Articles written by Sean Maguire

Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 34



 By Sean Maguire    News    July 19, 2023

Smaller school districts bemoan lack of funding for new reading requirements

Alaska’s smaller school districts, including Wrangell, are concerned about how they can implement a major state education overhaul with limited resources. The Legislature passed the Alaska Reads Act last year, intended to improve student literacy....

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    July 5, 2023

Legislative term-limit supporters try to get initiative on the Alaska ballot

A newly filed ballot measure would set term limits for lawmakers serving in the Alaska Legislature. State legislators would be restricted to serving a maximum of 12 years consecutively in the state House or Senate, and they then would be required to...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    June 21, 2023

Dunleavy, Sullivan criticize Trump indictment before reading it

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Sen. Dan Sullivan, both Alaska Republicans, criticized the Biden administration for filing federal charges against former President Donald Trump. Dunleavy’s statement was issued before the indictment was unsealed June 9 by...

 

State lawmakers will pick up multiple unresolved issues next year

The first session of the 33rd Alaska Legislature adjourned last month, with a lot of issues unresolved. “We were just tied up too much with the issue of the dividend and the budget and how we’re going to pay for things,” said Senate President...

 

Fishermen tell federal official loss of king troll season will be 'a disaster'

More than 100 salmon trollers packed a Sitka meeting on June 7 with sharp questions about the future of their fishery, facing what could be an unprecedented full shutdown of this year’s chinook trolling season. “I’m optimistic, but I’m also...

 

School districts call on Legislature for permanent funding increase next year

Alaska school administrators are welcoming the $175 million in additional one-time funding in this year’s state budget, but warn that they’ll again face large deficits next year. Permanently increasing the base student allocation — the...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    May 24, 2023

Legislators consent to pay raise for themselves, governor and commissioners

Alaska state legislators have failed to block a 67% pay raise for themselves and a roughly 20% salary increase for the governor and his cabinet. Under state law, legislators had until May 15 to pass a bill to block the pay raises — but never took...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    May 10, 2023

Legislature extends Medicaid coverage for new mothers

The Legislature passed a bill Friday extending Medicaid coverage from two months to 12 months for a couple thousand new mothers a year. Senate Bill 58, proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, is intended to prevent gaps in health care coverage and to...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    May 10, 2023

Lawsuit over food stamp delays on hold while state tries to improve service

Alaskans affected by monthslong food stamp delays have agreed to pause their class-action lawsuit against the state, with the Department of Health pledging to clear 50% of the backlog by mid-October. The lawsuit was filed in January on behalf of...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    May 10, 2023

State sued over delays in public assistance benefits

JUNEAU — An Anchorage civil rights law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against the state Department of Health over delays in processing applications for a program that provides assistance for thousands of vulnerable Alaskans. The state’s...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    May 3, 2023

House, Senate versions of state budget match on school funding increase

The Alaska Senate rolled out its latest version of the operating budget on April 26, with a $1,300 Permanent Fund dividend, a $175 million one-time boost for public schools and a $90 million surplus to cover contingencies or if oil prices drop. The...

 

Legislators say not enough time left in session for a sales tax

Almost two weeks after Gov. Mike Dunleavy told lawmakers he would propose a new sales tax, legislators have yet to see the governor’s bill — and are still far from reaching agreement on the state’s fiscal future. Lawmakers broadly agree on the...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    April 26, 2023

State budget battle comes down to school funding and dividend

The budget battle between the Alaska House of Representatives, the Senate and the governor is shaping up as a fight between the size of the Permanent Fund dividend and a proposed increase to public school spending after years of flat funding. Dozens...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    April 26, 2023

Alaska Supreme Court rules political gerrymandering of election districts unconstitutional

In a landmark decision, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled last Friday that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the Alaska Constitution’s equal protection doctrine. The decision follows a contentious reapportionment cycle after the 2020...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    April 19, 2023

PFD, school funding separate House and Senate in final budget weeks

With four weeks left before the May 17 adjournment deadline, legislators are focusing on the state budget and how to resolve big differences between the House and Senate over school funding and the amount of this year’s Permanent Fund dividend....

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    March 29, 2023

House approves funding for more food stamp workers to clear applications backlog

The Alaska House advanced a targeted spending bill March 22, intended to address the state’s unprecedented backlog of unanswered applications for food stamp benefits and a shortage of public defenders in criminal cases. The budget bill is being...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    March 29, 2023

Lower oil prices cut deep hole into state revenues

JUNEAU — Falling oil prices are projected to slice $925 million from state revenues this year and next, bolstering the argument of legislators who support a smaller Permanent Fund dividend this fall and the years beyond. More immediately, lower...

 

State board recommends transgender girls be excluded from girls sports at schools

In an unannounced move, the State Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution March 14 that urges the Alaska Department of Education to limit the participation of transgender girls in girls school sports. The resolution, which is non-binding,...

 

Governor proposes parental-rights legislation and teacher retention bonuses

While education advocates continue to push for increased state funding to Alaska public schools, Gov. Mike Dunleavy last week opted to introduce proposals that would limit sexual education in schools and impose new requirements on...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    February 22, 2023

Budget deficit grows as governor proposes spending to fix problems

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s amended budget unveiled Feb. 15 attempts to address crisis areas in state public services, with the additional spending driving the anticipated budget deficit past $400 million. The proposed budget for the next fiscal year is...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    February 15, 2023

Fewer Alaska students seek scholarships to attend college in-state

The vast majority of Alaska high school students eligible for college scholarships that require them to study in-state are choosing to go Outside, according to a new report from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education. The Alaska...

 

State trying to fix food stamp delays, acknowledges people get frustrated when they're hungry

A month after a major backlog in Alaska’s food stamp application processing surfaced publicly, state officials are scrambling to hire emergency workers to address delays reaching crisis levels for Alaskans who depend on the federal program to feed...

 

Republicans organize state House by including lawmakers from Native rural areas

JUNEAU — A newly formed House majority — comprised of 19 Republicans, two Democrats and two independents — finalized its membership last Thursday, signaling a rightward shift in the chamber after six years of bipartisan coalitions composed...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    January 11, 2023

Average wait time 90 to 120 days for state to process Medicaid applications

Alaska has violated state and federal law by failing to process Medicaid applications in a timely manner, according to an Anchorage-based civil rights law firm that settled a class-action lawsuit in federal court with the state three years ago. The A...

 
 By Sean Maguire    News    November 9, 2022

Former Gov. Sheffield dies at 94; pushed to move Alaska into one time zone

Bill Sheffield, who served as Alaska's fifth governor and survived a brush with impeachment during a decades-long career in public service, died Nov. 4 at his Anchorage home after a long illness. He w...

 

Page Down

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2023