March 3, 2023

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Despite the days getting noticeably longer, it still feels a lot like winter in Juneau this week. I made the most of the wintery weather last weekend and spent some time on cross country skis. I hope to do the same again this weekend.

Much of this week was spent preparing and participating in the House Education Committee meetings. Typically, the House Education Committee meets three times a week for the purpose of hearing bills and presentations. In addition, we considered and passed my resolution on the Wild Fish Conservancy lawsuit on the House Floor. The resolution was the first piece of legislation sponsored by a House Coalition member to be considered by the House and it gained strong bipartisan support. The budget subcommittee work is ongoing, and visitors continue to stop by for meetings.

If you are going to be in Juneau, please call ahead and set up a time to meet with me. You are always welcome to email me at rep.himschoot@akleg.gov, or call my office at (907) 465-3732, with a question, suggestion or concern.

HJR 5, ALASKA FISHERIES; TROLL FISHERIES, passes the Alaska House of Representatives!

I was encouraged to see the support for HJR 5 during the House Floor session on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The resolution urging the Federal Government and the State of Alaska to continue to defend the troll fishery and do what they can to keep the fishery open, passed by a vote of 35 to 1. It is clear my colleagues in the House will join me in doing everything within our power to keep the troll fleet fishing. The resolution now goes to the Senate for consideration. I am hopeful that the resolution will send a strong message to the Wild Fish Conservancy and those that consume Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest, that the troll fishery about 1,000 miles away from the Southern Resident Killer Whale pod, is not the reason these killer whales are struggling.

Education Committee

As a member of the House Education Committee, I heard a presentation on the state of Alaska school districts by the Alaskan Council of School Administrators, on Monday, February 27, 2023. The presentation provided by Dr. Lisa S. Parady, Executive Director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators and Dr. Bridget Weiss, Juneau Superintendent, detailed how important an increase in the Base Student Allocation is to all schools in the state. Schools are faced with sharp increases in fixed costs such as transportation, fuel and insurance in the face of higher than usual inflation, as well as anticipated additional expenses to implement the Alaska Reads Act. Schools need stable and predictable funding in order to keep their focus on the needs of students. My goal is to provide relief through a meaningful increase in education funding this year, with inflation proofing for the future.

Juneau Life

I take my job and responsibility as a legislator very seriously and spend plenty of my time at the office or working from home. However, this past weekend, after Juneau received over a foot of snow, I enjoyed a sunny afternoon cross country skiing with a friend. It was great to begin the week refreshed and ready! I look forward to continuing to explore Juneau on skis, on foot and by bike.

What You Can Do

File your PFD Application.

The 2023 PFD filing season is now open. The online PFD application will be available until 11:59 PM on March 31, 2023.

The PFD offices will be open to the public on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, except for state holidays. The PFD offices will be closed to the public on Thursdays.

Watch House Education Committee Meetings

This coming Monday, Wednesday and Friday the meetings will be streamed live at 8:00 am. You can find the agendas, review the documents for the hearings, and view archives on the legislative website.

Follow the Legislature and Comment

You can always monitor the legislative calendar for hearings that might interest you. If there is a bill you care about, you can submit written testimony to members of the committee hearing the bill, or contact the Juneau Legislative Information Office or the legislative information office in your community to give verbal testimony.

If there is a bill or resolution you want to follow, you can get an email update every time action is taken on the legislation with the Bill Tracking Management Facility.