AlaskaAlaska schools would get mental health guidelines and parent notice
If adopted, the measure would direct Alaska’s state education board to develop mental health teaching guidelines within two years and require advance notice to parents.
What it does
The state education board would develop age-appropriate mental health guidelines using science-based content and consulting health agencies, tribal health organizations, and mental health groups.
Local school boards would notify parents at least two weeks before a class or program provides mental health instruction to their child.
Public school districts would be encouraged to offer kindergarten through grade 12 health education, including mental health and personal safety.
The state education department would establish and fund a specialist to coordinate health education statewide, with funds also provided for materials, district help, and teacher training.
The state education board would report the mental health guidelines and explain how it developed them.
Argument forScience-based, age-appropriate guidelines could help schools choose mental health lessons that fit students’ needs.
Argument againstThe limits on guideline content could leave the state board less room to include material it considers relevant to students’ mental health.
More detail
The state education board would develop guidelines for age-appropriate mental health lessons. The guidelines would address mental health instruction in public schools. The board would use medically and scientifically based content and leave out political, ideological, or advocacy content unrelated to student mental health. The board would consult state health and family services agencies, regional tribal health organizations, and state and national mental health groups. The board would have to develop the guidelines within two years after the Act’s effective date.
Local school boards would give parents advance notice before mental health instruction. The notice would cover any class or program that provides mental health instruction to a child. Notice would be due at least two weeks before the class or program is provided.
Public school districts would be encouraged to offer health education that includes mental health and personal safety. The program would cover kindergarten through grade 12 in each district in Alaska’s public school system. Offering the program is encouraged, not required.
The state education department would establish and fund a statewide school health education specialist position. The specialist would coordinate the health education program statewide. The text also says adequate funds should be provided for curriculum and resource development, help for school districts, and teacher training in health and personal safety education.
The state education board would report on its mental health guidelines and how it developed them. The report would include the guidelines for age-appropriate mental health instruction and describe the process used to develop them. The board would send the report to the senate secretary and the house chief clerk, then notify the legislature that it is available. The report would be due two years after the Act’s effective date. The board would have to develop the guidelines within that same two-year period.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 19(S) JOINT SESSION at 01:00 PM HOUSE CHAMBERLatest
- Vote recorded (S) GOVERNOR VETO SUSTAINED Y38 N22 #3039. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 19(S) GOVERNOR VETO SUSTAINED Y38 N22
- Jun 19(S) MOTION TO OVERRIDE VETO
- Jun 19(S) VETOED BY Governor Mike Dunleavy 6/18/26Major
- Jun 4(S) 10:14 A.M. 6/1/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- May 15(S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y17 N3
- Vote recorded (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y17 N3 #2654. Result: pass.Upper
- May 15(S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP
- May 14(H) VERSION: SB 41 AM H
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y27 N13 #2595. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 14(H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): BYNUM, MINA, GRAY
- May 14(H) PASSED Y27 N13Major
- May 14(H) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 41 AM HMinor
- May 13(H) NOT TAKEN UP 5/13 - ON 5/14 CALENDAR
- May 12(H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): FRIER, DIBERT, JOSEPHSON, HIMSCHOOT, HALL
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 2 FAILED Y20 N20 # 2510. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 3 FAILED Y20 N20 # 2511. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded (H) AM NO 1 FAILED Y19 N21 # 2509. Result: fail.Lower
- May 12(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/13 CALENDARMinor
- May 12(H) AM NO 4 ADOPTED UCMajor
- May 12(H) AM NO 3 FAILED Y20 N20Minor
- May 12(H) AM NO 2 FAILED Y20 N20Minor
- May 12(H) AM NO 1 FAILED Y19 N21Minor
- May 12(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 12(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/12/2026
- Apr 24(H) FN5: ZERO(DOH)
- Apr 24(H) FN4: ZERO(DFC)
- Apr 24(H) FN3: (EED)
- Apr 24(H) NR: TOMASZEWSKI
- Apr 24(H) DNP: ALLARD
- Apr 24(H) DP: JIMMIE, BYNUM, GALVIN, HANNAN, MOORE, STAPP, SCHRAGE, JOSEPHSON, FOSTER
- Apr 24(H) FIN RPT 9DP 1DNP 1NR
- Apr 22(H) Minutes (HFIN)
- Apr 22(H) Moved SB 41 Out of Committee
- Apr 22(H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519
- Apr 13(H) FIN
- Apr 13(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Apr 10(S) VERSION: SB 41
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y19 N1 #2198. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)Passed House
- Apr 10(S) PASSED Y19 N1Passed Senate
- Apr 10(S) COSPONSOR(S): HOFFMAN, CRONK
- Apr 10(S) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 41Minor
- Apr 8(S) COSPONSOR(S): TOBIN, KAWASAKI
- Apr 8(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/10 CALMinor
- Apr 8(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- Apr 8(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/8/2026
- Apr 1(S) Moved SB 41 Out of Committee
- Apr 1(S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
- Apr 1(S) FN5: ZERO(DOH)
- Apr 1(S) FN4: ZERO(DFC)
- Apr 1(S) FN3: (EED)
- Apr 1(S) NR: STEDMAN, KAUFMAN, CRONK, MERRICK
- Apr 1(S) DP: OLSON, HOFFMAN, KIEHL
- Apr 1(S) FIN RPT 3DP 4NR
- Mar 10(S) Minutes (SFIN)
- Mar 10(S) Heard & Held
- Mar 10(S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
- Jun 19(S) JOINT SESSION at 01:00 PM HOUSE CHAMBERLatest
- 2025
- Feb 28(S) FN2: ZERO(DFC)
- Feb 28(S) FN1: (EED)
- Feb 28(S) NR: BJORKMAN
- Feb 28(S) DP: TOBIN, CRONK, STEVENS, KIEHL
- Feb 28(S) EDC RPT 4DP 1NR
- Feb 26(S) Minutes (SEDC)
- Feb 26(S) Moved SB 41 Out of Committee **Streamed live on AKL.tv**
- Feb 26(S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Feb 24(S) Minutes (SEDC)
- Feb 24(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 24(S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Feb 21(S) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Feb 21(S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Feb 12(S) Minutes (SEDC)
- Feb 12(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 12(S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Feb 5(S) COSPONSOR(S): GIESSEL, DUNBAR
- Feb 3(S) -- Invited & Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Feb 3(S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Jan 22(S) EDC, FIN
- Jan 22(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Jan 22(S) Prefile released 1/17/25Introduced
EducationMental Health