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.
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Senate Votes
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 Senate passed SB58 on May 5, 2023 by a vote of 19 to 1. 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.
SB25 mandates the legislative finance division to review and recommend the repeal of inactive state accounts and funds.
The Alaska State Senate passed SB25 on March 31, 2023 by a vote of 19 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because it's not too often that elected officials take blatant action to shrink the size of government. More states should return unused funds and close inactive state accounts.
SB37 makes it a crime to knowingly sell, import, install, or reinstall a replacement airbag that does not comply with federal safety regulations specific to the vehicle’s make, model, and year. Airbag fraud is classified as a class A misdemeanor or a class C felony if it results in death or serious physical injury to another person due to the manufacture, sale, importation, installation, or reinstallation of a replacement airbag.
The Alaska State Senate passed SB37 on May 8, 2023 by a vote of 20 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill infringes on the rights of individuals and businesses by imposing excessive government control over the sale and installation of replacement airbags. States should not hand over sovereignty by adopting federal safety regulations.
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 Senate passed HJR10 on March 27, 2023 by a vote of 18 to 2. 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."
SB22 establishes Juneteenth Day as a legal holiday.
The Alaska State Senate passed SB22 on May 3, 2023 by a vote of 16 to 4. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the United States observes 10 federal holidays and the state of Alaska already observes 11. At the federal level, Juneteenth was designated as “National Independence Day” instead of July 4, falsely implies differing independence days based on race. This aligns with divisive strategies, akin to communist tactics of “dividing the people.”
HB62 continues the renewable energy grant fund until 2033, costing $1.4 million per year.
The Alaska State Senate passed HB62 on April 28, 2023 by a vote of 18 to 0. 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.
