Latest news with #HouseBill16
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At adjournment, Alaska Legislature leaves elections overhaul, campaign finance bills undone
Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, speaks to the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Legislature adjourned its regular session on Tuesday without finishing work on a major elections bill or a bill reimposing limits on cash donations to election candidates. House Bill 16, the campaign finance bill, and Senate Bill 64, the elections reform legislation, are expected to return when the Legislature resumes work in January, and they could be part of a wave of major legislation that advances through the Capitol early next year. 'We got really close with the election bill, and I think the prospects for passing next year are good,' said Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. 'I expect that we may have a legitimate shot at passing that bill early next session,' he said. Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said that both bills could have gotten legislative approval, but they would have been vetoed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. 'We were told flat out, the governor would veto it, by someone in the governor's office,' Wielechowski said. The governor's communications office did not respond to an email asking whether Wielechowski's statement was accurate. If enacted, HB 16 would, among other things, limit Alaskans to $2,000 in donations per candidate in each two-year election cycle. Alaska currently has no limit on the amount of money a person can donate to a candidate. A ballot measure is slated for the 2026 election, but the restrictions could come into place earlier, if the Legislature approves. SB 64, as currently written, is a broad election reform bill that includes significant changes to the way the state deals with absentee voting. 'I think we are poised and in a position where there will be a number of pieces of significant legislation passed next year, probably early on in the session, and we will be dealing with a number of veto overrides during the session,' Wielechowski said. Wielechowski said the possibilities include an elections bill, a campaign finance bill, the long-awaited pension restoration bill and a bill taxing businesses whose owners are taxed separately from the businesses, known as C-corporations. To avoid a veto, Wielechowski and others said they intend to work with Republicans in the House and Senate minorities to try to garner support for a compromise that could win a veto-proof majority of votes in the Legislature. It takes 40 votes to override a policy veto; the coalition majorities in the House and Senate have a combined 35 members, meaning that additional Republican support would be needed. House Minority Leader Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, said she thinks changes to Senate Bill 64 are needed for any compromise. 'I was really proud of our finance team for helping stop that version of the bill, because it really had some things in there that were not productive and were not representative of our values and what we think should be in an elections bill,' she said. 'I do think there is room to make it better. I just think we weren't a part of that discussion (on advancing the bill), but I think they realized that we have to be, moving forward.' On the campaign finance bill, getting a veto-proof majority is 'possible,' said Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage and the bill's sponsor. 'I've personally spoken to a number of minority members who recognize the need for limits. They were disappointed as well that the bill wasn't taken up. We do have a very high veto threshold, so it'll be a challenge,' Schrage said. 'But as I remind legislators all the time around here, this is going to happen one way or another when this goes to the ballot, so I think we have an opportunity to save the time and expense and put this in place ourselves. If we don't, Alaskans will take action.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alaska lawmakers near final vote on bill to limit state campaign donations
The Alaska and American flags fly in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Legislature is nearing a final vote on a bill that would limit state politicians' ability to accept campaign donations. On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted without objection to advance House Bill 16 to a vote of the full Senate. That vote is expected before lawmakers adjourn their regular session on May 21. The House passed the bill in late April, leaving only the Senate and Gov. Mike Dunleavy as the final potential barriers to enactment. The governor has not commented on the bill but has previously said that he prefers having no limits on campaign donations. HB 16 is identical to a ballot measure slated for a statewide vote in 2026. If HB 16 becomes law, that measure would be canceled, and the 2026 elections would move forward with donation limits in place. HB 16 proposes to limit Alaskans to $2,000 in donations per candidate in each two-year election cycle. For the governor's race, where a lieutenant governor candidate and governor candidate run together on a single ticket, the limit would be $4,000. The limit for donations from one person to a political party or group would be $5,000. If a group wants to donate to a candidate, the limit is $4,000, or $8,000 for the governor's race. Those limits would be adjusted for inflation every 10 years. The new limits are required because a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2021 that the state's prior limits were unconstitutional. The Dunleavy administration declined to appeal that ruling. On Wednesday, Sen. James Kaufman, R-Anchorage, proposed amending the bill to include higher donation limits equivalent to those in federal law. The committee voted down that amendment, and Schrage said he prefers to keep the bill in line with the ballot measure. Doing otherwise could run afoul of a clause of the Alaska Constitution that says the Legislature can override an upcoming ballot measure only if it enacts a law 'substantially similar' to the measure. HB 16 is expected to move in parallel with Senate Bill 64, an elections bill moving toward a final vote in the state House, multiple lawmakers said, meaning that both bills are expected to reach final votes about the same time. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
With lawmakers' help, Alaska political donation limits could come before 2026 election
Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, speaks to the Alaska House of Representatives on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) Four years after a federal appeals court eliminated Alaska's limits on political campaign contributions, the Alaska House of Representatives has taken a step toward reimposing them. On Monday, the House voted 22-18 to approve House Bill 16, which mirrors the language of a ballot measure slated to go before voters in 2026. Alaskans are expected to approve the upcoming measure by a wide margin, based on historical trends, but that approval would bring new limits into effect for the 2028 elections at the earliest. If the Legislature approves a substantially similar bill, it would allow limits for the 2026 election and remove the upcoming initiative from the ballot. 'This is something that Alaskans very clearly want,' said Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage and the sponsor of HB 16. Schrage is also a co-sponsor of the ballot measure. HB 16 proposes to limit Alaskans to $2,000 in donations per candidate in each election cycle. For the governor's race, where a lieutenant governor candidate and governor candidate run together on a single ticket, the limit would be $4,000. The limit for donations from one person to a political party or group would be $5,000. If a group wants to donate to a candidate, the limit is $4,000, or $8,000 for the governor's race. Those limits would be adjusted for inflation every 10 years. Alaska's politicians have been able to collect unlimited amounts of campaign contributions since a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that found the state's prior limits were unconstitutional. In 2021, a three-judge panel of the court ruled that a $500 annual limit — amounting to $1,000 over a two-year cycle — was too low. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that a $1,075 limit set by Missouri in 1998 for a two-year cycle was constitutional; adjusted for inflation, that would be roughly $2,100 today. Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration declined to appeal the 2021 decision, and the Alaska Public Offices Commission implemented it starting with the 2022 election. 'This bill would allow us to reinstate those limits and again provide that protection to Alaskans — and frankly to us as elected officials — in helping to ensure that there is some faith and confidence among Alaskans in their elected officials, acting with integrity and not having undue influence on them by outsized donations,' Schrage said. Each time ballot measures have proposed new limits for political donations, Alaskans have approved them by large margins. Public polling has shown continued large support for new restrictions. Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, has been elected to the House four times and spoke in support of the bill. 'I can tell you that, to me, putting these contribution limits in place will help us do what we should be doing, and that is spending more time discussing and hearing from our constituents, learning about the needs and concerns of the voters that we will hopefully represent, and not thinking about the biggest check writers,' he said. Voting against the bill were 18 members of the House's Republican minority caucus. The only member of the caucus to vote in favor of it was Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna. Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, spoke against the bill and urged lawmakers to reject it. 'I believe in Alaskans' right to free speech, and the courts have ruled that political contributions are free speech,' she said. 'We've gone through an entire election cycle without any limits, and I have not once heard on record any specific Alaskan contributions that have given the appearance or showed proof of corruption,' Vance said. That matters because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that limits on campaign donations are legal only if they are needed to avoid quid-pro-quo corruption or the appearance of corruption. Schrage responded to Vance's point by observing that the Alaska Department of Law has already reviewed the similar campaign-limits ballot measure for constitutionality and found no problems. 'It does not get certified unless the limits herein are viewed by our own administration as being constitutional,' he said. Schrage said that it's clear by state history and opinion polling that Alaskans want to restrict campaign contributions, and that legislators should advance HB 16 to the governor's desk. 'I would just encourage my colleagues here to vote yes on the bill,' he said, 'and listen to their constituents who want to see us do something concrete to improve the trust in their elected officials and in their government.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Water supplies in Texas one step closer to extra boost
AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of Gov. Greg Abbott's priorities for the 89th Legislative Session is nearing reality: a major investment in water. On Monday, the Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met to vote on Senate Bill 7. The bill, if approved, will add $1 billion a year for 50 years to the Texas Water Fund. Following public comment, the committee voted to move the bill forward to the Senate floor, where it will then see a vote. The Texas Water Fund (TWF) is controlled by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Established three years ago, the TWF can be used to support projects that either generate new water supply, like the construction of desalination plants, or repair busted infrastructure. The TWF was started with a billion dollar investment, but experts estimate that will not be enough to support the growing need for water in the state. Nonprofit organization Texas 2036 estimates that the state will need more than $150 billion over the next 50 years to support growing demand. Their report accounted for new industries, growing population, flood control strategies and replacing infrastructure. Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, chairs the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs and has led the charge on SB 7. The bill is one of two filed this session with a focus on growing the TWF. The other, House Bill 16 — written Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine — differs in a few ways. Funds from both bills would be controlled by the TWDB board. They would determine which projects receive funds. 