Legislature(2025 - 2026)

2025-03-31 House Journal

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2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0575
                                                                                                                                
                              HOUSE JOURNAL                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                        ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
                        THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                              FIRST SESSION                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska Monday March 31, 2025                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                             Seventieth Day                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Pursuant to adjournment the House was called to order by Speaker                                                                
Edgmon at 10:40 a.m.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Roll call showed 37 members present. Representatives Prax and                                                                   
Saddler had been excused from a call of the House today.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that                                                                      
Representative Jimmie be excused from a call of the House today.                                                                
There being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The invocation was offered by the Chaplain, Major Petr Janousek of                                                              
the Salvation Army.  Representative Story moved and asked                                                                       
unanimous consent that the invocation be spread on the journal.  There                                                          
being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
    In deepest respect for the religious beliefs of each person here,                                                           
    I invite you into a time of prayer and reflection. Let us pray:                                                             
                                                                                                                                
    Almighty God, you are holy and yet gracious. You are just                                                                   
    and yet loving. And you are not only telling us how we should                                                               
    be, but you are also giving us the ability and strength to be as                                                            
    such. Through prophet Micah you say, He has shown you, O                                                                    
    mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?                                                                
    To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your                                                                
    God.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
    So, I pray now for all of us here to show us, teach us and                                                                  
    empower us to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly                                                                 

2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0576
       with you Lord the path which you have prepared for us even                                                              
     before the creation of the world. In the mighty name of Jesus,                                                            
    I pray. Amen.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Representative Rauscher.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                      CERTIFICATION OF THE JOURNAL                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
journal for the 67th, 68th, and 69th legislative days be approved as                                                            
certified by the Chief Clerk.  There being no objection, it was so                                                              
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                             COMMUNICATIONS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
A message dated March 28 was received stating that the Speaker has                                                              
made the following appointment:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission                                                                                    
(AS 16.45.030)                                                                                                                  
Senator Giessel                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                     REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The Resources Committee reviewed the qualifications of the following                                                            
and recommends the appointments be forwarded to a joint session for                                                             
consideration:                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                              Samuel Laffey                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
as a member of the State Assessment Review Board.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
                            Aaron Bloomquist                                                                                   
                              Martin Boniek                                                                                    
                             Keegan McCarthy                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
as members of the Big Game Commercial Services Board.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                           Jessie Chmielowski                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
as a member of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.                                                                  

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                             Steven Devries                                                                                    
                              Mark Johnston                                                                                    
                            John Springsteen                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
as members of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The report was signed by Representative Burke, Chair; and                                                                       
Representatives Coulombe, Hall, Mears, Rauscher, and Saddler.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                        INTRODUCTION OF CITATIONS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
The following citation was introduced and taken up later as a Special                                                           
Order of Business:                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Alaska State Ombudsman, 50th Anniversary                                                                             
By Senator Kiehl; Representatives Story, Hannan                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The following citations were introduced and referred to the Rules                                                               
Committee for placement on the calendar:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Governor Sean Parnell                                                                                                
By Representatives Johnson, Coulombe                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Jeff Cook                                                                                                            
By Representative Prax; Senator Myers                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - Roger Grummett                                                                                                    
By Representatives Story, Hannan; Senator Kiehl                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - John K. Sliwinski                                                                                                 
By Representatives Kopp, Costello, Johnson                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - George & Judith Moerlein                                                                                          
By Senator Giessel                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
               INTRODUCTION, FIRST READING, AND REFERENCE                                                                    
                             OF HOUSE BILLS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HB 165                                                                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 165 by Representative Coulombe, entitled:                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
    "An Act relating to maximum classroom sizes in public schools;                                                              
    relating to the duties of school districts; and providing for an                                                            
    effective date."                                                                                                            

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was read the first time and referred to the Education and Finance                                                               
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                        SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
notice and publication requirements be waived and the citation,                                                                 
Honoring - Alaska State Ombudsman, 50th Anniversary, be taken up                                                                
as a Special Order of Business.  There being no objection, it was so                                                            
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that the                                                                  
House approve the citation.  There being no objection, the following                                                            
citation was approved and sent to enrolling:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - Alaska State Ombudsman, 50th Anniversary                                                                             
By Senator Kiehl; Representatives Story, Hannan                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                   CONSIDERATION OF THE DAILY CALENDAR                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                      HOUSE BILLS IN SECOND READING                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SB 15                                                                                                                         
The following, which was held in second reading from the March 28                                                               
calendar (page 566), was before the House:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
    HOUSE CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 15(L&C)                                                                                        
    "An Act relating to the sale of alcohol; relating to the posting of                                                         
    warning signs for alcoholic beverages; and providing for an                                                                 
    effective date."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Amendment No. 1 was not offered.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Amendment No. 2 was offered  by Representative Vance:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Page 1, line 2, following "beverages;" (title amendment):                                                                     
     Insert "relating to businesses that offer adult entertainment;"                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Page 4, following line 31:                                                                                                      
    Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                          

