Legislature(2025 - 2026)

2025-02-24 House Journal

Full Journal pdf

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                             HOUSE JOURNAL                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                        ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                       THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                             FIRST SESSION                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska Monday February 24, 2025                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                            Thirty-fifth Day                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Pursuant to adjournment the House was called to order by Speaker                                                                
Edgmon at 10:35 a.m.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Roll call showed 38 members present.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
following members be excused from a call of the House.  There being                                                             
no objection, the members were excused as noted:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster – from today to 10:00 p.m., February 25                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Dibert – from today to 10:00 p.m., February 26                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The invocation was offered by the Chaplain, Reverend Duane J                                                                    
Hanson of the Alaska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in                                                                
America.  Representative Story moved and asked unanimous consent                                                                
that the invocation be spread on the journal.  There being no objection,                                                        
it was so ordered.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
    God’s Grace and Peace to you my friends.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
      I stand before you with deep respect and gratitude for your                                                              
     service. I invite you to pause for reflection as the winds of                                                             
    change swirl in many directions:                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
    Oh Lord, you have set in motion creation and the marvelous                                                                  
    diversity of your people. Open our ears and eyes to the joys                                                                
    and needs of all Alaskans, that we may live with respect for                                                                

2025-02-24                     House Journal                      Page 0236
    each other, in harmony, and with hope for the future of our                                                                 
    land, water, and its people. Grant wisdom, O Lord, to this                                                                  
    legislature for the heavy lifting of representing all Alaskans                                                              
    and your creation. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Representative Gray.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                      CERTIFICATION OF THE JOURNAL                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
journal for the 32nd, 33rd, and 34th legislative days be approved as                                                            
certified by the Chief Clerk.  There being no objection, it was so                                                              
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                               * * * * *                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Vance introduced Morgan Carlson-Kelly, Guest Page,                                                               
from Anchor Point.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Carrick introduced Rosie Wilcher, Guest Page, from                                                               
Fairbanks.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                             COMMUNICATIONS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The following were received:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Dept. of Administration                                                                                                         
Office of Administrative Hearings                                                                                               
Annual Report                                                                                                                   
January 31, 2025                                                                                                                
(as required by AS 44.64.020)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Alaska Aerospace Corporation                                                                                                    
Annual Report                                                                                                                   
(as required by AS 26.27.100)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Dept. of Environmental Conservation                                                                                             
Spill Prevention and Response Program                                                                                           
FY 2024 Annual Report                                                                                                           
(as required by AS 46.08.060)                                                                                                   

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Dept. of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                     
Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board                                                                                          
2024 Report                                                                                                                     
(as required by AS 19.65.180)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
University of Alaska                                                                                                            
Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center                                                                                        
FY 2024 Annual Report                                                                                                           
(as required by AS 16.52.050)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
University of Alaska                                                                                                            
Alaska's University for Alaska's Schools 2025                                                                                   
(as required by AS 14.40.190)                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                     REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HB 93                                                                                                                         
The House Special Committee on Fisheries considered:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE BILL NO. 93                                                                                                           
    "An Act changing the residency requirements for hunting,                                                                    
    trapping, and sport fishing privileges; and providing for an                                                                
    effective date."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
The report was signed by Representative Stutes, Chair, with the                                                                 
following individual recommendations:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Do pass (4):  Kopp, Edgmon, Himschoot, Stutes                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
No recommendation (1):  Vance                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1. Zero, Dept. of Fish & Game                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
HB 93 was referred to the Resources Committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

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                       INTRODUCTION OF CITATIONS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The following citations were introduced and referred to the Rules                                                               
Committee for placement on the calendar:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax                                                                                           
By Representatives Underwood, Moore; Senator Yundt                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Jack Hébert                                                                                                          
By Senator Hoffman                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - Carol Chan Christiansen                                                                                           
By Representative Johnson                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
               INTRODUCTION, FIRST READING, AND REFERENCE                                                                    
                             OF HOUSE BILLS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HB 113                                                                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 113 by the House Labor and Commerce                                                                              
Committee, entitled:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
    "An Act relating to a tax exemption for qualified small businesses;                                                         
    and providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Labor & Commerce and                                                                
Finance Committees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                  CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY CALENDAR                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                         LEGISLATIVE CITATIONS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
House approve the citations on the calendar.  There being no                                                                    
objection, the following citations were approved and sent to enrolling:                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Brenna Schaake                                                                                                       
By Senator Myers; Representatives Carrick, Tomaszewski                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - Jacob Daniel Wasielewski                                                                                          
By Senators Wielechowski, Kaufman                                                                                               

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In Memoriam - Tim Tilsworth                                                                                                     
By Senator Kawasaki; Representative Carrick                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                          UNFINISHED BUSINESS                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HB 69                                                                                                                         
Representative Costello, citing Uniform Rule 18, moved and asked                                                                
unanimous consent that the following be withdrawn from the Rules                                                                
Committee and placed on the calendar for the next legislative day:                                                              
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE BILL NO. 69                                                                                                           
    "An Act relating to education funding; and providing for an                                                                 
    effective date."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
There was objection.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stutes, citing Section 101 of Mason's Manual, rose to a                                                          
point of order regarding confining remarks to the motion before the                                                             
body.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
The Speaker cautioned members to confine remarks to the motion                                                                  
before the House.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Saddler rose to a point of order regarding impugning                                                             
the motives of members of the body.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The Speaker cautioned members to confine remarks to the motion                                                                  
before the body.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The question being:  "Shall HB 69 be withdrawn from the Rules                                                                   
Committee and placed on the calendar for the next legislative day?"                                                             
The roll was taken with the following result:                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
HB 69                                                                                                                           
Bill to Calendar from Rules                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
YEAS:  19   NAYS:  19   EXCUSED:  2   ABSENT:  0                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Yeas:  Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe,                                                                
Moore, Nelson, Prax, Rauscher, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schwanke, Stapp,                                                             
Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

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Nays:  Burke, Carrick, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Galvin, Gray, Hall,                                                            
Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Jimmie, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina,                                                               
Schrage, Story, Stutes                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Excused:  Dibert, Foster                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
And so, the motion failed.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
HJR 5                                                                                                                         
Representatives Underwood, Ruffridge, Elam, Mina, Eischeid,                                                                     
Costello, and Moore added as cosponsors to:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5                                                                                                
    Urging the United States Congress and the President of the United                                                           
    States to reinstate the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-                                                            
    Determination Act of 2000 and make the funding mechanism in                                                                 
    the Act permanent.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
HB 74                                                                                                                         
Representative Hall added as a cosponsor to:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE BILL NO. 74                                                                                                           
    "An Act establishing the crime of airbag fraud."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HB 77                                                                                                                         
Representative Eischeid added as a cosponsor to:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE BILL NO. 77                                                                                                           
    "An Act making the theft of mail or an article within mail theft in                                                         
    the second degree."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                             ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
House committee schedules are published under separate cover.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                              ADJOURNMENT                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
House adjourn until 10:30 a.m., February 26.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

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Representative Stapp objected and moved to amend the motion to                                                                  
10:35 a.m., February 26.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There was objection.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp moved and asked unanimous consent to                                                                       
withdraw the motion. There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                               
                                                                                                                                
There being no further objection, the House adjourned at 11:39 a.m.                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                                            Crystaline Jones                                                                    
                                            Chief Clerk