Representative Wes Keller (R)

An Act relating to issuance of drivers' licenses.

Version: CSHB 1(STA) AM
Status: (S) RLS : 2013-04-04
Contact: Forrest Wolfe, 465-4965

This bill enables the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a driver's license for a period of less than five years for persons who have a legal presence in the United States for less than five years. Under current law, an alien visiting the United States with a visa that ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act creating the Knik Crossing Development Corporation as a subsidiary corporation of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and relating to bonds of the Knik Crossing Development Corporation.

Version: 2D CSHB 23(RLS)
Status: (S) FIN : 2013-04-12

An Act relating to self-defense in any place where a person has a right to be.

Version: CSHB 24(JUD)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-11
Contact: Rex Shattuck, 465-2679, Chief of Staff

Alaska Statutes already recognize that we have a right to use deadly force to protect our family, person, and property. HB 24 further clarifies that right exists not only in our home but also in any other place that we have a right to be. This legislation clarifies the individuals' ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act providing for the issuance of one business license for multiple lines of business; and providing for reissuance of a business license to correct a mistake on the license.

Status: (H) FIN : 2013-04-06
Contact: Mary Schlosser, 465-4968

Currently Alaska requires a business license for every line of business operated by a business. This is an unnecessary burden for many small businesses that may perform various lines. For example, an individual that plows driveways in the winter and sells firewood in the fall must ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act establishing a municipal tax exemption for certain farm structures.

Version: CSHB 40(CRA) AM S
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-12
Contact: Ginger Blaisdell, 465-3743

HB 40 supports the agriculture economy in Alaska by allowing municipalities to exempt specific food storage and production buildings for those who derive at least 10% of their income from farming activities. My hope for reducing tax on certain buildings will encourage food storage ...  Sponsor Statement »

2013-02-08 : Farm Exemption Bill Passes House
HB 40 Reduces or Eliminates Taxes for Qualifying Food Storage & Processing Facilities

An Act relating to regulations adopted by the Department of Administration waiving the commercial motor vehicle driving skills test for certain drivers with military commercial motor vehicle experience.

Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-03-29
Contact: Kim Skipper, 465-3783

HB 46 allows the state of Alaska to waive the commercial driver's license road skills test for Alaska military personnel who earned their driving experience operating commercial-grade vehicles in the armed services. The modern U.S. military is a highly mobile force, depending on ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act requiring a party seeking a restraining order, preliminary injunction, or order vacating or staying the operation of a permit affecting an industrial operation to give security in the amount the court considers proper for costs incurred and damages suffered if the industrial operation is wrongfully enjoined or restrained.

Status: (H) JUD : 2013-01-16
Contact: Linda Hay, 465-3715, Committee Aide

Under current law the cost to bring a public litigant lawsuit against a legally permitted project is in effect zero. There is very little risk in bringing a suit. All the risk is borne by the defendants. These actions do shutdown projects at significant costs to working Alaskans, ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act excluding motorcycles and motor-driven cycles from the passenger vehicle rental tax; and providing for an effective date.

Status: Chapter 8 SLA 13 : 2013-05-09
Contact: James Waldo, 465-4919

House Bill 56 will remove the 10% tax on motorcycle rentals. Under the current law, motorcycle rentals are taxed at a rate that is too high for these local, Alaskan businesses. Lowering this rate is critical to protect this growing segment of our tourism industry. Motorcycle rentals ...  Sponsor Statement »

An Act establishing March 29 of each year as Vietnam Veterans Day; and providing for an effective date.

Version: CSHB 67(MLV)
Status: Chapter 3 SLA 13 : 2013-03-27
Contact: Brodie Anderson, 465-3004

In 2012, the United States Senate and the President designated March 29, as Vietnam Veterans Day. It marked the 38th anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat and combat-support units from Vietnam. On March 29, 1973, all U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam, marking an end of the ...  Sponsor Statement »

2013-02-13 : House Approves "Vietnam Veterans Day"
HB 67 Sets Aside March 29 Annually to Honor Servicemen and Women

An Act prohibiting state and municipal agencies from using assets to implement or aid in the implementation of the requirements of certain federal statutes, regulations, rules, and orders that are applied to infringe on a person's right to bear arms or right to due process or that implement or aid in the implementation of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005; exempting certain firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition in this state from federal regulation; declaring certain federal statutes, regulations, rules, and orders unconstitutional under the Constitution of the United States and unenforceable in this state; requiring the attorney general to file any legal action to prevent implementation of a federal statute, regulation, rule, or order that violates the rights of a resident of the state; and providing for an effective date.

