[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6061940,"mediaKeyId","3280865-7e2643652a3552ab1b112b78cc3dea95","parentId",3280865,"title","Committee hears HB 34 to create Alaska Innovation Council to coordinate state innovation strategy","audioSeconds",659,"startMs",1862000,"endMs",2521000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280865-7e2643652a3552ab1b112b78cc3dea95&start=1862&end=2521","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280865-7e2643652a3552ab1b112b78cc3dea95/thumbnail_1862000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6061940/Alaska/Committee-hears-HB-34-to-create-Alaska-Innovation-Council-to-coordinate-state-innovation-strategy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061940-c4384d6d356019141cfb47b5128bfaf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773575866&Signature=DBy9vNx5EX8SsN6fYeP1ZxXw~DKKHXBpXlnfHoHhzMQqD8TJHb0e0Moyqp4zUw2aoHVwzIGLaAONm0UC97z0b5BLvLI6oOGT0ixbzoLZx8EBosWHQrqt1cUchzGGzXPrS~xSUH8ElwBEGpO-nECSQTO8Hx2K6FItofdtEm54~y17RTT7644cAxaQc6GQRmQYQF3sG22kVYP3n~Hiztpez6OXd3v8iiKNyn9cjwb53h~3KQG4xbRquFVevYJXoZYHyRb5Gx6DcfxQ1XjHtPK04-vA-~8OAKxDaR~78loYqqiv5nX6wGFG9HNowI-JcyIH7~wyZm~bnE40DHlp3BP5Rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-05-12T00:00:00Z","article","Juneau — The House Finance Committee on May 12 heard sponsor Representative Kai Holland describe House Bill 34, which would create an Alaska Innovation Council to convene university, industry and public leaders to identify strategic opportunities and align programs to grow emerging sectors across the state.

Holland told the committee HB 34 is, in his words, the \"macroeconomic\" bill that complements HB 30 by taking a balcony view to \"bring together and convene through the innovation council key leadership across the state and its economic engines, including the university, the state of Alaska, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, those that have and are providing, risk capital into the ecosystem.\" He said the council would prioritize opportunities in areas such as energy technology, mariculture and logistics and provide a structure to implement strategies identified in the state's comprehensive economic development strategy.

Why it matters: Supporters said the council would reduce duplication among existing programs and create pathways that link education, workforce development and business-creation resources. Holland cited data he said shows \"if you look across 10 years, 89 percent of our net new job creation has come from businesses less than 5 years old,\" arguing that coordination could help translate research and early-stage efforts into jobs that retain Alaskans. He and others referenced models in other jurisdictions, including the Oregon Innovation Council and economic development work in Alberta, Canada.

Public testimony included Jacqueline Summers, executive director of Health Testbed Innovation Enterprises in Anchorage, who said multiple state efforts \"are not working together and they're not aligned\" and urged the committee to adopt a centralized convening mechanism. Holland acknowledged multiple federal and state programs — he cited the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Economic Development Administration among others — and said the council's role would be to \"link these programs and leverage them as opposed to see any duplication.\" He also warned that \"we're about to lose some of these key essential programs right now\" because of funding shortfalls.

The committee closed public testimony and set an amendment deadline for HB 34 of Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. No formal vote occurred in the hearing. Committee members asked how the council would complement federal programs and existing state entities; Holland and staff said the council would focus on convening, prioritization and implementation rather than replacing existing grant programs.

