AlaskaAlaska employers could pay wages by card with free access protections
If the governor signs the measure, Alaska employers could pay workers through payroll cards starting July 1, 2026, with free access features and deposit insurance.
What it does
Employers may pay workers' wages through a payroll card account if the worker agrees or has not authorized deposit of wages under state law.
When paying through payroll cards, employers must explain the card's terms and fees and provide free ways to withdraw wages and check balances. Accounts must meet fee limits and protect wages with deposit insurance.
Argument forEmployees could receive wages on a card with free ways to withdraw money and check balances, while avoiding fees for several basic card services.
Argument againstEmployees could still pay fees for card services outside the listed free services, even though employers must explain the fees and offer some free ways to access wages.
More detail
Employers may pay wages into an employee's payroll card account. This applies to employers paying workers for services performed in Alaska. The employee must voluntarily authorize card payment, or must not have authorized deposit of wages under AS 23.10.043. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2026.
Employers must give information about payroll card terms and provide accounts with free access features. These requirements apply when an employer pays a worker through a payroll card account. An account must provide at least one free withdrawal each week or pay period, whichever is longer, up to the worker's net wages. It must also provide unlimited free balance checks by automated phone system and another electronic method. Employers may not offer accounts that charge fees for signing up, the first card and one replacement card each calendar year, transferring wages to the account, or store purchases. Wages in the account must be insured for the worker by the FDIC, the NCUA, or another insurer of bank deposits. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2026.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 19(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 7/1/26Latest
- Jun 19(S) LAW W/O GOVERNOR SIGNATURE 6/18 CHAPTER 20 SLA 26Major
- Jun 4(S) 10:14 A.M. 6/1/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- May 20(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y38 N2 #2978. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N- #2870. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded (H) FIN HCS ADOPTED Y30 N10 #2977. Result: pass.Lower
- May 20(S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N-
- May 20(S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP
- May 20(H) VERSION: HCS SB 79(FIN)
- May 20(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 20(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 20(H) PASSED Y38 N2Major
- May 20(H) READ THE THIRD TIME HCS SB 79(FIN)Minor
- May 20(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UCMinor
- May 20(H) TECHNICAL TITLE CHANGE
- May 20(H) FIN HCS ADOPTED Y30 N10
- May 20(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 20(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/20/2026
- May 18(H) FN3: ZERO(LWF)
- May 18(H) NR: TOMASZEWSKI, STAPP, ALLARD, MOORE, SCHRAGE, JOSEPHSON
- May 18(H) DP: JIMMIE, GALVIN, HANNAN, BYNUM, FOSTER
- May 18(H) TECHNICAL TITLE CHANGE
- May 18(H) FIN RPT HCS(FIN) NEW TITLE 5DP 6NR
- May 17(H) Moved HCS SB 79(FIN) Out of Committee -- Recessed to a Call of the Chair --
- May 17(H) FINANCE at 09:00 AM ADAMS 519
- May 16(H) Minutes (HFIN)
- May 16(H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to 15 min Following Session --
- May 16(H) FINANCE at 06:00 PM ADAMS 519
- May 16(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- Delayed to a Call of the Chair --
- May 16(H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519
- 2025
- May 18(H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER L&C
- May 18(H) FN2: (CED)
- May 18(H) AM: COULOMBE, CARRICK, SADDLER, NELSON
- May 18(H) DP: BURKE, FIELDS, HALL
- May 18(H) PENDING TITLE CHANGE HCR
- May 18(H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) NEW TITLE 3DP 4AM
- May 16(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- May 16(H) Moved HCS SB 79(L&C) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 4:30 pm --
- May 16(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- May 14(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- May 14(H) Moved HCS SB 79(L&C) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 15 min Following Session --
- May 14(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- May 12(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- May 12(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- May 9(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- May 9(H) Heard & Held
- May 9(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Mar 24(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- Mar 24(H) Heard & Held
- Mar 24(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Mar 19(H) Minutes (HL&C)
- Mar 19(H) Heard & Held
- Mar 19(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Feb 26(H) L&C
- Feb 26(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Feb 24(S) VERSION: SB 79
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1 #344. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)Passed House
- Feb 24(S) PASSED Y19 N- E1Passed Senate
- Feb 24(S) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 79Minor
- Feb 20(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 2/24 CALMinor
- Feb 20(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- Feb 20(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 2/20/2025
- Feb 14(S) FN1: ZERO(LWF)
- Feb 14(S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT
- Feb 14(S) DP: BJORKMAN, GRAY-JACKSON
- Feb 14(S) L&C RPT 2DP 2NR
- Feb 12(S) Minutes (SL&C)
- Feb 12(S) Moved SB 79 Out of Committee
- Feb 12(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Feb 7(S) Minutes (SL&C)
- Feb 7(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 7(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Jan 31(S) L&C
- Jan 31(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSIntroduced
Economy & JobsConsumer Protection