Version: SCS CSHB 69(JUD)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-11
Contact: Tom Wright, 465-6618, House Majority Staff

The intent of House Bill 69 is an effort to protect Alaskans' rights to keep and bear arms protected by both the U.S. and Alaska Constitutions. In light of the President's executive orders and legislative proposals, it is important that Alaska protect not only our Second Amendment ...  Sponsor Statement »
•  2010's HB 186

2013-01-16 : Speaker Intros State's Rights Bill Protecting Alaskans' Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Light of Obama Plans

An Act changing the terms 'mental retardation' and 'mentally retarded,' and making conforming changes, in Alaska Statutes.

Version: CSHB 88(HSS)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-02-21
Contact: Vasilios Gialopsos, 465-3879

A society is judged rightly by the manner in which it regards those members who have a disability. Respect and inclusiveness is a hallmark of a compassionate and dignified culture, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the language used for people with intellectual disabilities. ...  Sponsor Statement »

2013-02-08 : House Passes Bill Adopting People First Language
HB 88 Removes Terms "Mental Retardation" & "Mentally Retarded" from Policies

An Act relating to the authorization, monitoring, and operation of charter schools.

Status: (H) EDC : 2013-01-30
Contact: Erick Cordero-Giorgana, 465-4924

Currently, only local school districts can approve or reject public charter school applications. School districts monitor, renew or terminate public charter school contracts. A charter school is a semi-autonomous public school that is mission-based and has some control over its budget, ...  Sponsor Statement »

2013-01-30 : Gattis Introduces Bill to Enhance Public Charter Schools
HB 93 Allows Multiple Authorizers of Public Charter Schools in Alaska

An Act relating to proof of motor vehicle liability insurance; and providing for an effective date.

Version: CSHB 146(TRA)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-13
Contact: Thomas Studler, 465-6879

An Act establishing a public school and school district grading system for purposes of improving accountability and transparency; providing for Alaska strategic educators in public schools; and providing for an effective date.

Status: (H) EDC : 2013-03-01

An Act relating to auctions or raffles for big game harvest permits and to the selection of nonprofit organizations to conduct auctions and raffles for the Department of Fish and Game.

Status: (H) RES : 2013-03-11

An Act defining 'medically necessary abortion' for purposes of making payments under the state Medicaid program.

Status: (H) FIN : 2013-04-06

An Act relating to certain crimes involving controlled substances; and providing for an effective date.

Status: (H) JUD : 2013-03-20

An Act relating to the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy; and providing for an effective date.

Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-13

An Act relating to Department of Public Safety regulations allowing village public safety officers to carry firearms.

Status: (H) CRA : 2013-04-04

Relating to the establishment and operation of a state food resource development working group.

Version: CSHCR 1(EDT)
Status: Transmitted To Governor : 2013-04-01
Contact: Darrell Breese, 465-4958

The passage of House Concurrent Resolution 1 calls on the Governor to establish a state food resource development working group with the primary goal of producing more locally grown and harvested food items to be consumed in Alaska, by Alaskans. In addition, the resolution calls ...  Sponsor Statement »

Proclaiming the state as a Purple Heart State to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation's men and women in uniform wounded or killed by the enemy while serving to protect the freedom enjoyed by all Americans.

Status: Transmitted To Governor : 2013-04-05

Establishing the Joint Committee on Federal Overreach.

Status: (H) FIN : 2013-03-29
Contact: Vasilios Gialopsos, 465-3879

Proclaiming May 15 to be Hmong-American Veterans Memorial Day.

Status: Legis Resolve 8 : 2013-05-09

Relating to awarding the Alaska Decoration of Honor to certain members of the military.

Status: Transmitted To Governor : 2013-04-04
Contact: Kim Skipper, 465-3783

Urging the President of the United States to seek and the United States Congress to approve adequate funding for land conveyance activities for the State of Alaska, Alaska Native corporations, and Alaska Natives under the Alaska Statehood Act, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the Native Allotment Act of 1906, the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Act of 1998, and the Alaska Land Transfer Acceleration Act.

