Legislature(2025 - 2026)ADAMS 519

03/25/2026 01:30 PM House FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 280 APPORTION TAXABLE INCOME;DIGITAL BUSINESS TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 280(FIN) Out of Committee
+= HB 21 VOTER PREREGISTRATION FOR MINORS TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 21(STA) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
HOUSE BILL NO. 280                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating  to   the  Multistate  Tax  Compact;                                                                    
     relating  to  apportionment  of income  to  the  state;                                                                    
     relating to highly digitized  businesses subject to the                                                                    
     Alaska  Net  Income  Tax  Act;  and  providing  for  an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:40:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  noted that the  committee had heard  HB 280                                                                    
six  times  and  had  taken invited  and  public  testimony,                                                                    
reviewed the fiscal note, and  received three amendments. He                                                                    
invited his staff to provide a brief recap of the bill.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
BRODIE ANDERSON,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE NEAL  FOSTER, stated                                                                    
that  the  current bill  version  before  the committee  was                                                                    
version  I.   He  explained   that  the   bill  incorporated                                                                    
recommendations from  the Multistate  Tax Compact  (MTC) and                                                                    
changed Alaska's corporate tax  structure to include market-                                                                    
based sourcing rather  than the existing cost-of-performance                                                                    
model. He stated that  market-based sourcing defined taxable                                                                    
activity  based on  sales of  tangible property,  intangible                                                                    
property,  and  services  that  were  purchased  by  Alaskan                                                                    
consumers and delivered  or used within the  state. The bill                                                                    
included  an  effective  date  allowing  the  Department  of                                                                    
Revenue   (DOR)  to   adopt  necessary   regulations  before                                                                    
implementation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:42:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage  MOVED to ADOPT Amendment  1, 34-LS1349\I.1                                                                    
(Nauman, 3/24/26) (copy on file):                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "state":                                                                                         
          Insert", including the apportionment of income of                                                                     
     financial institutions"                                                                                                    
     Page 20, following line 26:                                                                                                
          Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                    
      "* Sec. 2. AS 43.20 is amended by adding a new                                                                            
     section to article 2 to read:                                                                                              
               Sec. 43.20.147. Financial institutions. The                                                                      
          department shall adopt  regulations that require a                                                                    
          taxpayer  that  is   a  financial  institution  to                                                                    
          allocate and apportion  income in accordance with,                                                                    
          and   that  define   "financial  institution"   in                                                                    
          accordance with, the                                                                                                  
          Formula  for the  Apportionment and  Allocation of                                                                    
          Net Income  of Financial Institutions,  as adopted                                                                    
          by the  Multistate Tax Commission on  November 17,                                                                    
          1994, and as amended July 29, 2015."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 20, line 29:                                                                                                          
          Delete  "AS 43.19.010,  as amended  by  sec. l  of                                                                    
     this Act,"                                                                                                                 
          Insert "This Act"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage  explained the  amendment. He  relayed that                                                                    
the bill  aimed to  modernize Alaska's corporate  income tax                                                                    
system by  capturing revenue from digital  businesses with a                                                                    
limited physical presence in the  state. He thought that the                                                                    
bill  risked  negatively   affecting  businesses  that  were                                                                    
already  operating in  Alaska and  subject to  the corporate                                                                    
income  tax.  He stated  that  the  amendment addressed  the                                                                    
concern by ensuring that  certain financial activities, such                                                                    
as  interest   and  investment  income,  would   be  treated                                                                    
appropriately  within  the   sales  factor  calculation.  He                                                                    
explained  that   the  amendment   directed  DOR   to  adopt                                                                    
regulatory language consistent with  approaches used in more                                                                    
than  20 other  states, which  would create  a more  nuanced                                                                    
framework  for financial  institutions.  He emphasized  that                                                                    
the amendment would  allow the state to  capture new revenue                                                                    
from  digital businesses  while avoiding  unintended impacts                                                                    
on existing businesses  in the state. He added  that DOR had                                                                    
indicated during  testimony that  such an approach  could be                                                                    
implemented through regulation.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:45:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  spoke in support of  the amendment and                                                                    
noted that he was a  co-sponsor of the amendment. He relayed                                                                    
that  the  amendment aligned  the  bill  with requests  from                                                                    
financial  institutions, incorporated  definitions from  MTC                                                                    
into  statute,  and  directed  DOR  to  adopt  corresponding                                                                    
regulations.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin stated  that she  was not  opposed to                                                                    
the  amendment but  questioned why  the  language was  being                                                                    
placed  in statute  rather than  left  to regulation,  given                                                                    
that  the  department had  indicated  it  could address  the                                                                    
