News & Commentary

In 2017, Clarice Hardy, then a Nome Police dispatcher, reported to police that she was sexually assaulted in her apartment. The morning after the assault, she learned of a video of the incident circulating on social media. Even with her close connection to the Nome Police Department, Hardy was unable to get them to actively investigate her report.

Senators acknowledged what most legislators and engaged members of the public can clearly see from the data provided by the Dunleavy administration during legislative briefings — the system we had before SB 91 didn’t work, so just repealing the bill and going back to that system isn’t the answer.

As America’s oldest watchdog of civil liberties, we find it troubling any time a public official abuses the authority placed with them to silence political views with which they personally disagree. The 1st Amendment makes expressly clear that is not the appropriate role of government.

Today, Mayor Jim Matherly sent the clear message that it is okay to discriminate in Fairbanks by vetoing LGBTQ non-discrimination protections. The mayor has taken this deeply misguided action despite strong support from the Fairbanks City Council.

Fairbanks, AK — By passing Ordinance 6093 yesterday, the City Council took a major step towards stopping discrimination against LGBTQ community members in Fairbanks. We were disappointed the ordinance did not include stronger housing protections; as long as there are loopholes, our LGBTQ friends and neighbors will continue to face unequal treatment in housing.

ACLU of Alaska's February 25, 2019 testimony to the Fairbanks City Council on Ordinance 6093—adding LGBTQ protections to the city's non-discrimination code.

Anchorage, AK – Today, the Alaska Supreme Court struck down a state law and Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) regulation that would have severely limited Medicaid coverage of abortions for low-income women. The decision in State of Alaska v. Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest held that the statute and regulation violated the equal protection guarantee of the Alaska Constitution by creating criteria for Medicaid coverage of abortions not imposed on any other service covered by Medicaid.   

Days after being elected governor of Alaska, Michael Dunleavy requested resignations from more than 1,200 at-will state employees. Those who didn’t resign were later fired. This kind of political retaliation against non-political state workers is an attack on the very foundations of free speech

I can’t begin to adequately express how proud I am of the ACLU of Alaska’s growth last year, and I’m excited to see what they’ll be doing in 2019.