The Alaska legislature is set to gavel back in for its second year of session this week. Typically, the second year of a legislative session is a sprint because members are used to their roles, and bills don’t need to be reintroduced. There is also less time to get things done, and deals come together quickly, especially in the last month of the session. It may be even more of a sprint this year because attention is likely to be drawn to the 2026 statewide elections, starting with the August primary.
In addition, this session will be defined by transitions. Senators Cathy Tilton and George Rauscher moved from the House to the Senate to replace Shelley Hughes and Mike Shower, who resigned their seats as part of the governor’s race. To fill the vacancies in the House, Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed Steve St. Clair and Garret Nelson. The 2026 session will also be the last for Senator Lyman Hoffman, the longest-serving legislator in state history, and the last of Dunleavy’s administration.
In this environment, we will seek opportunities to advance a civil liberties agenda and remain nimble in tracking legislation that implicates Alaskans’ rights.
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