Alaska’s COVID-19 Public Health Disaster Response Extended
Friday PM (SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy yesterday issued a Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration effective 12:00 am, January 15, 2021, until 12:00 am February 14, 2021, due to the continuation of the COVID-19 virus in the State of Alaska.
The Disaster Declaration enables the state’s ongoing response to the increased outbreak of COVID-19 and is necessary to manage the efficient and orderly administration of vaccines to Alaskans and address a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus identified in January 2021.
“While we are making major headway in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Alaskans, administering vaccinations more quickly than most other states, the threat of this virus remains and it is imperative the state’s response is maintained through this disaster declaration,” said Governor Dunleavy.
Election reform bill pre-filed to make it easier to vote in Alaska
House Bill 66 removes barriers to the ballot box at every stage of Alaska s elections
Friday PM (SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - Today, Representative Chris Tuck pre-filed election reform legislation to expand voting access and to modernize Alaska’s elections.
“In November, over 361,000 Alaskans voted. Never in our state’s history have so many Alaskans cast a ballot in an election. Why did so many people vote? I think the answer is crystal clear; vote by mail made it easy. Because of the pandemic, we finally made it convenient for people to vote, and not surprisingly, they voted in record numbers,” said Representative Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage).
Bill to Limit Small Business’ Exposure to COVID Lawsuits Pre-Filed
Friday PM
(R-Palmer) has filed legislation intended to limit small businesses’ liability against frivolous COVID lawsuits.
“COVID brought a lot of new realities for Alaska and for the world in 2020. Working in real-time to find solutions, Alaskan businesses worked diligently to put in place safeguards to operate safely and protect the public from COVID,” said Rep. Johnson. “We need to protect them now.”
HB 4, if passed, would provide businesses with immunity from liability and disciplinary action that might be brought due to exposure to COVID-19.
“Even with dedicated resources, COVID-19 infections are often untraceable. We already have a record number of businesses being forced to close their doors; we can’t allow our already-economically distressed businesses to be dragged into years of expensive litigation”
U.S. Navy to hold virtual public meeting for Gulf of Alaska Maritime Activities Area
Friday PM (SitNews) Silverdale, Washington - The U.S. Navy is hosting upcoming virtual public meetings for the recently prepared draft supplement to the 2011 Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Navy Training Activities Final Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) and the 2016 GOA Navy Training Activities Final Supplemental EIS/OEIS. In the 2020 Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS, the Navy assesses the potential environmental effects associated with continuing periodic military readiness activities in the GOA Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA). The Navy welcomes public review and comments on the 2020 Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS.
Friday PM (SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - With the recent killings of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Tony McDade (and so many others), the nation has drawn even greater attention to the use of police force, particularly within the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.
Last week, Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson (D-Anchorage) pre-filed legislation to address this issue. Senator Gray-Jackson worked with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, Anchorage Police Department, and the Public Safety Employees Association to craft the legislation.
“Our nation has seen too many Americans die because of inadequate policing methods, and for far too long, people of color have been disproportionately the subject of policing injustice,” said Sen. Gray-Jackson. “By working with law enforcement, we can build better relationships and standards to prevent the over-po