AlaskaAlaska commission would pursue trade and research ties with Ireland
The proposed commission would bring Alaska officials and lawmakers together to pursue trade and investment work with Ireland, with some costs eligible for gift funding.
What it does
A nine-member commission would work on trade, investment, research, and other shared issues between Alaska and Ireland.
The commission would give at least seven days' public notice before meetings and report its findings and recommendations to state leaders each legislative session.
The department could accept public or private gifts for commission costs after collecting donor information. Members would not be paid, and report-writing help would need gift funding.
Argument forThe commission could help Alaska and Ireland find trade, research, and investment opportunities by bringing state officials and lawmakers together.
Argument againstThe commission could depend on gifts to cover travel and report-writing help, while tracking donors would add work.
More detail
The proposed law would establish the Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission within the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. The commission would have five members appointed by the governor, two state representatives appointed by the House speaker, and two senators appointed by the Senate president. Members would serve staggered terms; the first five governor-appointed members would serve one-, two-, or three-year terms. The proposed act would take effect immediately if it became law.
The commission would meet mostly online, give advance public notice, and report its work and gifts to state leaders. The report would include the commission's findings, results, and recommendations, along with details about gifts it received. The commission could meet in person outside Alaska if it decides an in-person meeting is appropriate. The report would list gifts received in the previous year. For gifts totaling more than $50 from a donor, it would also name the donor's job and employer. The report would be due by the 30th day of each regular legislative session and cover gifts received in the previous year.
The department could accept gifts for commission costs, and the commission could use gift money for report-writing help. Public or private gifts could pay for member travel and daily expenses, or other support the commission needs to do its work. Before accepting a gift, the department would have to obtain donor information required for the report and give a copy to the commission. Commission members would serve without pay and could not receive state-authorized travel expenses; travel and daily expenses could be paid from gifts accepted for those costs. The commission could hire report-writing help only if a gift paid for it. The department could not provide staff for that work.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 3(H) VETOED BY Governor Mike Dunleavy 6/24/26Latest
- Jun 17(H) 3:10 P.M. 6/15/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- Jun 10(H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
- May 20(H) COSPONSOR(S): CARRICK
- Vote recorded (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y38 A2 #2972. Result: pass.Lower
- May 20(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 20(H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y38 A2
- May 20(H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP
- May 20(H) CONCUR MESSAGE RECEIVED
- May 19(S) VERSION: SCS CSHB 278(STA)
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y20 N- #2798. Result: pass.Upper
- May 19(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 19(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 19(S) PASSED Y20 N-Major
- May 19(S) STEDMAN
- May 19(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): KAUFMAN, KAWASAKI, YUNDT, OLSON, TOBIN, GRAY-JACKSON, CLAMAN,
- May 19(S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS CSHB 278(STA)Minor
- May 18(S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): RAUSCHER, MERRICK, CRONK, TILTON, STEVENS
- May 18(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/19 CALMinor
- May 18(S) STA SCS ADOPTED UC
- May 18(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 18(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/18/2026
- May 12(S) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED UC
- May 11(S) FIN REFERRAL ADDED
- May 11(S) FN1: INDETERMINATE(CED)
- May 11(S) NR: WIELECHOWSKI
- May 11(S) DP: TILTON, BJORKMAN, GRAY-JACKSON
- May 11(S) AM: KAWASAKI
- May 11(S) STA RPT SCS 1AM 3DP 1NR SAME TITLE
- May 7(S) Minutes (SSTA)
- May 7(S) Moved SCS CSHB 278(STA) Out of Committee
- May 7(S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- May 5(S) Minutes (SSTA)
- May 5(S) Moved CSHB 278(STA) Out of Committee
- May 5(S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Apr 28(S) Minutes (SSTA)
- Apr 28(S) Heard & Held
- Apr 28(S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Mar 30(S) STA
- Mar 30(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Mar 25(H) VERSION: CSHB 278(STA)
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y40 #1956. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)Passed Senate
- Mar 25(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- Mar 25(H) PASSED Y40Passed House
- Mar 25(H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 278(STA)Minor
- Mar 23(H) COSPONSOR(S): JOSEPHSON, STAPP, STORY
- Mar 23(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 3/25 CALENDARMinor
- Mar 23(H) AM NO 1 OFFERED AND WITHDRAWN
- Mar 23(H) STA CS ADOPTED UC
- Mar 23(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- Mar 23(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/23/2026
- Mar 18(H) COSPONSOR(S): BYNUM
- Mar 12(H) COSPONSOR(S): TOMASZEWSKI
- Mar 11(H) FN1: INDETERMINATE(CED)
- Mar 11(H) NR: HIMSCHOOT
- Mar 11(H) DP: MCCABE, VANCE, ST. CLAIR, HOLLAND, STORY, CARRICK
- Mar 11(H) STA RPT CS(STA) 6DP 1NR
- Mar 10(H) Moved CSHB 278(STA) Out of Committee
- Mar 10(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Mar 5(H) Minutes (HSTA)
- Mar 5(H) Heard & Held
- Mar 5(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Feb 25(H) COSPONSOR(S): VANCE
- Feb 24(H) Heard & Held
- Feb 24(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Feb 17(H) Minutes (HSTA)
- Feb 17(H) Scheduled but Not Heard
- Feb 17(H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120
- Feb 2(H) COSPONSOR(S): HALL
- Jan 28(H) COSPONSOR(S): EDGMON
- Jan 23(H) STA
- Jan 23(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSIntroduced
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