04/15/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                SB 120-CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:38:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of  SENATE BILL  NO. 120  "An Act  establishing the                                                               
Alaska   Climate  Change   Emergency  Response   Commission;  and                                                               
relating to  the powers and  duties of the Alaska  Climate Change                                                               
Emergency Response Commission."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
This is the third hearing of  SB 120, [CSSB version N was adopted                                                               
at the previous meeting.]                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:39:33 PM                                                                                                                    
DEIRDRE   GOINS,  Staff,   Senator  Gray-Jackson,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, presented a  brief recap of  SB 120                                                               
and stated  that Alaska is  already experiencing  serious climate                                                               
change  impacts.   SB  120  would   establish  a   commission  to                                                               
coordinate the  state's response,  secure federal  resources, and                                                               
ensure communities, especially the  most vulnerable, have a voice                                                               
in planning for the future.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:40:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 120.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:41:09 PM                                                                                                                    
JULIA  INGA,  representing  self, Palmer,  Alaska,  testified  in                                                               
opposition  to SB  120 and  argued  that SB  120 is  unnecessary,                                                               
calling it  an overreaching bureaucracy  that would  waste money,                                                               
burden  communities with  rules,  and  threaten vital  industries                                                               
like oil,  gas, and  fishing. She  stressed that  Alaskans should                                                               
adapt  to   nature  locally,  invest  in   practical  needs  like                                                               
infrastructure  and   healthcare,  and  resist   outside  climate                                                               
mandates or agendas.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:44:32 PM                                                                                                                    
ALISA COX,  representing self, Delta Junction,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in opposition  to SB 120,  and viewing it  as a "money  grab" and                                                               
fear-mongering  tactic rather  than a  genuine climate  solution.                                                               
She argued  that Alaskans  know how to  adapt to  natural weather                                                               
cycles, that  local forests  already capture  carbon effectively,                                                               
and that  outside interventions only  waste money  on unnecessary                                                               
programs.  She  emphasized  that   the  state's  real  needs  are                                                               
practical  infrastructure  improvements, not  regulatory  control                                                               
over residents or expensive climate initiatives.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:48:04 PM                                                                                                                    
MELISSA  SWOPE, representing  self, Homer,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition  to SB  120  and creating  the  Alaska Climate  Change                                                               
Emergency  Response  Commission.  She   said  the  commission  is                                                               
costly, intrusive,  and unaccountable. She argued  it would drain                                                               
millions  from the  treasury,  add  unnecessary bureaucracy,  and                                                               
empower outside lobbyists and NGOs  to impose harmful regulations                                                               
on   Alaska's   core   industries.   She   urged   investing   in                                                               
infrastructure that  directly benefits  Alaskans and  focusing on                                                               
practical,  locally  driven  solutions  that  honor  the  state's                                                               
history and values.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:50:52 PM                                                                                                                    
ED MARSHALL,  representing self,  Soldotna, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
opposition  to SB  120, criticizing  the  Alaska legislature  for                                                               
overreach,  corruption,   and  poor   priorities.  He   said  the                                                               
legislature has  cited unchecked union funding,  renewable energy                                                               
mandates,  red flag  laws, and  other  controversial actions.  He                                                               
accused  lawmakers of  arrogance, ignoring  voter decisions,  and                                                               
mismanaging   issues  like   climate  policy,   while  expressing                                                               
frustration and urging voters to  hold legislators accountable in                                                               
the next election.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:53:33 PM                                                                                                                    
WAYNE  WOODS, representing  self,  Palmer,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition to  SB 120  arguing that  the commission's  powers are                                                               
overly broad and primarily benefit  the green energy and climate-                                                               
change industry at Alaska's expense.  He warned it could harm the                                                               
state's  economy and  allow  undue  influence from  international                                                               
nonprofits, calling for lawmakers in Juneau to focus.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:56:42 PM                                                                                                                    
KEN  GRIFFIN, representing  self, Wasilla,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition  to SB  120 and  calling it  an overreach  that strips                                                               
citizen  sovereignty, wastes  money  on unnecessary  commissions,                                                               
and fails to address real  economic challenges. He warned it will                                                               
worsen Alaska's  affordability crisis, drive residents  away, and                                                               
accuse  lawmakers  of  mismanaging priorities  while  failing  to                                                               
protect the people's rights.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:59:25 PM                                                                                                                    
KEN  HUCKEBA, representing  self, Wasilla,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition  to  SB  120  arguing  that  the  bill  empowers  Non-                                                               
Government  Organizations (NGOs)  and  special  interests at  the                                                               
expense  of individual  sovereignty  and Alaska's  representative                                                               
government. He  criticized additional commissions,  mandates, and                                                               
regulations as burdensome,  economically harmful, and unsupported                                                               
by  measurable outcomes,  calling the  legislation an  offense to                                                               
common sense.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:02:07 PM                                                                                                                    
MIKE  COONS, representing  self,  Wasilla,  Alaska, testified  in                                                               
opposition to SB  120 criticizing the bill as  an unnecessary and                                                               
costly  commission  driven  by   "climate  change  hysteria"  and                                                               
compares it to  policies in states he views  as overly socialist.                                                               
He  argued climate  predictions have  been exaggerated;  Alaska's                                                               
budget  is already  in deficit.  He said  the legislature  should                                                               
focus  on  constitutional  responsibilities  like  balancing  the                                                               
budget  and protecting  the Permanent  Fund Dividend  rather than                                                               
creating more bureaucracy.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:05:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CASSIE ANDREWS,  representing self, Anchorage,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in opposition  to SB 120 and  argued that the commission  is less                                                               
about protecting the  environment and more about  giving NGOs and                                                               
climate  activists  a   taxpayer-funded  platform.  She  stressed                                                               
Alaska's  emissions are  negligible  globally, yet  the state  is                                                               
unfairly targeted. Even with local  members, the commission would                                                               
be influenced  by outside money  and mandates. She  asked instead                                                               
for  practical,  common-sense   adaptation  rather  than  climate                                                               
alarmism.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[CHAIR KAWASAKI closed public testimony on SB 120.]                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:07:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:07:25 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:07:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:07:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON  moved to  report CSSB  120, work  order 34-                                                               
LS0073\N,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:07:53 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI found no objection  and CSSB 120(STA) was reported                                                               
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.