[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6058500,"mediaKeyId","3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71","parentId",3297104,"title","Bill would make Public Advocate appointment process mirror Public Defender nominations","audioSeconds",463,"startMs",1444000,"endMs",1907000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71&start=1444&end=1907","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71/thumbnail_1444000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6058500/Alaska/Bill-would-make-Public-Advocate-appointment-process-mirror-Public-Defender-nominations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058500-0a653aaeb1a09e10fd72c2ed0b308099/orig.mp4?Expires=1774921269&Signature=MroXNIXLhPMBvlOe5ELfA3efPXS4VPDlouE2J47AIhmP321~7UcjG~N25Ng5hTL1svhnZzqfg840kvkS9kZh5ctLcrzi67FwySmh0dHqXuiL1Mm-DGHNamseXDaMG7R6Iwd2rT43xVlUkXsn5Ps2jOsJR5G305znDn7vPjxQjUWnDvr1eF6MrH739D15iDcvFkiIN40fbb1EWrcOz~9TadTlrOWFdwcNLKbYzfRpCzLqqfppgTcKr50bwMf2MTELFwEAsKCe1vys109HOuewJnrAFQEO6YOD9SQoqbr6cXI~R7kF9B5m8TSAk8DXTRC80ODgpzSU1ucw9BOwgRm1RA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-05-13T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 58, which would make the selection process for the Office of Public Advocacy’s Public Advocate analogous to the Public Defender nomination process, was set aside for further consideration after invited testimony from the Alaska Judicial Council.

Courtney Owen, staff to Representative Fields, told the committee HB 58 “offers a structural fix by making the selection process for the public advocate analogous with that of the public defender.” Owen said the bill responds to recurring conflicts of interest that arose after the Office of Public Advocacy was created in 1984 to handle cases where the Public Defender Agency had conflicts.

Suzanne DiPietro, executive director of the Alaska Judicial Council, described the council’s current process for screening and nominating Public Defender applicants as a model for the Public Advocate. DiPietro explained the council issues a vacancy announcement to the Alaska Bar Association, collects an extensive application (she said about 27 pages), solicits confidential waivers and references, surveys members of the Alaska Bar for performance feedback, conducts staff investigations contacting recent legal employers and judges, holds a public comment hearing, interviews each applicant for roughly 45 minutes, and then nominates at least two of the most qualified candidates to the governor.

DiPietro said the council’s standard is to nominate the most qualified candidates and that it “must nominate two but may nominate more than two individuals,” after which the governor selects an appointee. Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions at the hearing and the bill was set aside for later consideration and any required statutory drafting.

No public testimony was received during the committee’s open comment period on this item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/13/2025 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 58 would change the selection process for the Public Advocate so the Alaska Judicial Council nominates candidates as it does for the Public Defender; the committee heard Judicial Council testimony and set the bill aside for further consideration.","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},6058505,"Committee hears bill to modernize anti-rebating law for insurers; regulators outline guardrails",248,792000,1040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71&start=792&end=1040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71/thumbnail_792000.jpg","/articles/6058505/Alaska/Committee-hears-bill-to-modernize-anti-rebating-law-for-insurers-regulators-outline-guardrails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058505-a1024becc05a43853a3eb5d57fded634/orig.mp4?Expires=1774921269&Signature=VIfpQ2A-BVMcAdoVF2jAUhvP~0NmRROcYSz3kfpM21wYWUKChqEFk74dnU1PZLq676Q3A5M8sPo-odDEQ62UGD0ahciFRhLpsdrmnfNNXEn9raPoBLV~yaKYNeaPQY1HKOupgB86Mn-dSicWKzXK9Qal0qVC2YhEvXGSYN169uVVXJ9eDnLOGXbc47ykqZuMQT4HdqSZKLCuYf3W2V7x1dFEc4HUvFjyq4QOELPTLpPyy1mbBBql2yxHDTO3~dO3-tpdJxdrsa6zawRi-9jQpLLJp4yaP48suvtioe3V3fHvGyOzNiUMnbPSGXTw-P7b3ZnFQ94GrOrSWdMxxHXtnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 185, sponsored by Senator Bjorkman and carried in committee by staff, would update Alaska’s insurance statutes to clarify exceptions to anti-rebating rules and to add a new prohibition on certain advertising practices.

