Valley delegation passes 11 bills

PALMER — Few of the showstoppers made it all the way through this year’s legislative session.

There was no final decision on whether to put to a vote a constitutional amendment that could clear the way for a school voucher program. The legislation that would dissolve the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority into the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation didn’t reach a conclusion either.

But when the Legislature gaveled out on Monday, members of the Valley’s delegation had their names on 11 bills that cleared both chambers. All but one is waiting on a signature from Gov. Sean Parnell before they’re officially made law. Here’s a rundown:

House Concurrent Resolution 1

Sponsored by Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Butte, the resolution calls for the governor to set up a food resources development working group “to identify resources and set policies to build a strong and sustainable healthy food system in the state.” The resolution seems aimed at both bolstering fishing and agriculture and making Alaska more “food secure” in the event of a disaster cutting off supplies from the Lower 48.

House Concurrent Resolution 2

Sponsored by Rep. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, this one declares Alaska a Purple Heart State in honor of veterans wounded in service to their country.

House Concurrent

Resolution 6

Another one from Hughes, this one both recognizes the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration and the University of Alaska Fairbanks as “a leader in aviation pioneering” and creates a seven-member legislative task force to look into unmanned aircraft issues.

House Bill 15

Rep. Wes Keller, R-Wasilla, introduced this one, which is actually the only one as of Thursday afternoon that had received a signature from Parnell and been made a law. The legislation reclassifies certain heavy duty pickups so as not to require they be registered as commercial vehicles.

House Bill 24

Sponsored by Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Big Lake, and Rep. Doug Isaacson, R-North Pole, this one changes a bit of state law relating to when a person can defend himself or herself. Often compared to so-called “stand your ground” laws in other states, it allows a person to use deadly force to stop a threat if that person is in a place he or she is legally allowed to be. The idea is to get rid of a perceived “duty to retreat” in such situations.

House Bill 33

Sponsored by Neuman, this one is described in a House Majority press release as the Knife Rights Act. It clarifies what is defined as a switchblade or gravity knife to exclude spring-loaded hunting or fishing knives. “Spring-loaded knives are an important tool for working Alaskans, and our outdoorsmen and women. We shouldn’t be punished nor lose our tools to seizure or forfeiture,” the bill says.

House Bill 40

Another one from Hughes, this one carves out a tax exemption that municipalities can offer to farm buildings used for storage.

House Bill 52

Rep. Eric Feige, R-Chickaloon, sponsored this one. The bill tweaks Permanent Fund Dividend rules regarding absences from the state. The idea is to allow lifelong Alaskans serving in the military with full intentions of returning to the state to get checks for the duration, rather than cutting them off at 10 years.

House Bill 83

Keller, who put this one together, says in a press release that this law is aimed at combating federal regulations that conflict with the constitution. In practical terms, it directs the state’s attorney general to notify the Legislature of these kinds of conflicts found during regular reviews of federal law.

House Bill 113

Another one from Feige, this one changes the makeup of the Alaska Fire Standards Council to include a member of the Alaska Professional Fire Fighters Association and a member of the Alaska Fire Chiefs Association.

Senate Bill 85

Sponsored by Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, whose district includes parts of the Valley, this one would create a special license plate fore experimental vehicles.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.