One bill would expand the use of telehealth care, while another would allow Alaska to join a compact with other states to make it easier for nurses to be licensed in Alaska. Hospital leaders told lawmakers that it’s most important that the state act quickly, no matter the method.
Andrew Kitchenman
State Government Reporter, Alaska Public Media & KTOO
State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.
Alaska House of Representatives passes bill with goal of $1,100 PFD
It still has to pass the Senate, and the amount could be much lower, since Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration has said one of the accounts to be used to pay dividends in the bill is empty.
With deadline looming, Alaska lawmakers still disagree over PFD amount
The Permanent Fund Dividend Division says legislators and Gov. Mike Dunleavy must agree on PFD funding by Wednesday for dividends to be paid on time.
Dunleavy announces Alaska medical school, state scholarships will be funded
Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Wednesday that he had ordered that the WWAMI medical education program and 17 other programs be funded.
As state health officials lay out a plan to help overloaded hospitals, Dunleavy asks Alaskans to consider the vaccine
Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced on Thursday a series of steps intended to help hospitals deal with a surge of COVID-19 cases. They include speeding up the process for allowing licensed health care providers to work in hospitals. The state is also looking to use federally contracted workers to temporarily staff hospitals.
In feud over PFD bill, work grinds to a halt in the House when minority Republican lawmakers refuse to show up for a floor session
The mostly Democratic House majority didn’t have enough members present to reach a quorum.