ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE  February 6, 2026 1:01 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Andrew Gray, Chair Representative Chuck Kopp, Vice Chair Representative Genevieve Mina Representative Mia Costello Representative Jubilee Underwood MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Ted Eischeid Representative Sarah Vance COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 81 "An Act restricting the release of certain records of convictions; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED CSHB 81(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 4 "An Act relating to write-in candidates for President and Vice- President of the United States." - MOVED HB 4 OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 262 "An Act increasing the number of superior court judges in the third judicial district; and providing for an effective date." - MOVED HB 262 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 81 SHORT TITLE: ACCESS TO MARIJUANA CONVICTION RECORDS SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) D.NELSON 02/03/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/03/25 (H) STA, JUD 02/27/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/27/25 (H) 03/06/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 03/06/25 (H) Heard & Held 03/06/25 (H) MINUTE(STA) 01/27/26 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 01/27/26 (H) Heard & Held 01/27/26 (H) MINUTE(STA) 01/29/26 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 01/29/26 (H) Moved CSHB 81(STA) Out of Committee 01/29/26 (H) MINUTE(STA) 01/30/26 (H) STA RPT CS(STA) 6DP 1NR 01/30/26 (H) DP: MCCABE, HOLLAND, ST. CLAIR, HIMSCHOOT, STORY, CARRICK 01/30/26 (H) NR: VANCE 01/30/26 (H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER JUD 02/02/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/02/26 (H) Heard & Held 02/02/26 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/06/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 BILL: HB 4 SHORT TITLE: PRESIDENTIAL WRITE-IN VOTES SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SADDLER 01/22/25 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25 01/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/22/25 (H) STA, JUD 02/11/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/11/25 (H) Heard & Held 02/11/25 (H) MINUTE(STA) 05/15/25 (H) STA AT 3:15 PM GRUENBERG 120 05/15/25 (H) Heard & Held 05/15/25 (H) MINUTE(STA) 05/17/25 (H) STA AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 05/17/25 (H) Moved HB 4 Out of Committee 05/17/25 (H) MINUTE(STA) 05/18/25 (H) STA RPT 6DP 05/18/25 (H) DP: VANCE, MCCABE, HOLLAND, STORY, HIMSCHOOT, CARRICK 02/02/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/02/26 (H) Heard & Held 02/02/26 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/06/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 BILL: HB 262 SHORT TITLE: NUMBER OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST 01/23/26 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/23/26 (H) JUD, FIN 02/04/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/04/26 (H) Heard & Held 02/04/26 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/06/26 (H) JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: As the prime sponsor, gave a summary of CSHB 81(STA). REPRESENTATIVE DAN SADDLER Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, gave final comment on HB 4. NANCY MEADE, General Counsel Alaska Court System Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Gave final comment on HB 262 on behalf of the House Rules Standing Committee, sponsor by request of the governor. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:01:05 PM CHAIR GRAY called the House Judiciary Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. Representatives Kopp, Costello, Underwood, and Gray were present at the call to order. Representative Mina arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 81-ACCESS TO MARIJUANA CONVICTION RECORDS  1:01:59 PM CHAIR GRAY announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 81, "An Act restricting the release of certain records of convictions; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 81(STA).] 1:02:33 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, stated that CSHB 81(STA) would make certain marijuana possession convictions confidential on basic background checks while keeping them available for government agencies and qualified people. Individuals who were at least 21 years of age at the time of the crime, possessed 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and were not convicted of any other crime in the same incident, would be able to request that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) make this crime confidential on their record. He stated that Alaskans are facing barriers to employment, housing, licensing, and volunteer opportunities making them less able to contribute fully to their community. 1:03:49 PM CHAIR GRAY opined that people who were convicted of a crime that is not illegal today should not be held back. 1:04:13 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP moved to report CSHB 81(STA) out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection CSHB 81(STA) was reported out of the House Judiciary Standing Committee. CHAIR GRAY authorized Legislative Legal Services to make any necessary technical and conforming changes. 1:04:53 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:04 p.m. to 1:06 p.m. HB 4-PRESIDENTIAL WRITE-IN VOTES  1:06:54 PM CHAIR GRAY announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 4, "An Act relating to write-in candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States." 1:07:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAN SADDLER, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, thanked the committee for the robust conversation. 1:07:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA opined that the bill makes sense because the ballot includes another line for a write in candidate. REPRESENTATIVE KOPP said he's proud of the bill sponsor for thinking outside the box. He stated that the legislation reflects the independent spirit of Alaskans. REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER added that the bill came at the suggestion of former Senator Rainy Phillips. 1:08:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP moved to report HB 4 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 4 was reported out of the House Judiciary Standing Committee. CHAIR GRAY authorized Legislative Legal Services to make any necessary technical and conforming changes. 1:09:33 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:09 p.m. to 1:11 p.m. HB 262-NUMBER OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES  1:11:25 PM CHAIR GRAY announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 262, "An Act increasing the number of superior court judges in the third judicial district; and providing for an effective date." 1:11:45 PM NANCY MEADE, General Counsel, Alaska Court System, on behalf of the House Rules Standing Committee, sponsor by request of the governor, thanked the committee for acknowledging the need for a new Superior Court judge in Palmer. She stated that she is coming before the legislature reluctantly, as the Alaska Court System (ACS) is careful with the state's resources, but the need cannot be denied. 1:12:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that the Department of Law (DOL) submitted a fiscal note reflecting an associated cost of $303,000. He stated his support for the bill. 1:13:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP moved to report HB 262 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 262 was reported out of the House Judiciary Standing Committee. CHAIR GRAY authorized Legislative Legal Services to make any necessary technical and conforming changes. 1:14:42 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Judiciary Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:14 p.m.