Sevea Bieber, staff to Senator Bjorkman, told the committee SB 185 “modernizes Alaska’s anti rebating laws by clearly defining exceptions for value added services, wellness incentives, educational tools, and low value promotional gifts.” Bieber summarized sectional changes: the bill would amend AS 21.36.010 to add the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to a list of federal laws; amend AS 21.36.110 to clarify exemptions for reduced-cost products or services related to the policyholder’s coverage; add provisions defining allowable noncash gifts and pilot programs; create a new section on prohibited advertising practices; and give the director of the Division of Insurance authority to adopt regulations, with most of the bill effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Laurie Winghire, director of the Division of Insurance, supported the policy thrust and described the bill’s origin in conversations about public-private partnerships under Healthy Alaskans. Winghire said the change would permit insurers and brokers to provide small devices and items that “make the property a better risk to insure or hopefully improve the life or the health of the consumer.” She told the committee this model is based on guidance from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and industry requests from the American Property and Casualty Insurance Association.

Senator Dunbar asked how the statute’s phrase that gifts “does not exceed an amount determined by the director to be reasonable for each term of the policy year” would be implemented. Winghire said the division intends to specify parameters in regulation and discussed potential caps tied to premiums, suggesting a limit framed in relation to premium levels so gifts are proportional to the insurance product.

Dunbar also raised concerns about potential unequal influence—analogous to pharmaceutical gift practices—where a negotiator for a large purchaser or association could receive gifts that sway decisions. Winghire said she would look “very unkindly” on any insurer or broker who gave gifts only to a negotiator rather than to the policyholder as a whole, and that the division would clarify in regulation that gifts should go to the policyholder rather than an individual negotiator. The director said she “would not object” to a statutory amendment that directs gifts to the policyholder rather than to a contracting individual.

The committee set the bill aside for further consideration; no committee motion to move the bill was recorded during this hearing.","Senate Bill 185 would update Alaska’s anti-rebating statutes to allow insurers to provide limited noncash gifts, wellness tools and pilot programs; the Division of Insurance described regulatory oversight and raised possible limits to prevent abuses.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6058510,"Committee broadens legal definition of 'snow classic' to allow more hosts",51,583000,634000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71&start=583&end=634","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71/thumbnail_583000.jpg","/articles/6058510/Alaska/Committee-broadens-legal-definition-of-snow-classic-to-allow-more-hosts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058510-a87ecaa1c02f13203f98b24837187856/orig.mp4?Expires=1774921269&Signature=EIIw5-eKVNKRkS5BhMvm~FN1ULyyL5AEc1CFPwBxtr5PD0fjGN2BGGPVUvQ47lOOapw0F~oaowbbZblnFy~Ca2Bu~8xiahDV1V1G~fKMUcTEvDr0QOjGD8ONJveQXebmiFH0JD0~~aue2nxMaRdMYnbqK3povjjj6GjCApFm0lfZGAHVBPq~toTcwmHBF4dXhD03AiDyThVUQOA~c03jWd49mc-GOxgP2-4WiLIFXHIt1yBhKsUxvW7tAJUCOu1mOoKmdBNmO1FbSjGB1bwOqnKPD~X60-ltSruK10groIZqVFa0Eiqq6gSVH3vEl-j9yf-~MpOu1m-ICOY85JsUKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 50, which would broaden the statutory definition of a “snow classic” so that any eligible charitable organization or municipality may host the event, was moved out of the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

Hunter Meacham, staff to Representative Hannon, told the committee HB 50 “broadens the definition of snow classic to remove the specificity in statute that limits the snow classic to one organization in Anchorage and one site on Alyeska. So this would be any eligible charitable organization or municipality could host a snow classic.”

Committee members did not pose questions during the presentation. The vice chair moved HB 50 from committee “with individual recommendations and accompanying 0 fiscal note” and, with no objections, the chair announced the bill had been moved from committee and staff would sign the paperwork.

