Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2026-05-19 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2930 SB 167 The following was read the second time: CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 167(FIN) "An Act relating to eligibility of criminal offenders for certain benefits, including the permanent fund dividend; relating to a permanent fund dividend for an individual whose conviction has been vacated, reversed, or dismissed; and relating to the calculation of the value of the permanent fund dividend by including payment to individuals eligible for a permanent fund dividend because of a conviction that has been vacated, reversed, or dismissed." with the: Journal Page JUD RPT HCS(JUD) 3DP 3NR 2279 FN3: INDETERMINATE(REV) 2279 FIN RPT HCS(FIN) 9DP 1NR 2926 FN3: INDETERMINATE(REV) 2926 2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2931 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. 167(FIN) "An Act relating to eligibility of criminal offenders for certain benefits, including the permanent fund dividend; relating to a permanent fund dividend for an individual whose conviction has been vacated, reversed, or dismissed; and relating to the calculation of the value of the permanent fund dividend by including payment to individuals eligible for a permanent fund dividend because of a conviction that has been vacated, reversed, or dismissed." There being no objection, it was so ordered. Amendment No. 1 was offered by Representative Elam: Page 1, line 1, following "Act" (title amendment): Insert "relating to voter registration and application for a permanent fund dividend;" Page 1, following line 7: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Section 1. AS 15.07.050(a) is amended to read: (a) Registration may be made (1) in person before a registration official or through a voter registration agency; (2) by another individual on behalf of the voter if the voter has executed a written general power of attorney or a written special power of attorney authorizing that other individual to register the voter; (3) by mail; (4) by facsimile transmission, scanning, or another method of electronic transmission that the director approves; or (5) by requesting to be registered as a voter on [COMPLETING] a permanent fund dividend application form under AS 43.23.015. * Sec. 2. AS 15.07.060(e) is amended to read: (e) For an applicant requesting initial registration by mail, by facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the director under AS 15.07.050, or by requesting registration on 2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2932 [COMPLETING] a permanent fund dividend application form and including the information required under (a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9) of this section, the director shall verify the information provided in compliance with (a)(2) and (3) of this section through state agency records described in AS 15.07.055(e). If the applicant cannot comply with the requirement of (a)(2) of this section because the applicant has not been issued any of the listed numbers, the applicant may instead submit a copy of one of the following forms of identification: a driver's license, state identification card, current and valid photo identification, birth certificate, passport, or hunting or fishing license. * Sec. 3. AS 15.07.070(i) is amended to read: (i) The division shall register voters under (j) - (m) of this section who request to be registered on a permanent fund dividend application form submitted under AS 43.23.015 to the Department of Revenue. The director shall treat an eligible permanent fund dividend applicant as a new or updated registered voter, unless the permanent fund dividend applicant who requests to be registered does not provide the information required under AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9) [SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO RECEIVE A PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND IN ACCORDANCE WITH (j) - (m) OF THIS SECTION]. * Sec. 4. AS 15.07.070(k) is amended to read: (k) Upon receipt of the registration information, the director shall, as soon as practicable and in accordance with a schedule established by the director by rule, process the registration information received and notify, by United States mail and any other means authorized by the director, each applicant who requested registration of the applicant's registration status [NOT ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE] at the address provided in the applicant's application [(1) OF THE PROCESSES TO (A) DECLINE TO BE REGISTERED AS A VOTER; (B) MAINTAIN AN EXISTING VOTER REGISTRATION OR BE NEWLY REGISTERED AT A VALID PLACE OF RESIDENCE NOT PROVIDED IN THE APPLICANT'S APPLICATION; AND (C) ADOPT A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION; AND (2) THAT FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE NOTIFICATION SHALL CONSTITUTE THE APPLICANT'S CONSENT TO CANCEL ANY REGISTRATION TO VOTE IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION]. * Sec. 5. AS 15.07.070(l) is amended to read: 2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2933 (l) If an applicant requests [DOES NOT DECLINE] to be registered as a voter, the [WITHIN 30 CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE DIRECTOR ISSUES THE NOTIFICATION, THE APPLICATION UNDER AS 43.23.015 WILL CONSTITUTE A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM. THE] name of the applicant shall be placed on the master register if the director determines that the person is qualified to vote under AS 15.05.010, and the director shall forward to the applicant a registration card. If registration is denied, the applicant shall immediately be informed in writing that registration was denied and the reason for denial." Page 1, line 8: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 6" Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 2, following line 11: Insert a new bill section to read: "* Sec. 7. AS 43.23.015(b) is amended to read: (b) The department shall prescribe and furnish an application form for claiming a permanent fund dividend. The application must include (1) notice of the penalties provided for under AS 43.23.270; (2) a statement of eligibility and a certification of residency; (3) the means for an applicant eligible to vote under AS 15.05, or a person authorized to act on behalf of the applicant, to request that the applicant be registered as a voter, to furnish information required by AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9), and to attest [AN ATTESTATION] that the [SUCH] information is true." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 3, following line 5: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 9. AS 43.23.101 is amended to read: Sec. 43.23.101. Voter registration. The commissioner shall establish by rule a schedule by which the commissioner [WILL PROVIDE, AND] shall provide, as soon as [IS] practicable, the director of elections with (1) electronic records from the permanent fund dividend applications 2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2934 with [OF] the information required under [BY] AS 15.07.060(a)(1) - (4) and (7) - (9) [,] and the attestation that the [SUCH] information is true [,] for each permanent fund dividend applicant who requested to be registered to vote and is (A) [IS] a citizen of the United States; and (B) [IS] at least 18 years of age or will be within 90 days of the date of the application; and (2) the mailing addresses for all permanent fund dividend applicants. * Sec. 10. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: APPLICABILITY: PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND APPLICATIONS. The changes made by secs. 1 - 5, 7, and 9 of this Act apply to permanent fund dividend applications filed on or after the effective date of this Act." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 3, line 9: Delete "sec. 1" Insert "sec. 6" Page 3, line 10: Delete "sec. 1" Insert "sec. 6" Page 3, line 12: Delete "sec. 1" Insert "sec. 6" Representative Elam moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 1 be adopted. Representative Stutes objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 1 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 167(FIN) Second Reading Amendment No. 1 2026-05-19 House Journal Page 2935 YEAS: 20 NAYS: 20 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, Kopp, McCabe, Moore, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Mears, Mina, Schrage, Story, Stutes And so, Amendment No. 1 was not adopted. Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that HCS CSSB 167(FIN) be considered engrossed, advanced to third reading, and placed on final passage. There being no objection, it was so ordered. HCS CSSB 167(FIN) was read the third time. The question being: "Shall HCS CSSB 167(FIN) pass the House?" The roll was taken with the following result: HCS CSSB 167(FIN) Third Reading Final Passage YEAS: 38 NAYS: 2 EXCUSED: 0 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Johnson, Josephson, Kopp, McCabe, Mears, Mina, Moore, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Saddler, Schrage, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Story, Stutes, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Elam, Ruffridge And so, HCS CSSB 167(FIN) passed the House and was referred to the Chief Clerk for engrossment.