Bethel Rep. Nellie Unangik Jimmie shakes hands with Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (not pictured) after taking her oath of office on Jan. 21 in Juneau. House Speaker Bryce Edgmon (right) watches the ceremony. Jimmie is one of 21 women in the 40-member state House - the most ever.
Money's going to be tight, but a permanent education funding increase rather than another one-time boost is among the essential tasks facing lawmakers this session, state Senate leaders said as the Alaska Legislature gaveled to work on Jan. 21.
Energy and development issues also dominated conversations with lawmakers during the first day of the session, which came the day after President Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking to vastly expand oil and other natural resources production in the state.
However, legislators made it clear that while they support many of Trump's conceptual goals - particularly with expectations of lower oil prices and lower state revenues squeezing the budget in the coming years - they're not willing to embrace an unchecked "drill baby drill" mentality.
"I think it's important for us to think about the fact that we're not a colony to be pillaged," Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, an Anchorage Republican, said during a press conference of Senate leaders.
"By throwing open all of the regulations related to resource development we could be jeopardizing our lands and waters," she said. "This is the time for us to look at managing our own land and water."
Education and energy are the top two declared priorities of the 14-member Senate majority caucus, which consists of nine Democrats and five Republicans. As such, Senate Rules Chair Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, said lawmakers absolutely will consider a permanent increase in the state's per-pupil funding formula for local school districts instead of the one-time-funding approved last year.
"The Base Student Allocation has not been increased since 2017," Wielechowski said. "By increasing the BSA, you give school districts predictability, and that's really what we're hearing from the school districts that they need."
The current BSA in state statute is $5,960 - a mere $30 higher than 2017 - with one-time increases of $340 approved two years ago and $680 a year ago after efforts to pass a permanent increase were rejected by House Republicans.
A permanent increase in the formula equal to last year's one-time boost could mean an additional $440,000 in state aid for the Wrangell School District, almost a 9% boost in total revenues for the 2025-2026 school year. The district faces a deep revenue shortfall without additional state and borough funding.
Dunleavy's proposed budget for next year contains no increase to the BSA. However, he has said he is open to an increase in funding if legislators approve other education policy goals of his, such as more support for charter schools and homeschooling.
Education funding is likely to be the No. 1 priority, with multiple legislators saying that they intend to fast-track a bill to increase the BSA.
"I think the public has made it quite clear they want a long-term solution to the education equation," said Sen. Lyman Hoffman, a Bethel Democrat and co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee. "I would say that there's a much better chance of passing a long-term solution than most people might think," he said.
Supporters of an increase in state funding for schools will confront the reality of a tight budget. The Senate Finance Committee will be working on a budget that lives within the world of lower oil revenues, said Sen. Bert Stedman, a Sitka Republican, who co-chairs the committee. "The hole is significant that the Finance Committee will attempt to balance."
For the first time in eight years, the Alaska House has opened its two-year session without a deadlock over leadership. The 21-member House majority coalition of 19 Democrats and independents plus two Republicans will govern the chamber. They picked Dillingham Independent Rep. Bryce Edgmon to serve as speaker.
Edgmon's selection marked the return to power of a mostly Democratic coalition that controlled the House from 2017 through 2023. A predominantly Republican coalition controlled the House the past two years.
State senators reelected Kodiak Republican Sen. Gary Stevens to lead a mostly Democratic majority coalition in that half of the Capitol.
Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who swore in legislators on Jan. 21, commented on the House membership: "This is the first time in Alaska history that we have had more women than men in this body. There's 21 women and 19 men, so there's history being made already on Day 1 here."
The Alaska Beacon contributed reporting for this story.
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