Next steps: Amendments for HB 34 are due May 15; staff contacts were provided for submission and the committee indicated it would consider a sponsor amendment or CS ahead of a subsequent hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/12/2025 09:00 AM House FINANCE","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 34 would create an Alaska Innovation Council to convene universities, industry and public leaders to prioritize and implement strategies for emerging sectors; members heard testimony supporting coordination and concerns about program alignment and funding.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6061944,"House committee sets amendment deadline for HB 30, debates Office of Entrepreneurship and procurement study",827,891000,1718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3280865-7e2643652a3552ab1b112b78cc3dea95&start=891&end=1718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3280865-7e2643652a3552ab1b112b78cc3dea95/thumbnail_891000.jpg","/articles/6061944/Alaska/House-committee-sets-amendment-deadline-for-HB-30-debates-Office-of-Entrepreneurship-and-procurement-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061944-393a110c5c306675012cc5415ca863fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773575866&Signature=TaalOPLlM8eeO8I-D-MusDtk7BSSB7OVFsLRi8kAcJ7yesbopck-K3rm~cnveWN9v-Qg9nuAEXhOIGs-YLHliLp6us9BJQhTG5c8YchSR8p~~s~gWrGkwZlFLpd6NQfI~nPlYH7vVizBNIwtxHR1J5yERk2o8Tcux3aLuADU6pF80PWWt-AcGJUI~BYCo6fjUO0moGYFR7rM24agAZn7-C3fAtCNnJ5TSlnx6cC8tMeQMCVDY-SZvKqCd1o0kCNn~YauBT8PlP6zs9qaLSMuJ41rBHNL9H~KmU-OAihc78X3NLN53RN9ITFlGyVpyQihPtgy8~zraocrTJIjeTsWyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Juneau — The Alaska House Finance Committee on May 12 set an amendment deadline for House Bill 30, the Office of Entrepreneurship, and heard testimony and questions about provisions that would target roughly 5% of the state's economic development investments to startups and change a Department of Administration procurement report that carries an estimated $500,000 fiscal impact.

Representative Kai Holland, sponsor of HB 30 and a member of the House representing District 9, told the committee the bill would \"put a small portion, about 5%, of its economic development investments specifically targeted into supporting startups.\" Holland also told the panel the state's current economic development line item is not funded: \"The current economic development line item allocation in the budget this year and last year is exactly $0.00 dollars,\" and he said several key economic development positions remain unfilled after being transferred to the governor's office.

Why it matters: Supporters say targeted state support could help nascent firms grow and retain workers in Alaska, while opponents and staff raised concerns about the fiscal impact of a procurement impact study proposed in the bill. Cameron Ebersold, legislative staff on the record to the committee, told members the bill would modify a procurement report produced by the Department of Administration to identify whether businesses less than five years old receive state contracts; that change is associated with a $500,000 impact in the department's fiscal note. Ebersold described two reports contained in the bill and said the procurement-report change could be removed by amendment to avoid the study's cost.

Committee discussion and public testimony focused on the procurement study and the bill's reporting requirements. Representative Josephson asked whether the annual report on page 4 would be struck; Holland referred the detailed drafting question to Ebersold, who clarified the bill contains two reports and that the procurement-report modification — the source of the $500,000 fiscal note — would be eliminated by the proposed change. Representative Galvin expressed general support for investing to generate new revenue streams and for the bill's intent to foster growth in technology and other sectors.

Public testimony included Jacqueline Summers, identified as executive director of Health Testbed Innovation Enterprises in Anchorage, who said she has conducted informal interviews in Alaska's entrepreneurship ecosystem and that \"this sector is really important for our development of ideas and solving problems\" before adding, \"I really strongly support both of these bills.\" The committee closed public testimony and set an amendment deadline for HB 30 of Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 5 p.m.; the chair also signaled staff would likely prepare a committee substitute (CS) or incorporate the sponsor's amendment language.

Discussion versus decision: The committee took no final vote on HB 30. It set an amendment deadline (a procedural direction) and discussed possible language changes to remove the procurement study that generated the large fiscal note. No formal adoption or enactment occurred during the meeting.

Next steps: Members may file amendments by the May 15 deadline; staff indicated a CS may be assembled to present a cleaned-up draft for a future hearing.","The Alaska House Finance Committee set an amendment deadline for House Bill 30, the Office of Entrepreneurship, and discussed provisions that would target about 5% of state economic development investments to startups and a procurement study with a $500,000 fiscal impact.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears HB 34 to create Alaska Innovation Council to coordinate state innovation strategy

House committee sets amendment deadline for HB 30, debates Office of Entrepreneurship and procurement study