2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0579
"* Sec. 10. AS 04.16.049(c) is amended to read:                                                                               
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, a                                                            
    person 16 or 17 years of age may enter and remain within the                                                                
    licensed premises of a hotel or motel, large resort, golf course,                                                           
    general wholesaler, limited brewed beverage and wine wholesaler,                                                            
    common carrier dispensary, outdoor recreation lodge, or restaurant                                                          
    in the course of employment if                                                                                              
             (1)  the employment does not involve the serving, mixing,                                                          
    delivering, or dispensing of alcoholic beverages;                                                                           
             (2)  the person has the written consent of a parent or                                                             
    guardian; and                                                                                                               
             (3)  an exemption from the prohibition of                                                                          
    AS 23.10.355(a) [AS 23.10.355] is granted by the Department of                                                          
    Labor and Workforce Development."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Page 6, line 5:                                                                                                                 
    Delete "AS 23.10.350(f)"                                                                                                    
    Insert "AS 23.10.355(b)"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Page 7, following line 6:                                                                                                       
    Insert new bill sections to read:                                                                                           
"* Sec. 16. AS 05.15.690(49) is amended to read:                                                                              
             (49)  "vendor" means a business whose primary activity is                                                          
    not regulated by this chapter but that                                                                                      
                  (A)  is engaged in the sale of pull-tabs on behalf of a                                                       
         permittee;                                                                                                             
                  (B)  holds a business license under AS 43.70; and                                                             
                  (C)  is an establishment holding a                                                                            
                      (i)  beverage dispensary license under                                                                    
             AS 04.09.200 or beverage dispensary tourism license                                                                
             under AS 04.09.350 that has not been exempted by the                                                               
             Department of Labor and Workforce Development under                                                                
             AS 04.16.049(c) and AS 23.10.355(a) [AS 23.10.355],                                                            
             does not allow the sale of pull-tabs in portions of the                                                            
             establishment designated as a bona fide restaurant under                                                           
             AS 04.09.450, and, if the establishment is a hotel, motel,                                                         
             resort, or similar business that caters to the traveling                                                           
             public as a substantial part of its business, does not allow                                                       

2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0580
             the sale of pull-tabs in a dining room, banquet room,                                                              
             guest room, or other public areas other than a room in                                                             
             which there is regularly maintained a fixed counter or                                                             
             service bar that has plumbing connections to permanent                                                             
             plumbing at which alcoholic beverages are sold or served                                                           
             to members of the public for consumption;                                                                          
                      (ii)  package store license under AS 04.09.230;                                                           
   * Sec. 17. AS 11.41.360(b)(1) is amended to read:                                                                          
             (1)  "adult entertainment" means the conduct described in                                                          
    AS 23.10.355(b)(1) - (3) [AS 23.10.350(f)(1) - (3)];                                                                    
   * Sec. 18. AS 11.66.300(a) is amended to read:                                                                             
         (a)  The owner or an agent or employee of the owner of a                                                               
    business that offers adult entertainment may not with criminal                                                              
    negligence allow a person under the age of 21 [18] years to enter                                                       
    and remain within premises where adult entertainment is offered.                                                            
   * Sec. 19. AS 11.66.300(b) is amended to read:                                                                             
         (b)  In this section, "business that offers adult entertainment"                                                       
       has the meaning given in AS 23.10.355(b) [AS 23.10.350(f)].                                                         
   * Sec. 20. AS 18.56.230(d)(1) is amended to read:                                                                          
             (1)  "business that offers adult entertainment" has the                                                            
    meaning given in AS 23.10.355(b) [AS 23.10.350(f)];                                                                     
   * Sec. 21. AS 23.10.330(b) is amended to read:                                                                             
         (b)  Notwithstanding AS 23.10.335 - 23.10.350, a minor of                                                              
    any age may be employed as a performer in the entertainment                                                                 
    industry. The provisions of AS 23.10.335 - 23.10.350 and                                                                    
    AS 23.10.360(a) and (c) [23.10.360(c)] concerning times, hours,                                                         
    or days of work do not apply to the employment of a minor as a                                                              
    performer in the entertainment industry. The department may                                                                 
    adopt regulations to implement this subsection. In this subsection,                                                         
    a "performer in the entertainment industry" means a performer in                                                            
    advertisements and television, film, radio, and theater productions                                                         
    but does not include employment on the premises of a business                                                               
    offering any form of adult entertainment under AS 23.10.355(b)                                                          
    [AS 23.10.350(f)] regardless of the nature of the work performed                                                            
    by the minor.                                                                                                               
   * Sec. 22. AS 23.10.355 is amended by adding a new subsection to                                                           
read:                                                                                                                           
         (b)  A person under 21 years of age may not be employed or                                                             
    allowed to work in any capacity on the premises of a business that                                                          
    offers adult entertainment. In this subsection, "business that offers                                                       

