advocacy, on the menu, state policy

On the Menu 04.3.26

April 3, 2026

By Rachel Lord, Advocacy and Policy Director, AFPC

It was a short but busy week in Juneau! There are no meetings scheduled Friday or Monday. Most members will head home for the long weekend, hopefully ready to return rested for the final weeks of session. 

On Tuesday, Sen. Murkowski met with the joint House and Senate in Juneau. She talked about a pretty full suite of current events, opportunities, and challenges. She encouraged the Legislature to both develop a “legitimate fiscal plan” with fiscal restraint, and also step up to meet the staffing and match funding required to take advantage of federal funding opportunities – including calling out by name the Micro-grants for Food Security program and staffing needed to administer it at the state. Watch her comment here. The full transcript of her remarks is here.

Next Tuesday, Dept. of Transportation Deputy Commissioner and staff will give a presentation on Rural Aviation Updates to the House Transportation Committee at 1PM. At 3:30 on Tuesday, HJR 32 (Rural Health Transformation Program) and SB 187 (prohibiting food dyes in school meals) will be heard with invited testimony in Senate Health & Social Services. Wednesday morning at 8AM House Education will hear HB 12 (free breakfast & lunch in public schools), and at 3:30PM Senate Resources will hear SB 226 (homemade food/reduced oxygen packaging) with public testimony. Thursday at noon there will be a lunch & learn presentation on updates and developments surrounding the Port of Alaska. On Friday afternoon, Senate Resources will again hear SB 208 (ag land leases) and SB 226. On the budget-front, the operating budget (HB 263) was amended and passed out of House Finance this week, it heads next to the House Floor. Senate Finance is scheduled to hear the capital budget bill (SB 214) in committee on Thursday morning.

Check out our food systems calendar for relevant hearings and presentations, and always check akleg.gov for the most up-to-date information.

Updates

SB 269 – Restructuring the Board of Fisheries

Introduced by Senator Hoffman on Monday, this bill would create three regional Boards of five members each, with the 15 members composing the full Board of Fisheries. There would be specific seats for commercial, sport, and subsistence or personal use fisheries, and two members of the public on each. The regions would be the Southeast, the Central, and the Western Board of Fisheries. The bill was heard for the first time in Senate Resources on Friday, March 27.

Tim Grussendorf, staff to Sen. Hoffman, gave a brief overview of the bill. He spoke to the huge amount of work required by Board members, and concerns about all regions of the state not having similar attention. In addition to the restructuring noted above, he spoke to the proposed change in the bill regarding conflict of interest. SB 269 would change the Board’s current policy to reflect that of the Legislature’s – a member will stand and declare a conflict, and if any other member disagrees with that conflict, then the member in question is required to participate and vote. Sen. Meyers asked if they had considered moving the Board of Fish into a structure more similar to the RCA, where members are paid for full-time work. Mr. Grussendorf noted that no, this represents the solution that Sen. Hoffman has considered. Sen. Kawasaki asked about the responsibilities of the regional boards, and if they would set allocations. Mr. Grussendorf said yes – within their regions. For fisheries that cross regional boundaries, they would meet jointly to set allocations. Sen. Kawasaki asked about upstream fisheries, and how that would impact decision-making. There was further discussion around the regional overlaps, the role of the full Board under this proposal, and how members would be required to be from their respective regions. The regional boundaries and membership composition were both noted as flexible for the bill sponsor. Fish stocking oversight was discussed, with a question about inland waters jurisdiction. Sen. Rauscher asked about the fiscal note, and questioned its adequacy for covering the costs of this proposed structure and additional joint meetings. It was acknowledged that it might cost more at first, but they hope it will cost less over time. The bill was held without taking public testimony, and the meeting adjourned. Watch the short hearing here.

SB 130 – Fisheries product development tax credit

SB 130 was introduced in March last year as one of the recommendations from the Alaska Seafood Industry Task Force. The CS would expand the existing Fisheries Product Development Tax Credit to include all fish and shellfish species, establish an expected turnaround time for the Department’s response to a proposed investment, expand the eligibility of the program, and extend the sunset date by three years. SB 130 advanced to the Senate Floor on Tuesday and was discussed and voted on Wednesday morning. Sen. Kiehl gave an overview of the bill, and Sen. Stedman spoke in strong support of the tax credit program and of the bill. Sen. Cronk expressed his appreciation for the bill’s interest in value-added investments for the fisheries, but indicated he would vote no on “the tax break for a billionaire company,” with concerns from his constituents on the trawl industry. Sen. Kiehl presented final comments in strong support of the bill. The Senate passed the bill in a vote of 17-3, with Senators Cronk, Rauscher, and Tilton voting no. It now heads to the House. Watch the floor discussion and vote here.  

SB 208 – Agricultural Land Leasing

SB 208, sponsored by Sen. Bjorkman, received its first hearing in Senate Resources, where the committee adopted a new committee substitute (Version H) as the working draft. Staff Laura Achee explained that the updated bill expands beyond the original leasing concept to include three main components: creating a more flexible, merit-based agricultural leasing program; allowing merit-based sales of agricultural land; and strengthening enforcement of agricultural covenants through civil penalties. She noted that additional revisions are expected in a future CS as conversations with stakeholders and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continue.

