Lawmakers Propose No Cell Phones in Schools and Free Meals for Kids

Alaska lawmakers unveil initial proposals for the upcoming legislative session, focusing on education, election reform, and more.

Lawmakers Propose No Cell Phones in Schools and Free Meals for Kids
Lawmakers Propose No Cell Phones in Schools and Free Meals for Kids

Anchorage: So, Alaska lawmakers are gearing up for their next session, and they’ve got some interesting ideas on the table. They just revealed a bunch of proposed legislation that shows what they care about.

Both the House and Senate are expected to work together, mixing Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans. They want to tackle public education funding and fix the state’s retirement system, which has been struggling. Plus, they’re looking for ways to deal with the natural gas shortage that affects a lot of folks in the state.

But here’s the thing: lawmakers can also push their own agendas. For the conservative Republicans who are in the minority, this is their chance to share what they think is important, even if their ideas might not get much attention. So far, 81 measures have been introduced, giving us a sneak peek at what might be discussed in the coming months.

In the last two years, Alaska lawmakers introduced a whopping 803 measures, but only about one in five actually made it through both the House and Senate. This year, the topics range from education and election reform to health care, with more bills expected soon.

One big proposal is from Rep. George Rauscher, who wants to get rid of ranked choice voting and open primaries in Alaska. He wants to go back to a more traditional voting system. This system was put in place through a ballot measure in 2020, and even though there was a close call to repeal it in 2024, it’s still here.

The bipartisan coalition in the House and Senate probably won’t back this change since the open primaries have helped some of their members. But the Alaska Republican Party is pushing hard to repeal it, claiming it puts their candidates at a disadvantage. Instead, coalition members want to focus on improving election laws, like letting voters fix mistakes on their ballots after voting.

Another interesting proposal comes from Rep. Calvin Schrage, who wants to set campaign contribution limits for Alaska elections. The state hasn’t had any limits for four years, and before that, they were some of the strictest in the country. A judge said the previous limits were too low, but lawmakers haven’t agreed on new ones.

With no limits in place, big money has flowed into political campaigns, and some folks think that’s not a good thing. There’s also a group trying to get limits back through a ballot measure, but if lawmakers set their own limits, that initiative might not even make it to the ballot.

On the education front, Sen. Bill Wielechowski is pushing for a ban on cellphones in public schools. The Alaska Board of Education seems to be on board with this idea. The bill would let school districts decide how to handle cellphone use, similar to what some other states are doing.

Rep. Maxine Dibert has introduced a bill to make sure every public school student gets free breakfast and lunch. Many states are already doing this, but Alaska didn’t continue the program after federal funding ran out during the pandemic. With one in six kids in Alaska facing hunger, this proposal could make a big difference.

There are also discussions about the length of legislative sessions. Sen. Cathy Giessel wants to get rid of the 90-day limit, while Sen. Matt Claman wants to make it a constitutional requirement.

Claman is also looking to make it easier to override the governor’s vetoes, which have been a point of contention. Currently, it takes a supermajority to overturn a veto, and many lawmakers have struggled to do so.

Sen. Bert Stedman is working on creating an Alaska Flood Authority to help homeowners get flood insurance after last year’s devastating flooding in Juneau.

And there’s even a proposal to allow people to pay for groceries with gold and silver, which is a throwback idea from Rep. Kevin McCabe.

Lastly, there’s a push to limit state holidays and expand the safe surrender law for abandoned infants. It’s a busy time for Alaska lawmakers as they prepare for the upcoming session!

Disclaimer: All images comply with fair use for educational and informational purposes. Sourced from public platforms. Have questions? Contact us.
Fact-Checking Policy: Accurate information is our focus. If errors are found, please let us know, and corrections will be made swiftly.