Status: (H) RES : 2013-01-16
Contact: Jeff Turner, 465-3879

When Alaska became a state in 1959 part of the deal included the transfer of 103,300,000 acres of land from the federal government to the new state. The idea was to make sure we had the ability to grow a sustainable economy through tourism, natural resources, fishing and other industries. ...  Sponsor Statement »

Relating to legacy wells and legacy well sites; urging the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, to open new areas of the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska for environmentally responsible oil and gas development; and requesting the Office of the Governor to increase nationwide awareness about legacy wells and well sites.

Version: SCS HJR 6(RES)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-03
Contact: Jeff Turner, 465-3879

2013-01-29 : Alaska Still Waiting for Comprehensive Legacy Well Plan
Resolution Reminds BLM to Clean up Contaminated Well Sites

Urging the United States Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration, development, and production; relating to oil and gas exploration, development, production, and royalties; and relating to renewable and alternative energy technologies.

Status: (H) RLS : 2013-03-01
Contact: Linda Sylvester, 465-4833

Supporting the continued and increased exploration, extraction, processing, and production of rare earth elements in the state; and urging the United States Congress to support efforts of the state to develop rare earth elements in the state for the benefit of the economic and national security of the United States.

Status: (H) RES : 2013-02-15

Encouraging the manufacture of firearms and firearms accessories in the state.

Version: CSHJR 12(EDT)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-10

Requesting the United States Congress, the Governor, and the state's congressional delegation to take actions necessary to delay implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Version: SCS CSHJR 14(HSS) AM S
Status: Returned To (S) RLS : 2013-04-14

Relating to the National Ocean Council, the development of a national ocean policy, and coastal and marine spatial planning.

Version: CSHJR 16(RES) AM
Status: (S) RLS : 2013-04-12

An Act establishing May 10 of each year as Alaska Mining Day; and providing for an effective date.

Version: SB 1(EFD ADD H)
Status: Chapter 6 SLA 13 : 2013-04-12

An Act relating to state and public entity procurement, including the State Procurement Code, procurement preferences, contract awards, the use of small procurement provisions for certain amounts of leased space, the Alaska business license requirement for Alaska bidder and other procurement preferences, the proof of registration of construction contract bidders and offerors, the establishment and maintenance of lists of persons who want to provide supplies or services to the state, state agencies, and state instrumentalities, electronic bids and proposals, the chief procurement officer, small procurements, and writings; relating to the meaning of 'Alaska bidder'; and providing for an effective date.

Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-04

An Act relating to experimental vehicles.

Version: CSSB 85(TRA)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-12

Commending and supporting actions taken by the Office of the Governor, the attorney general, and the commissioner of natural resources to protect the state from federal government incursion into the care and management of state resources and to promote the economic prosperity of the state; and urging the United States Congress and the President of the United States to limit federal government overreach into management of state resources.

Version: HCS CSSJR 2(JUD)
Status: Transmitted To Governor : 2013-03-22

Urging the United States Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration, development, and production; urging the United States Department of the Interior to recognize the private property rights of owners of land in and adjacent to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; relating to oil and gas exploration, development, production, and royalties; and relating to renewable and alternative energy technologies.

Version: HCS CSSSSJR 3(RES)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-11

Urging the United States Congress not to relinquish to the office of the President of the United States the legislative duty to safeguard one of our most fundamental rights; and urging the President of the United States to refrain from any further efforts to restrict ownership of firearms.

Version: HCS SJR 6(JUD) AM H
Status: Transmitted To Governor : 2013-03-22

Supporting the continued and increased exploration, extraction, processing, and production of rare earth elements in the state; and urging the United States Congress to support efforts of the state to develop rare earth elements in the state for the benefit of the economic and national security of the United States.

Version: HCS CSSJR 8(RES)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-11

Relating to the presence and interests of the state and the nation in the Arctic; appreciating the United States' ongoing offer to include a representative of the state on the Arctic Council; relating to icebreakers; and relating to United States Coast Guard operations and facilities in the Arctic.

Version: HCS CSSJR 10(STA)
Status: Await Transmit To Governor : 2013-04-03