has failed to properly execute the certificate; (2) an official or the witnesses authorized by law to attest the voter's certificate fail to execute the certificate, except that an absentee ballot cast in person and accepted by an absentee voting official or election supervisor may be counted despite failure of the absentee voting official or election supervisor to properly sign and date the voter's certificate as attesting official as required under AS 15.20.061(c); (3) the ballot is not attested on or before the date of the election; 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1918 (4) the ballot, if postmarked, is not postmarked on or before the date of the election; (5) after the day of election, the ballot was delivered by a means other than mail; or (6) the voter voted (A) in person and is a (i) first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification required by AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for waiver of the identification requirement under AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be verified through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e); or (ii) voter other than one described in (i) of this subparagraph, did not provide identification described in AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known by the election official, and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3); or (B) by mail or electronic transmission, is a first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not met the identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with the ballot a copy of a (i) driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or identification card issued by a federally recognized tribe [HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE; OR (ii) CURRENT UTILITY BILL, BANK STATEMENT, PAYCHECK, GOVERNMENT CHECK, OR OTHER GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT; AN ITEM DESCRIBED IN THIS SUB-SUBPARAGRAPH MUST SHOW THE NAME AND CURRENT ADDRESS OF THE VOTER]." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1919 Page 22, line 5: Delete "sec. 29" Insert "sec. 30" Page 22, line 6: Delete "sec. 30" Insert "sec. 31" Page 22, lines 6 - 7: Delete "sec. 31" Insert "sec. 32" Page 22, line 7: Delete "secs. 29 - 31" Insert "secs. 30 - 32" Page 22, lines 9 - 10: Delete "12 - 24, and 28 - 37" Insert "12 - 25, and 29 - 38" Page 22, line 12: Delete "12 - 24, and 28 - 37" Insert "12 - 25, and 29 - 38" Page 22, line 26: Delete "sec. 26" Insert "sec. 27" Page 22, line 27: Delete "sec. 27" Insert "sec. 28" Page 22, line 28: Delete "sec. 27" Insert "sec. 28" Page 22, line 29: Delete "sec. 26" Insert "sec. 27" 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1920 Page 22, line 31: Delete "Sections 25 - 27 and 38" Insert "Sections 26 - 28 and 39" Page 23, line 1: Delete "secs. 39 and 40" Insert "secs. 40 and 41" Representative Schrage moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 1 be adopted. Representative Allard objected. **The presence of Representative Moore was noted. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 1 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 64(FIN) Second Reading Amendment No. 1 YEAS: 27 NAYS: 12 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Bynum, Costello, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, McCabe, Mears, Mina, Moore, D.Nelson, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Underwood, Vance Nays: Allard, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski Excused: Carrick And so, Amendment No. 1 was adopted. Amendment No. 2 was offered by Representative Coulombe: Page 22, line 5: Delete "(a)" Page 22, lines 9 - 12: Delete all material. 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1921 Page 22, line 30, through page 23, line 2: Delete all material and insert: "* Sec. 39. Sections 36 and 37 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). * Sec. 40. Except as provided in sec. 39 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2027." Representative Coulombe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 2 be adopted. Representative Josephson objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 2 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 64(FIN) am H Second Reading Amendment No. 2 YEAS: 17 NAYS: 22 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood Nays: Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Moore, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Vance Excused: Carrick And so, Amendment No. 2 was not adopted. Amendment No. 3 was offered by Representative St. Clair: Page 7, line 15: Delete "rural" in both places Page 7, line 16: Delete "rural" Insert "all" 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1922 Page 7, line 18: Delete "rural" Insert "all" Representative St. Clair moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 3 be adopted. Representative Jimmie objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 3 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 64(FIN) am H Second Reading Amendment No. 3 YEAS: 16 NAYS: 23 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood Nays: Bynum, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Moore, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Vance Excused: Carrick And so, Amendment No. 3 was not adopted. Amendment No. 4 was offered by Representative Tomaszewski: Page 21, lines 2 - 3: Delete "permanent fund dividend applicant" Insert "individual who is eligible to receive a permanent fund dividend" Page 21, line 7: Delete "permanent fund dividend applicant" Insert "individual who is eligible to receive a permanent fund dividend [PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND APPLICANT]" 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1923 Page 21, line 11: Delete "applicant's" Insert "individual's" Page 21, line 12: Delete "applicant" Insert "individual" Representative Tomaszewski moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 4 be adopted. Representative Schrage objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 4 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 64(FIN) am H Second Reading Amendment No. 4 YEAS: 16 NAYS: 23 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood Nays: Bynum, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Moore, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Vance Excused: Carrick And so, Amendment No. 4 was not adopted. Amendment No. 5 was offered by Representative Schwanke: Page 15, following line 2: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 20. AS 15.20.081(e) is amended to read: (e) An absentee ballot must be marked on or before the 10th day before [DATE OF] the election. Except as provided in (h) of this section, a voter who returns the absentee ballot by mail, whether provided to the voter by mail or by electronic 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1924 transmission, shall use a mail service at least equal to first class and mail the ballot not later than the 10th day before [OF] the election to the election supervisor for the house district in which the voter seeks to vote. Except as provided in AS 15.20.480, the ballot may not be counted unless it is received by the close of business on the 3rd [10TH] day after the election. If the ballot is postmarked, it must be postmarked on or before the 10th day before election day. After the day of the election, ballots may not be accepted unless received by mail." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 15, line 24, following "the": Insert "3rd" Page 15, line 25: Delete "[(1)] 10th" Insert "[(1) 10TH]" Page 16, following line 11: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 25. AS 15.20.203(b) is amended to read: (b) An absentee ballot may not be counted if (1) the voter has failed to properly execute the certificate; (2) an official or the witnesses authorized by law to attest the voter's certificate fail to execute the certificate, except that an absentee ballot cast in person and accepted by an absentee voting official or election supervisor may be counted despite failure of the absentee voting official or election supervisor to properly sign and date the voter's certificate as attesting official as required under AS 15.20.061(c); (3) the ballot is not attested on or before the date of the election; (4) the ballot, if postmarked, is not postmarked on or before the 10th day before [DATE OF] the election; (5) after the day of election, the ballot was delivered by a means other than mail; or (6) the voter voted (A) in person and is a (i) first-time voter who initially registered by 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1925 mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, has not provided the identification required by AS 15.15.225(a), was not eligible for waiver of the identification requirement under AS 15.15.225(b), and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3) that can be verified through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e); or (ii) voter other than one described in (i) of this subparagraph, did not provide identification described in AS 15.15.225(a), was not personally known by the election official, and has not provided the identifiers required in AS 15.07.060(a)(2) and (3); or (B) by mail or electronic transmission, is a first-time voter who initially registered by mail or by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050 to vote, has not met the identification requirements set out in AS 15.07.060, and does not submit with the ballot a copy of a (i) driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or fishing license; or (ii) current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document; an item described in this sub-subparagraph must show the name and current address of the voter." Page 22, line 5: Delete "sec. 29" Insert "sec. 31" Page 22, line 6: Delete "sec. 30" Insert "sec. 32" Page 22, lines 6 - 7: Delete "sec. 31" Insert "sec. 33" 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1926 Page 22, line 7: Delete "secs. 29 - 31" Insert "secs. 31 - 33" Page 22, lines 9 - 10: Delete "12 - 24, and 28 - 37" Insert "12 - 26, and 30 - 39" Page 22, line 12: Delete "12 - 24, and 28 - 37" Insert "12 - 26, and 30 - 39" Page 22, line 26: Delete "sec. 26" Insert "sec. 28" Page 22, line 27: Delete "sec. 27" Insert "sec. 29" Page 22, line 28: Delete "sec. 27" Insert "sec. 29" Page 22, line 29: Delete "sec. 26" Insert "sec. 28" Page 22, line 31: Delete "Sections 25 - 27 and 38" Insert "Sections 27 - 29 and 40" Page 23, line 1: Delete "secs. 39 and 40" Insert "secs. 41 and 42" Representative Schwanke moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 5 be adopted. There was objection. 2026-03-23 House Journal Page 1927 Representative Schwanke moved and asked unanimous consent to withdraw Amendment No. 5. There being no objection, it was so ordered.