No amendments or funding changes were recorded during the hearing. The bill’s change would remove the statutory limit to a single host and site; criteria for eligibility and implementation details were not specified at the hearing.","House Bill 50 would remove a statutory restriction limiting the 'snow classic' to a single organization and site in Anchorage, allowing any eligible charitable organization or municipality to host the event; the committee moved the bill without a fiscal note.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6058515,"Committee approves naming Shute Bay marine park for Vic Fisher",72,418000,490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71&start=418&end=490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71/thumbnail_418000.jpg","/articles/6058515/Alaska/Committee-approves-naming-Shute-Bay-marine-park-for-Vic-Fisher","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058515-2446367f9125874891507ec02d75b9e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1774921269&Signature=DpNlYqBzvJUUikBT7-b7vWGoXcJA-SC47raXSdZG~-dL5pbFs5sEMLOVhFC7JuoXkkvRsn~5CG6Xgs7ZSvYbMsPSAIvAiRz1Nv29~wJXQnCnVSZVPxynM1gY0C7BecdeBnPigXpJTf1Ska9WkavU4xlwdn3btxYh-Znt1GTQ38nTkRGFO~7GmRhdNos3oGwA8-EdSsDJ2maGn1QZB9Tvw21w2ymQGaKGRSN~rs3laZYSmUSzbjIz0tJDjqKWM9FbWLI7cm6YWSx3oYxMNR5sFgWFaZNpQWxQk43bnt94BFeCj4gPK9O~mAFBy4OV7mKN7N7mFJrn1qfjlI2LA5ZNsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee on Tuesday moved House Bill 79, which would rename Shute Bay State Marine Park in Valdez to honor Vic Fisher, a leader in Alaska’s statehood movement and an author of the state constitution.

Bennett Pierce, staff to Representative Fields, said the bill “recognizes the contributions of Vic Fisher to Alaska by naming Shute Bay State Marine Park in Valdez after him.” Pierce told the committee that Fisher “was a foundational member of the statehood movement, and was one of the drafters of the Alaska state constitution,” and that Fisher “sponsored the legislation that established the marine state parks in Alaska” in 1983.

The committee invited the director of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Ricky Geese, to be available online for questions; no substantive comments from the director were recorded during the hearing. The vice chair moved HB 79 from committee “with individual recommendations and accompanying 0 fiscal note,” and with no objections the chair announced the bill had been moved and paperwork would be signed.

No amendments or fiscal changes were made during the committee action. The bill will proceed according to the Legislature’s next steps for floor scheduling and any required administrative actions.","The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee voted to move House Bill 79 to name Shute Bay State Marine Park in Valdez after Vic Fisher, recognizing his role in statehood and marine park legislation.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6058519,"Senate committee advances bill to create fire station grant fund, no appropriation included",76,210000,286000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71&start=210&end=286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297104-fa74494a21837e235a2f57c125bb7c71/thumbnail_210000.jpg","/articles/6058519/Alaska/Senate-committee-advances-bill-to-create-fire-station-grant-fund-no-appropriation-included","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058519-ed7a5bca9ffbfa478c11a6cf40f858fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1774921269&Signature=Y2r-vV3KTnbtnvFpi~BoxOvqjrSwolfBJLYM21nvHsZ1FdxSwk9jRcYKCgb-KwR8BTl61B-rZNIRdgW7jaD-ax3TP38o28bmS32T8JpEHrIE8GQ8CsldOISsfHDOxw6FyuZFRsRLFulIJbXSU2oDqxH1fw9LP3FtkdOnEqMCIXV1UtBehb~J5BXKnyD2vyWz6f-FbHxsKsORDOyzrBDoAi7eDYJra-jSoxhQ2YPmqgYumtjIMRcsG2P9FUrHrIEVaoQqLhGDXDcD6DR6jLBW-9Ga-fC40r4~xEDRHZtQzzv~bY6qO3mMROvH7O1elHCPi7iVz6rTgi24fG7XdGXi1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 140, which would establish a separate fire station grant fund within state government to receive future legislative appropriations for construction or renovation of fire stations, was moved out of the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

Margo Youngberg, staff to Senator Joshua Stedman, told the committee the measure “creates a project cost fund for the construction or renovation of fire stations.” She noted, “This fund would be designed to receive future legislative appropriations.”

Committee members had no substantive questions during the brief presentation. Senator Dan Olsen moved the bill “from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note and authorize legislative legal services to make conforming changes.” Hearing no objections, Chair Senator Merrick announced SB 140 was moved from committee and staff would sign the paperwork.

The bill as presented does not appropriate money to build or renovate stations; it creates the mechanism to hold future appropriations. The committee recorded no amendments or conditions during the hearing, and no invited or public testimony expanded on funding sources or allocation criteria.

The committee paused to complete paperwork and returned to other agenda items. The bill will proceed according to the Legislature’s scheduling and fiscal processes.","The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee voted to move Senate Bill 140, which would establish a dedicated fire station grant fund in the Department of Public Safety but does not allocate construction money now.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would make Public Advocate appointment process mirror Public Defender nominations

Committee hears bill to modernize anti-rebating law for insurers; regulators outline guardrails

Committee broadens legal definition of 'snow classic' to allow more hosts

Committee approves naming Shute Bay marine park for Vic Fisher

Senate committee advances bill to create fire station grant fund, no appropriation included