03/27/2025 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

                HCR  3-AI LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:04:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that the first order of business                                                                   
would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3, Establishing the                                                                    
Joint Legislative Task Force on Artificial Intelligence.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:04:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GEORGE  RAUSCHER, Alaska  State  Legislature,  as prime  sponsor,                                                               
presented HCR 3.  He  paraphrased the sponsor statement [included                                                               
in  the  committee  packet],  which  read  as  follows  [original                                                               
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     House  Concurrent Resolution  3  establishes the  Joint                                                                    
     Legislative  Task Force  on Artificial  Intelligence to                                                                    
     examine the  opportunities and challenges  presented by                                                                    
     artificial  intelligence in  Alaska.  As AI  technology                                                                    
     continues  to  evolve,  it is  increasingly  integrated                                                                    
     into  government operations,  public services,  and the                                                                    
     private  sector.  Understanding   its  implications  is                                                                    
     essential to  ensuring that its benefits  are maximized                                                                    
     while potential  risks, such as data  security, privacy                                                                    
     concerns, and workforce impacts, are addressed through                                                                     
     responsible policy.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     AI  has the  potential to  enhance efficiency,  improve                                                                    
     decision-making, and  drive economic growth  in Alaska,                                                                    
     particularly  through the  development of  data centers                                                                    
     and technology  hubs. However,  it also  raises ethical                                                                    
     and   regulatory    concerns,   including   algorithmic                                                                    
     transparency,  cybersecurity,  and  the  protection  of                                                                    
     civil liberties.  The establishment of this  task force                                                                    
     will allow  the Legislature to proactively  study these                                                                    
     issues and  develop a strategic framework  for AI's use                                                                    
     in state government and beyond.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     This  resolution  creates  a  bipartisan,  seven-member                                                                    
     task force tasked with  evaluating AI's applications in                                                                    
     government,    assessing     economic    opportunities,                                                                    
     identifying workforce needs,  and recommending policies                                                                    
     to  ensure responsible  implementation. The  task force                                                                    
     will  provide a  comprehensive  report  by January  31,                                                                    
     2026, to guide future legislative decisions.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     By  passing  HCR  3,  the  Legislature  would  take  an                                                                    
     important step  toward positioning  Alaska as  a leader                                                                    
     in AI  innovation while ensuring strong  safeguards for                                                                    
     residents. This resolution  reflects a forward-thinking                                                                    
     approach  to  emerging technology,  balancing  economic                                                                    
     potential with ethical responsibility.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:07:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CRAIG  VALDEZ,  Staff,  Representative  George  Rauscher,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature, gave  an overview  of  the Joint  Legislative                                                               
Task  Force on  Artificial  Intelligence's  ("the task  force's")                                                               
mission  and duties,  as  outlined  in the  bill,  which read  as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     (1)  evaluate  current  and potential  applications  of                                                                    
     artificial    intelligence    in    state    government                                                                    
     operations, including  data management,  public service                                                                    
     delivery, and decision8                                                                                                    
     making processes;                                                                                                          
     (2) assess  the economic opportunities  associated with                                                                    
     artificial  intelligence   development,  including  the                                                                    
     establishment  and   operation  of  data   centers  and                                                                    
     technology hubs in the state;                                                                                              
     (3)  investigate ethical,  legal, and  privacy concerns                                                                    
     related to  artificial intelligence  use in  public and                                                                    
     private sectors;                                                                                                           
     (4) explore workforce  implications, including the need                                                                    
     for  training  programs  and education  initiatives  to                                                                    
     prepare   residents  of   the   state  for   artificial                                                                    
     intelligence-related employment opportunities;                                                                             
     (5) recommend  policies and  legislation to  ensure the                                                                    
     responsible and  secure use of  artificial intelligence                                                                    
     inside and outside state government; and                                                                                   
     (6) develop  a long-term  strategic plan  for fostering                                                                    
     artificial  intelligence innovation  while safeguarding                                                                    
     public interests in the state; and be it                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. VALDEZ  added that  the task force  would meet  via in-person                                                               
and  virtual meetings,  which would  be supported  by legislative                                                               
staff  and  the Legislative  Affairs  Agency  (LAA).   The  final                                                               
report is due January 31, 2026.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:10:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROSE FELICIANO,  Executive Director,  TechNet, opined that  HCR 3                                                               
is an  appropriate approach to  artificial intelligence  (AI) and                                                               
offered TechNet as a resource for the committee.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:14:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HALL sought  further information  on TechNet  and                                                               