Committee discussion focused on how these changes would work in practice. Sen. Kawasaki asked about lease transfers (e.g., upon death), with Achee confirming that clarifying language is forthcoming. Sen. Wielechowski raised multiple questions on agricultural covenants, land sales, timber use, and definitions of “agricultural uses,” emphasizing the need for clarity to avoid unintended loopholes. He also asked about land classification processes, prompting additional input from DNR. Sen. Claman questioned whether the state has the expertise to evaluate farm plans under a merit-based system; Achee noted that the Division of Agriculture is expected to play a consultative role, with details to be developed in regulation. Sen. Giessel highlighted past concerns with soil data in state land sales (specifically the Nenana-Totchaket Agricultural Project) and encouraged stronger collaboration with agricultural experts at the UAF Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension. Sen. Rauscher commented on allowable agricultural uses and raised cost concerns tied to current fair market value leasing requirements. He referenced the handout from Twitter Creek Gardens, which you can see here. DNR staff, including Rachel Longacre (Division of Mining, Land, and Water), provided context on land classification and reaffirmed the department’s role in managing compatible land uses.

Invited testimony came from Emily Garrity (Twitter Creek Gardens), Amy Seitz (Alaska Farm Bureau), and Margaret Adsit (Alaska Farmland Trust). All emphasized the importance of improving land access for farmers, while Seitz and Adsit underscored the need for long-term farmland protections.

The bill was held in committee, with another hearing scheduled. AFPC is not taking a formal position on this bill, but continues to engage with stakeholders (including the Alaska Farm Bureau, Alaska Farmland Trust, and Twitter Creek Gardens) to provide input aligned with our policy framework.  You can watch the hearing here. 

Lunch & Learn Presentation: Permit Out-Migration and Local Access to Fisheries

On Wednesday, Rep. Edgmon sponsored this lunch & learn presentation by Rachel Donkersloot, PhD, Coastal Cultures Research; Courtney Carothers, PhD, University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences; and Joe Nelson, Alaska Federation of Natives Board Co-Chair. This was a fascinating overview of the history of Alaska’s limited entry fishing permitting, and impacts on village communities across coastal Alaska. You can watch the presentation here, and see their slidedeck here.

No Changes This Week:

Check out our bill tracker here to see all the food policy bills we are tracking, and where they are in the legislative process.

Budget

House Finance took up amendments on the operating budget (HB 263) this week. They held marathon meetings for much of Tuesday and Wednesday. They passed the Committee Substitute out just after 11PM on Wednesday night, on a vote of 6-5 with all minority members voting no. 

In addition to specific PFD and supplemental amendments, Finance members submitted 113 amendments to the operating budget (see the packet here). Of direct interest were two, related to the $3M of funding for food banks & pantries added by the Finance Subcommittee:

  • #77, Rep. Jimmie, would reduce by $2M the direct food purchasing funding for Food Banks & Pantries
  • #78, Rep. Bynum, would reduce by $1M the direct food purchasing funding for Food Banks & Pantries

On Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Jimmie moved amendment 77 and then withdrew her amendment after speaking to the concerns about the cost of food and challenges for food pantries to meet the food needs for families. Rep. Bynum then offered amendment 78, to reduce the food purchasing funding by $1M. Rep. Josephson noted from his conversation with Cara Durr, Food Bank of Alaska, they had requested $5M and the subcommittee gave them $3M. He then shared a number of statistics around high increases in food expense and transportation costs, as well as large increases in demand at food banks. Rep. Galvin provided Alaska’s hunger statistics, including 1 in 7 Alaskans facing hunger and 1 in 5 kids. She also spoke to the increased demand, and likely further increasing demand with high energy prices and ongoing displacement from Typhoon Halong. Rep. Tomaszewski spoke of his familiarity with the Fairbanks Food Bank and their excellent operations. He also noted that with the way things are going, they are likely going to see even more need and that he would not be supporting the amendment (though in the end, he did). Rep. Foster spoke to his opposition to the amendment. He’s seen improvements in the distribution network. Rep. Stapp noted that even passing this amendment, there would still be a $2M appropriation and he supports the amendment. He expressed frustration that this was going to be a one-time and now it’s a regular thing, and if it’s going to be ongoing they should just set up a program. Rep. Schrage agreed with the frustration of relying on state funds, and that he supported the reduction that would still leave $2M for the food banks. In wrap up, Rep. Bynum noted that he has a long list of nonprofits and service providers that he would give money to, but there are tremendous needs and not unlimited money. The committee voted to pass the amendment, 6-5, with Reps. Tomaszewski, Bynum, Stapp, Allard, Moore, and Schrage voting yes. With the amendment, there is still $2M in the committee substitute that is heading to the House Floor. You can watch the amendment discussion here. On BASIS, you can also see handwritten notes on the results of all the amendments here, here, and here. 

Alaska State Budget Resources

Upcoming Public Testimony

SB 226 – Homemade Food/Reduced Oxygen Packaging 

Senate Resources
Wednesday, April 8, 3:30 PM

Email testimony to senate.resources@akleg.gov 

Remember – things can (and often will) change! If there is a bill you’re particularly interested in, text the bill number (ie. HB202) to 559-245-2529 and you’ll get text alerts when its status changes!

Hearings can be watched on Gavel/KTOO, and you can check out our calendar of hearings for bills we are watching here. If you’re interested in testifying but don’t know where to start, you can check out our simple “Tips for Testifying” document here.