On Friday, the Legislative Affairs agency released the second round of legislation that has been filed in advance of the 2025 legislative session, which begins Tuesday in Juneau at 1 p.m.
The first batch of the early-bird bills was released in late December. Details are in this story:
In the second batch, you’ll find legislation to change laws governing public employee benefit plans, to protect girls’ athletic teams from male intrusions. There are bills to designate one month Hispanic Heritage Month and another bill to designate a month Women’s History Month. Other bills cover mental health coverage in medical programs, and rights of minors undergoing psychiatric evaluation, and the use of restrains on minors when they are in psychiatric hospitals.
The entire list of the second tranche of bills can be read here:
Perspective: Several hundred bills will be filed in each two year Legislature. As few as 100 to 150 will be advanced into law.
Only the most energetic and focused Legislators, who have formed good relationships with their peers, will advance their bills. While technically possible, members of the Minority rarely have such relationships, and rarely pass legislation.
Math of 33: To pass, one must have 21 other members of the House, then 11 members of the Senate, and a Governor agree to the exact wording of your bill. It requires effort.
Each bill generally has to advance through three committees in the House and three committees in the Senate. Each committee has to notice the hearing in advance, a two week process – the timeline shortening as the Legislature advances. In a three month Legislature the timing is almost impossible for a bill to pass. I a 5 month long Legislature it is possible, but difficult. Public can hep, but the day to day slog is up to dedicated staff and Legislator.
In my experience it takes Legislative Staff must work 12 to 14 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week to pass a bill. They have to focus on a the timeline for each committee, write drafting requests, write committee hearing requests, Sponsor Statements, meeting and connecting with other Legislative staff prior to a bill hearing, preparing amendments, and writing new Sponsor Statements as the bill is amended.
Being in the Majority can be a high energy work environment. Fun, but not for those unable to talk to “the other side.” At least not if one seeks to change any of the 20,000+ pages of Alaska Law.
Oh, Want to repeal a Law? Yep, requires the filing of a bill, or amending into a similarly titled bill, and passage as above.
For answers: Read the Alaska Constitution.
Finally a legislature that knows what the people really want. I was afraid the legislature would forget to declare a few months as heritage or appreciation and jump right into the budget or something.
Why do we need hundreds of laws every year?
We have so many laws now that are not enforced or unconstitutional that control every movement we make.
Where is freedom to live like we want not a bunch of politicians who think they are the sharpest crayon in the box?
Society is changing with wokeness. We have to adapt. Even the constitution is fluid.
Yes but really hundreds of bills every year.
Seems like loss of freedom and more big brother looking over us.
Most don’t make it into law.
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