2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0581
    adult entertainment" means a business in which one or more                                                                  
    individuals are employed or contracted to, wholly or in part, or                                                            
    permitted to entertain others by                                                                                            
             (1) removing clothes or other items that clothe or hide the                                                        
    person's body;                                                                                                              
             (2) dancing or in any other manner exhibiting the                                                                  
    individual's body in a completely or almost completely unclothed                                                            
    state;                                                                                                                      
             (3) participating in an actual or simulated illegal,                                                               
    indecent, or lewd exhibition, act, or practice including                                                                    
                  (A) sexual penetration;                                                                                       
                  (B) the lewd exhibition or touching of a person's                                                             
         genitals, anus, or breast; or                                                                                          
                  (C) bestiality.                                                                                               
   * Sec. 23. AS 23.10.370(b) is amended to read:                                                                             
         (b)  A person who employs a minor in violation of                                                                      
    AS 23.10.355(b) [AS 23.10.350(f)] is guilty of a class A                                                                
    misdemeanor for the first offense and a class C felony for the                                                              
    second and each subsequent offense."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Page 7, line 7:                                                                                                                 
    Delete "is"                                                                                                                 
    Insert "and AS 23.10.350(f) are"                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Page 7, following line 7:                                                                                                       
    Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                          
"* Sec. 25. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by                                                           
adding a new section to read:                                                                                                   
    APPLICABILITY. AS 11.66.300(a), as amended by sec. 18 of                                                                    
this Act, applies to offenses committed on or after the effective date of                                                       
this Act."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Page 7, line 8:                                                                                                                 
    Delete "Section 14"                                                                                                         
    Insert "Section 15"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                

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Page 7, line 9:                                                                                                                 
    Delete "sec. 16"                                                                                                            
    Insert "sec. 26"                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent that                                                                     
Amendment No. 2 be adopted.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There was objection.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent to                                                                       
withdraw Amendment No. 2. There being no objection, it was so                                                                   
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Amendment No. 3 was offered  by Representative Rauscher:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Page 2, lines 13-16:                                                                                                            
    Delete "an employee who is 16 or 17 years of age"                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Rauscher moved and asked unanimous consent that                                                                  
Amendment No. 3 be adopted.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There was objection.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Amendment No. 1 to Amendment No. 3 was offered  by                                                                               
Representative Vance:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Page 1 of the amendment:                                                                                                        
 Insert "Insert "the person" before "does not obtain alcoholic                                                                  
beverages""                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Vance moved and asked unanimous consent that                                                                     
Amendment No. 1 to Amendment No. 3 be adopted.  There being no                                                                  
objection, Amendment No. 1 to Amendment No. 3 was adopted.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The question being:  "Shall Amendment No. 3 as amended be                                                                       
adopted?"  The roll was taken with the following result:                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HCS SB 15(L&C)                                                                                                                  
Second Reading                                                                                                                  
Amendment No. 3 as amended                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                

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YEAS:  11   NAYS:  25   EXCUSED:  3   ABSENT:  1                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Yeas:  Allard, Costello, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Rauscher,                                                                      
Schwanke, Tilton, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Nays:  Burke, Bynum, Carrick, Coulombe, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid,                                                               
Elam, Fields, Foster, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot,                                                                    
Holland, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Ruffridge, Schrage, Stapp,                                                               
Story, Stutes                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Excused:  Jimmie, Prax, Saddler                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Absent:  Nelson                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
And so, Amendment No. 3 as amended was not adopted.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that                                                                      
HCS SB 15(L&C) be considered engrossed, advanced to third reading,                                                              
and placed on final passage.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There was objection.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HCS SB 15(L&C) will advance to third reading on the April 2                                                                     
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 - Rita Christianson                                                                                                    
By Representative Himschoot; Senator Stedman                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - The Whittier Police Department                                                                                       
By Representatives Holland, Kopp; Senator Giessel                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Honoring - The University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Women's                                                                   
Swimming Team                                                                                                                   
By Representatives Carrick, Hannan                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
In Memoriam - Dora Ann Fulmer                                                                                                   
By Representative Carrick                                                                                                       

2025-03-31                     House Journal                      Page 0584
In Memoriam - Roberta "Bobbi" Leichty                                                                                           
By Representative Himschoot; Senator Stedman                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                           UNFINISHED BUSINESS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
HB 77                                                                                                                         
Representatives Stapp, Johnson, Schwanke, Rauscher, Bynum,                                                                      
Underwood, and Ruffridge added as cosponsors 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., April 2.  There being no objection, the                                                         
House adjourned at 12:01 p.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                             Crystaline Jones                                                                   
                                             Chief Clerk