its background.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. FELICIANO  said TechNet is a  national, bipartisan technology                                                               
organization formed  by technology executives.   She said TechNet                                                               
works  at both  the  federal and  state level  and  is active  in                                                               
promoting the  innovation economy.   She  added that  its members                                                               
are a diverse range of technology companies.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked how other states are approaching AI.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. FELICIANO said between 2022 and  2024, the number of AI bills                                                               
introduced in state legislatures  has increased significantly.  A                                                               
number  of  states   have  task  forces  and   many  others  have                                                               
introduced similar legislation.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  noted that an  indeterminate fiscal  note had                                                               
been distributed to the committee.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:18:43 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   HOLLAND   asked    about   vacancy,   government                                                               
efficiency,  and cost  reduction, and  how the  task force  would                                                               
interface  with the  innovation ecosystem  and opportunities  for                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER  commented  on the  need  to  completely                                                               
understand  AI in  terms  of how  much is  out  there, where  its                                                               
headed,  and  how  it  could  affect  Alaska  to  write  sensible                                                               
legislation and craft something that works for the entire state.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:24:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX expressed concern that  the topic of AI is so                                                               
vast and suggested dividing it up into smaller subjects.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER shared his  belief that limiting the task                                                               
force  would be  a "misnomer."   He  shared an  example from  the                                                               
[Joint  Legislative   Task  Force  Evaluating   Alaska's  Seafood                                                               
Industry] and said  the task force should consider AI  as a broad                                                               
spectrum.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether there  would be an advantage to                                                               
enabling several targeted subcommittees at the same time.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER said  he  would be  open to  considering                                                               
different options.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:30:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HALL asked  whether  the  sponsor is  comfortable                                                               
with the  timeline in HCR  3 and  whether he envisioned  the task                                                               
force meeting several times per week.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. VALDEZ  said the  timeline could be  extended but  right now,                                                               
the focus is on getting something out by next year.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  commented on  his experience  serving on                                                               
several  task forces  and the  intensity and  time commitment  it                                                               
requires.   He opined that  one year  is a good  timeline because                                                               
Alaska is so far behind the curve on AI.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:34:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS  commented on her  work on the Food  Strategy Task                                                               
Force, which had  a two-year timeframe after  a previous one-year                                                               
timeframe.  She  recalled that most of the work  was completed in                                                               
the first  year and  accelerated the policy  work.   She asserted                                                               
that the  conclusion of a  task force provides  suitable momentum                                                               
to bring  something forward  and asked  whether the  bill sponsor                                                               
concurred.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER posited that the  AI task force should be                                                               
one that never ends to keep pace with the growth of technology.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:36:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND stated  that task  forces are  a catalyst                                                               
for  thought.   He  asked whether  membership  should be  further                                                               
defined  to   include  members  from  AI-related   agencies,  the                                                               
University of Alaska's  (UA's) AI lab, and  private industry, for                                                               
example.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER agreed.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX inquired about  the indeterminate fiscal note                                                               
and whether the cost could be further defined.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. VALDEZ said the indeterminate  fiscal note reflects potential                                                               
changes  that may  be  implemented  as people  come  up with  new                                                               
ideas.    Currently, it  is  low  impact  to LAA  and  leadership                                                               
offices,  but as  new positions  are added,  per diem  and travel                                                               
expenses would be incurred.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  HIMSCHOOT pointed  out that  currently, the  bill makes                                                               
reference to Anchorage based  legislators specifically, which she                                                               
assumed would change in the future.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. VALDEZ agreed.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:39:46 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER   pointed  out  that  the   Alaska  Food                                                               
Security  and  Independence  Task   Force  ("Food  Security  Task                                                               
Force")  produced  a  lengthy  report  on  a  zero  budget.    He                                                               
indicated that when people are  committed to finding answers that                                                               
there are  countless ways to  produce results without  "costing a                                                               
fortune."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:40:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX  countered that the Food  Security Task Force                                                               
may have  had a zero budget,  but a lot  of money was spent.   He                                                               
suggested that specific  goals should be identified  before HCR 3                                                               
leaves the legislature.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  questioned the  purpose of having  3 senators                                                               
and 4 house members.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. VALDEZ responded to keep it small and focused.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:42:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE said during  the committee discussion he                                                               
fed HCR  3 through a  generative AI  model, which produced  a 40-                                                               
page PDF with policy recommendations.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that HCR 3 was held over.