JUNEAU – The Alaska House helped strengthen public safety in rural Alaska today when it passed legislation that would update the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) program. Senate Bill 81, which passed 34-2, implements seven recommendations that the bipartisan and bicameral VPSO Working Group made in their report, which was adopted on January 24, 2020.
The work of the FY23 budget subcommittees in the House is coming to a close this week. As standing and policy committee work resumes, I look forward to continuing work to improve rural public safety, advance State partnerships with Tribes, and roll up my sleeves to protect culturally-relevant education.
The regular session of the 32nd Legislature will be moving toward adjournment on May 19, but a special session will immediately convene on May 20 to continue work on the FY22 budgets. The Governor has also called a second special session to convene in August to appropriate federal COVID-relief funds.
A lot of pieces are beginning to come together as we work toward concluding our legislative session for this year. As our global community continues to work through the unknowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am doing everything I can to support certainty for our district and the state.
I hope this finds you healthy and well. The rain and snow continue to fall periodically here in Southeast, but we are feeling the sun return with hints of spring in the air!
Between the ongoing threat of COVID-19 and the State’s budget challenges, we have quite a hill to climb for the work ahead.
