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