2023 AK Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Alaska Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators' overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
Share this Legislative Scorecard in your district to inform people about the constitutionality of their elected officials' votes.
House Votes
HB3 designates specie as legal tender in Alaska and prohibits boroughs and cities from levying sales and use taxes on the sale or exchange of specie. It also defines "specie" as gold or silver valued primarily by metal content, in coin or bullion form, and includes provisions for additional forms of legal tender.
The Alaska State House of Representatives passed HB3 on May 11, 2024 by a vote of 25 to 15. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill is a strong step toward restoring constitutional money in compliance with Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution and returning to the gold standard.
SB58 expands Medicaid eligibility to include postpartum mothers for up to 12 months, up from 60 days. Additionally, the Department of Health must submit necessary amendments to the state plan to raise the income threshold for pregnant women and extend postpartum benefits.
The Alaska State House of Representatives passed SB58 on May 3, 2023 by a vote of 35 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because neither health care nor social welfare is the legitimate object of government. Medicaid, as with many other ‘entitlement programs,’ discriminatorily and unjustly provides “eligible” low-income persons, who have little or no tax liability, with government funds at the expense of other hard-working citizens. Alaska must reject the use of taxpayer dollars for this ever-expanding and unsustainable federal-state program that is not authorized under Article 1, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution.
HB61 Amendment 2 removes a segment of the bill that allows government to shut down gun stores if they equally shut down every other store at the same time. The bills intent is to restrict the ability of state or municipal authorities to regulate firearms and other weapons during declared disaster emergencies, and this amendment ensures that government has no authority at all to shut down businesses.
The Alaska State House of Representatives rejected HB61 Amendment 2 by a vote of 3 to 36. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this amendment removes the draconian language that would allow the government to shut down businesses just like they did during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether there is a state of emergency or not, our God-given rights as U.S. citizens should not be infringed upon. The protections listed in this legislation are all covered under the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.
HB62 continues the renewable energy grant fund until 2033, costing $1.4 million per year.
The Alaska State House of Representatives passed HB62 on May 3, 2023 by a vote of 35 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation creates more government interference in the free-market economy and advances a Marxist climate change agenda. Bills like this bloat budgets, expand government, and lead to government picking winners and losers with taxpayer funds.
HJR10 is a resolution that states the Alaska State Legislature opposes the National Park Service's proposed rule limiting non-subsistence hunting methods, asserting it infringes on state wildlife management authority established by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Alaska Constitution, and federal laws.
The Alaska State House of Representatives passed HJR10 on March 20, 2023 by a vote of 31 to 5. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because Article VIII of the Alaska Constitution states that "The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people," and "Wherever occurring in their natural state, fish, wildlife, and waters are reserved to the people for common use." Additionally, many other rights allow people to use public lands as they see fit, as these lands are paid for by the taxpayers. However, the National Park Service and "federally owned" land are not authorized under the U.S. Constitution. The National Park Service should hand these lands over to the states and not impede their state constitutions, as the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
SB25 mandates the legislative finance division to review and recommend the repeal of inactive state accounts and funds.
The Alaska State House of Representatives passed SB25 on May 10, 2023 by a vote of 40 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because it's not too often that elected officials explicitly take action to shrink the size of government. More states should return unused funds and close inactive state accounts.
