Upper Valley Legislative Update for January 20th, 2017

Tuesday marked the beginning of the new legislative session.

Two Wasilla Republicans, Senator Mike Dunleavy and Representative David Eastman represent the Upper Valley. Both men will sit on multiple committees for the session.

Representative Eastman, a freshman legislator, will sit on the House Rules, Health and Social Services, Fisheries, and Legislative Ethics committees. He is an alternate to the House Legislative Council.

Senator Mike Dunleavy will chair the State Affairs Committee, as well as the finance subcommittees of Administration, Fish and Game, and Education and Early Development. He is a member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Special Committee on the Arctic.

Both men have filed multiple bills as well. Dunleavy and Eastman have mirrored legislation in both the House and Senate to undo Governor Bill Walker’s partial veto of money for Permanent Fund Dividend checks last year. In addition, Senator Dunleavy has sponsored a bill to establish a task force for reading proficiency and dyslexia and a bill addressing adult foster care for severely disabled Alaskans.

David Eastman has filed two bills dealing with food stamps. One bill would prevent the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services from using waivers for work requirements of able-bodied food stamp recipients. The other seeks to disqualify people for food assistance for refusal to cooperate with child support services and for past-due child support.

All of the bills sponsored by Senator Dunleavy and Representative Eastman received committee referrals by Friday.