[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6324942,"mediaKeyId","2335222-c7c0cf488d485a3c594c6ee464e9ecb7","parentId",2335222,"title","Committee hears bill to designate March as Alaska Women's History Month; amendment deadline set","audioSeconds",640,"startMs",739000,"endMs",1379000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2335222-c7c0cf488d485a3c594c6ee464e9ecb7&start=739&end=1379","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2335222-c7c0cf488d485a3c594c6ee464e9ecb7/thumbnail_739000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6324942/Alaska/Committee-hears-bill-to-designate-March-as-Alaska-Womens-History-Month-amendment-deadline-set","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6324942-b9b7269223af33efb13d832e5ef6064c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770815505&Signature=azcioWxKVkjTgOuzGBIN-63F-71jZUQQnCHGpaPg1nUPvxxfELQf-3ojUvzScAw6lIMR~K3I53WaK12SHPAM6QzZQ9WQC~8ZNtM8wmSIfJRNjK49n6TnIaZsVjbrlUxv5GQ~t4AA9FnHOrt7qcYobE2sQA-dnpJRB-y98OsXWmz6nhdGIpoIPZSB10IvDUMSN6T8NxiM2Y5cusD0fEaAGr3syDkrFdKwC1cpCl~Erhb31FqV0RJAIDeZRq78NPbWiaFfdLn0Ry7rx5-kMqzkR4Wq6F--84J4j409j5PuKDq7hjSl0VhJF1Q66PY4EnFJTcqMn0LqVAw2vW2Dp0BN9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Alaska Senate State Affairs Committee on Feb. 18 held a first hearing on Senate Bill 43, a measure that would add a new section to Alaska Statute 44.12 establishing March as Women’s History Month and encouraging observance by schools, community groups, public and private agencies and individuals.

Senator Elvi Gray‑Jackson, sponsor of SB 43 and representing District G in Anchorage, described the designation as a way to recognize and elevate the contributions of Alaska women past and present. “This recognition is long overdue,” she told the committee, noting that Alaska’s 2025 legislature includes a historic number of female legislators and that observance would create opportunities for education and celebration across the state.

Deirdre Gowans, staff to Senator Gray‑Jackson, read the bill’s single section into the record and told the committee the section “adds a new section to Alaska Statute 44.12” that establishes March as Women’s History Month and says it “may be observed by schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies, and individuals.” Gowans confirmed the bill does not have a fiscal note.

Invited testimony came from Jesse Lavoie, chief executive officer of the YWCA of Alaska, who said the organization has recognized women leaders for decades through events such as Women of Achievement. “Given the stats that we have here in Alaska… celebrating them in the month of March only makes sense,” Lavoie said. Teresa Jacobson of the Alaska Women’s Leadership Forum also testified in support, saying the designation would “create an opportunity for our state, our schools, communities, and organizations to recognize these contributions” and help inspire future leaders.

The committee set an amendment deadline for SB 43 of Thursday, Feb. 20, and held the bill over for a further hearing. No fiscal implications were reported at this hearing. Committee business then moved on to scheduling and upcoming presentations for future meetings.

SB 43 will return to Senate State Affairs for additional consideration and any amendments by the stated deadline.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SENATE STATE AFFAIRS\t02/18/2025 03:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 43, to officially designate March as Women's History Month in Alaska, received a first hearing Feb. 18 with sponsor testimony and support from the YWCA of Alaska and the Alaska Women's Leadership Forum. The committee set an amendment deadline and held the bill over for further consideration.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6324947,"Senate committee advances address‑confidentiality bill after survivor testimony",443,214000,657000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2335222-c7c0cf488d485a3c594c6ee464e9ecb7&start=214&end=657","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2335222-c7c0cf488d485a3c594c6ee464e9ecb7/thumbnail_214000.jpg","/articles/6324947/Alaska/Senate-committee-advances-addressconfidentiality-bill-after-survivor-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6324947-cf270486094c8e72f7afb7c48fae694e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770815505&Signature=nIpQS5w0Wfbua6F3mHNzmPi4OxdfDVsDFU0g6pLiMN-FbBF5HgDiXTUNHvOZ5N2Yzc5pK-wnP9WlAnZXKLZoL-vjVMGW868CHpmBIYcqEE1wgRCYFsTE2NNqZYlo-M4sW2wUmglC04TTA8oYAGBTrFna0H9J4Lr2qrJqMm0HuOt3MC9zba6ElGjtgIlKO9lbwxNY7oEQTWyg7nh6Q-nZcMCWBxJGo5ve5NCei~oZs5kwZVfxv2Cbt4UStHkjfa4uxXtsAwzqi2EUU~xKF92Ti9XS1BuABXbQgcWiQKUSqDMLB0I6XQiDZ82kYwH6UY3OJ7xPTnjFHa3dXF6FVpf7Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alaska Senate State Affairs Committee on Feb. 18 adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 31, an address‑confidentiality program intended to help people at high risk of domestic violence, and voted to report the bill out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note.

Senator Jesse Kiel, sponsor of SB 31 and senator for District B, told the committee the substitute “tightens the title. It removes the broad phrase relating to the duties of the Department of Administration,” narrowing the bill to the address‑confidentiality program and its effective date so the measure would not become a vehicle for unrelated changes.

The bill matters because it is designed to reduce the risk that people who cause harm will locate survivors through public records. Laurie Morton, deputy director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, told the committee the program would be “one tool and part of a larger safety plan” and that in extreme, high‑danger situations confidentiality can be life‑saving. Morton said the program will delay delivery of first‑class mail and is intended for cases where secrecy is critical. “One life lost to domestic violence is one too many,” she said.

Committee discussion focused on enrollment criteria and program cost. Morton said the network appreciates allowing the Department of Administration to set standards and to permit enrollment in some instances when a protective order is not appropriate because the order itself could increase lethality. Senator Kiel told the committee the department has been “sharpening their pencils” on the fiscal estimate following questions at the bill’s first hearing. The committee chair remarked that the nearly half‑million‑dollar estimate for a program manager and an additional staff position “seems a little bit high,” and said the finance committee will examine the fiscal note more closely.

The committee moved two formal actions: a motion to adopt the committee substitute, made by Senator Grama Jackson, which was discussed and then allowed to proceed; and a motion by Vice Chair Bjorkman that “CS for Senate Bill 31 be reported out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.” Both actions were approved by voice vote with no recorded roll call after the chair called for objections and none were raised.

The bill will go next to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration of the fiscal note and any budgetary changes. The Department of Administration has been working on a revised, tighter fiscal estimate, Senator Kiel said, and the committee recorded the report out with attached fiscal material for that follow‑up review.","The Senate State Affairs Committee adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 31 and reported the bill out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note after testimony from a domestic‑violence survivor‑services advocate and discussion of program costs.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears bill to designate March as Alaska Women's History Month; amendment deadline set

Senate committee advances address‑confidentiality bill after survivor testimony