'There isn't a silver bullet. We often say that silver buckshot. You know, it's like a number of things. And infrastructure is one of them. Conservation is one of them. And more innovative, supplies of water is also one of those,' said Dr. Robert Mace, executive director and professor of practice in the department of geography, of the Meadows Center at Texas State. Mace said one of the key parts of Perry's plan is a focus on desalination. These plants take sea water and convert it into drinkable water. 'The Gulf is what allows me to sleep at night thinking about the future of Texas. Because I do see a future where we have, we have desalinated sea water coming up to our urban centers,' Mace said. In Monday's committee meeting, Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo backed the plan during the public comment period. 'We believe that regional water suppliers, like the city of Corpus Christi, are best positioned to develop new water supplies,' Guajardo said. The city recently received approval to build a desalination plant. At least four are planned for the area. Several people spoke out against desalination during the public comment period. Some focused on damage these plants can have to environments along the coast, while others had issue with the cost. Some speakers pushed back against the need to build new infrastructure that would be needed to carry the water from the coast to places like Lubbock. 'You know what's more expensive than desalinated sea water? No water,' Mace said. Mace is this month's featured lecture at the University of Texas' Hot Science Cool Talks lecture series. His session called 'The Future of Texas Water' is scheduled for March 28 at 7 p.m. at UT's Welch Hall. The event is free. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers will debate saving the state's water supply after key legislation is introduced
Texas is one record-breaking drought away from a water crisis, and state leaders want to avoid such a catastrophe with a big investment. Debate on how much to finance and how to spend that money can begin in earnest at the Legislature after state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, introduced Senate Bill 7 Thursday. The legislation — which has been anticipated by Texas' water community all year — addresses a wide range of issues and includes the building of infrastructure that would transport water across the state. "Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat — it's here, and it's already disrupting the lives of Texans across the state," Perry said in a statement. 'The bottom line: We are out of time. Texas must act now to secure a reliable water supply for today and for future generations.' Perry's bill is part of a mix of legislation that would help the state fix aging pipes, expand water supplies, mitigate floods and bolster projects that focus on creating new water supply. Earlier this session, state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, introduced House Bill 16, another sweeping piece of legislation that covers similar topics. 'If we don't dig in and do the hard work of figuring out how to solve this problem for future generations of Texans, then we have done a huge disservice to the people who elected us,' Harris said earlier this month at an event focused on water at the Capitol. [Texas is running out of water. Here's why and what state leaders plan to do about it.] Both men have also filed proposals to funnel up to $1 billion a year to the Texas Water Fund, a special account created in 2023 to help pay for water projects. There is a strong likelihood voters will be asked to approve the spending. Earlier this year, Gov. Greg Abbott called for a 'Texas-sized' investment in water. Texans have proven they're willing to pay for water. Voters overwhelmingly approved spending $1 billion to improve water infrastructure in 2023. There are differences in what the two chambers want Texans to vote on later this year, however. First, Harris' proposal would last for up to 10 years, while Perry's seeks to go on for 16 years beginning in 2027. Funding for the amendment also varies. The Senate resolution would take money from state sales and insurance premium taxes, while the House resolution takes money from just sales tax. The primary dispute is over how that money would be spent: Perry's Senate Joint Resolution 66 calls for a large allocation to projects that create new water supply — such as desalination. Harris' bill — House Joint Resolution 7 — does not specify. Perry has spent months gathering support to direct the bulk of the funding to new water sources. House lawmakers, certain water experts and advocacy groups argue for a more balanced approach. 'It represents two different approaches, and they're going to have to work through the differences on them effectively,' said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network. 'Good policy is a result of compromise and negotiation and we are confident that everyone shares the same goal to secure our water future.' The two chambers will also have to adjudicate differences between Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 16, which have similar aims but many differences in details. For example, Senate Bill 7 would establish the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee for oversight and the Office of Water Supply Conveyance Coordination to improve regional and statewide water infrastructure connectivity. Meanwhile, the House bill would create the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee to oversee operations on each fund and report to the Texas Water Development Board. The legislation packages are meant to secure the state's water supply, which is under threat from the state's expansive growth, climate change and outdated infrastructure that loses billions of gallons of water each year. Texas is booming, with its population projected to swell 73% by 2070. About half of this growth will be concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metro areas. But while the so-called 'Texas Miracle' charges ahead, the state's water supply is falling behind. According to the state's 2022 water plan, water availability is expected to decline by 18%, with groundwater seeing the steepest drop. If water supply can't keep pace with demand, one estimate suggests the state's municipal supply could face a water catastrophe by 2030 if there's a record-breaking drought and certain changes aren't made now. A Texas 2036 report estimated that the state needs nearly $154 billion by 2050 for water infrastructure, including $59 billion for water supply projects, $74 billion for leaky pipes and infrastructure maintenance, and $21 billion to fix broken wastewater systems. Disclosure: Texas 2036 has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. We can't wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