issue  administratively.   She  noted  that   the  amendment                                                                    
appeared  to   have  a   minimal  fiscal   impact,  reducing                                                                    
projected  revenue by  only a  small amount,  and asked  for                                                                    
clarification on the rationale for codifying the change.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage  agreed that DOR  said it  could accomplish                                                                    
the  changes through  regulation but  the department  needed                                                                    
guidance  in order  to  do so.  The  amendment provided  the                                                                    
necessary  guidance by  directing DOR  to use  language from                                                                    
MTC as the basis for  regulatory changes. He emphasized that                                                                    
the amendment  aligned with prior  testimony and  would have                                                                    
only a minimal impact on projected revenue.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster  WITHDREW  the OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, Amendment 1 was ADOPTED.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:47:41 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:48:00 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage  MOVED to ADOPT Amendment  2, 34-LS1349\I.2                                                                    
(Nauman, 3/23/26) (copy on file):                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "state":                                                                                         
          Insert ", including the apportionment of income                                                                       
     of telecommunications service providers"                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 20, following line 26:                                                                                                
          Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                    
      "* Sec. 2. AS 43.20 is amended by adding a new                                                                            
     section to article 2 to read:                                                                                              
               Sec. 43.20.147. Telecommunications service                                                                       
          providers.  (a)   All  business  9  income   of  a                                                                    
          taxpayer  that  is  a  telecommunications  service                                                                    
          provider  shall be  apportioned to  this state  in                                                                    
          accordance with AS  43.19 (Multistate Tax Compact)                                                                    
          as modified by this section.                                                                                          
               (b) For the purposes of calculating the                                                                          
          sales  factor  for  a  telecommunications  service                                                                    
          provider, sales of  the telecommunications service                                                                    
          provider,  other than  sales of  tangible personal                                                                    
          property  described  in art.  IV,  sec.  16 of  AS                                                                    
          43.19 (Multistate Tax Compact),  are in this state                                                                    
          if                                                                                                                    
                    (1) the income-producing activity is                                                                        
               performed in this state; or                                                                                      
                    (2) the income-producing activity is                                                                        
               performed  both in  and  outside  of 18  this                                                                    
               state and  a greater  portion of  the income-                                                                    
               producing  activity  is   performed  in  this                                                                    
               state than in any  other state based on costs                                                                    
               of performance.                                                                                                  
               (c) In this section, "telecommunications                                                                         
          service     provider"     includes    a     mobile                                                                    
          telecommunications service provider."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 20, line 29:                                                                                                          
          Delete  "AS 43.19.010,  as amended  by  sec. l  of                                                                    
     this Act,"                                                                                                                 
          Insert "This Act"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  explained   that  Amendment  2  addressed                                                                    
similar  concerns   as  Amendment  1  but   focused  on  the                                                                    
telecommunications      industry.     He      noted     that                                                                    
telecommunications companies  currently operating  in Alaska                                                                    
relied on the cost-of-performance  method under the existing                                                                    
tax  structure. He  stated that  the  shift to  market-based                                                                    
sourcing   could  have   unintended   negative  impacts   on                                                                    
companies. He  explained that Amendment 2  also directed DOR                                                                    
to adopt  regulatory language based  on MTC to  facilitate a                                                                    
more     tailored    and     appropriate    treatment     of                                                                    
telecommunications activities.  He emphasized that  the goal                                                                    
was   to   avoid   unintended   consequences   while   still                                                                    
modernizing the tax system.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  spoke in support of  the amendment and                                                                    
noted  that it  aligned telecommunications  definitions with                                                                    
MTC in a  streamlined manner. He added that he  had also co-                                                                    
sponsored Amendment 2.                                                                                                          
Co-Chair Foster WITHDREW the OBJECTION. There being NO                                                                          
further OBJECTION, Amendment 2 was ADOPTED.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:50:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 3, 34-                                                                           
LS1349\I.3 (Nauman, 3/24/26) (copy on file):                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 2, following "state":                                                                                         
     Insert ", including the apportionment of income of                                                                         
     broadcasters"                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 20, following line 26:                                                                                                
          Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                    
       "* Sec. 2. AS 43.20 is amended by adding a new                                                                           
     section to article 2 to read:                                                                                              
               Sec. 43 .20.147. Broadcasters. (a) All                                                                           
          business   income  of   a  taxpayer   that  is   a                                                                    
          broadcaster shall be apportioned  to this state in                                                                    
          accordance with AS  43.19 (Multistate Tax Compact)                                                                    
          as modified by this section.                                                                                          
               (b) For the purposes of calculating the                                                                          
          sales factor  for a  broadcaster, income  from the                                                                    
          sale of advertising or  licensing fees that arises                                                                    
          from  the   broadcast  or  distribution   of  film                                                                    
          programming are  in this state if  the domicile of                                                                    
          the  broadcast  customer  is  in  the  state.  The                                                                    
          domicile  of a  commercial  broadcast customer  is                                                                    
          the  principal  place  from  which  the  trade  or                                                                    
          business of  the customer is directed  or managed.                                                                    
          The   domicile   of  a   noncommercial   broadcast                                                                    
          customer is the address  of the customer listed in                                                                    
          the records of the broadcaster.                                                                                       
               (c) In this section,                                                                                             
                    (1) "broadcaster" means a taxpayer that                                                                     
               is a television broadcast network, a cable                                                                       
               program network, or a platform distribution                                                                      
               company;                                                                                                         
                    (2)   "income    from   the    sale   of                                                                    
               adve1iising" means income resulting from the                                                                     
               sale of advertising content in the film                                                                          
               programming of the broadcaster."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 20, line 29:                                                                                                          
          Delete  "AS 43.19.010,  as amended  by  sec. 1  of                                                                    
     this Act,"                                                                                                                 
          Insert "This Act"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  explained that Amendment  3 addressed                                                                    
the broadcasting industry  and was similar in  intent to the                                                                    
previous amendments. She stated  that the amendment aimed to                                                                    
prevent  unintended  impacts  on  existing  taxpayers  while                                                                    
aligning with  MTC principles. She relayed  that current law                                                                    
used  an  audience-based  method  to  apportion  income  for                                                                    
broadcasters. The  amendment would transition to  a customer                                                                    
location   method,  which   would   produce  more   accurate                                                                    
information. She  outlined three  types of customers  in the                                                                    
broadcasting   industry:   direct-to-consumer   subscribers,                                                                    
third-party distributors licensing  content, and advertisers                                                                    
purchasing  commercial space.  The customer  location method                                                                    
would provide a  more precise basis for  taxation. She noted                                                                    
that   14  other   states   had   already  adopted   similar                                                                    
approaches.  She added  that the  change would  also improve                                                                    
auditability  for  DOR  and  make  it  easier  for  the  tax                                                                    
division to conduct audits.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:52:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp OBJECTED.  He  was not  swayed by  the                                                                    
previous testimony by the broadcasters  and he did not fully                                                                    
understand the issue related to  location. He questioned why                                                                    
market-based  sourcing would  not  already address  concerns                                                                    
regarding audience and  advertising definitions. He remarked                                                                    
that  when  he did  not  understand  an issue,  his  default                                                                    
position was  to oppose it,  although he indicated  he would                                                                    
not be concerned if the amendment ultimately passed.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked whether there was further discussion.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard stated that  she would wait to comment                                                                    
until after Representative Stapp withdrew his objection.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Foster   indicated   that  he   did   not   think                                                                    
Representative Stapp intended to withdraw his objection.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp MAINTAINED the OBJECTION.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:53:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
IN FAVOR: Galvin, Moore, Hannan, Jimmie, Josephson, Foster                                                                      
OPPOSED: Allard, Stapp, Bynum, Tomaszewski, Schrage                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The  MOTION   PASSED  (6/5).   There  being   NO  OBJECTION,                                                                    
Amendment 3 was ADOPTED.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:54:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  MOVED  to REPORT  CSHB  280(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard OBJECTED.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:54:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Jimmie,   Galvin,    Hannan,   Bynum,   Josephson,                                                                    
Schrage, Foster                                                                                                                 
OPPOSED: Allard, Stapp, Moore, Tomaszewski                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION PASSED (7/4).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There  being   NO  further  OBJECTION,  CSHB   280(FIN)  was                                                                    
REPORTED   out   of   committee    with   five   "do   pass"                                                                    
recommendations, one  "do not pass" recommendation,  two "no                                                                    
recommendation"    recommendations,   and    three   "amend"                                                                    
recommendations, and  with one new  fiscal impact  note from                                                                    
the Department of Revenue.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:56:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 21 Public Testimony Rec'd by 032426_R.pdf HFIN 3/25/2026 1:30:00 PM
HB 21
HB 280 Amendments 1-3 032326.pdf HFIN 3/25/2026 1:30:00 PM
HB 280
HB 280 Amendments 1-3 with ACTIONS 032326.pdf HFIN 3/25/2026 1:30:00 PM
HB 280