Coalition Accomplishments
A Year of Wins for Alaskans
The Alaska House Majority Coalition was built on a simple idea: Democrats, Republicans, and independents from across Alaska can come together on the issues that Alaskans care about and the needs they have. This year put that idea to the test. Facing volatile oil prices and a challenging fiscal environment, the Coalition kept the state's finances on solid ground while delivering real results for schools, families & communities across Alaska. Here's a look at what we accomplished together in 2026.
Education and energy affordability topped the Coalition's priority list, and the results show it. Alaska schools will see $115 million more in funding this year, plus $29 million to help cover rising energy costs, building on the permanent $700-per-student increase the Coalition passed in 2025 over the Governor's veto. An additional $153 million went toward school major maintenance and construction, and the Legislature created a new teacher loan-repayment program to help recruit and retain educators, along with full state funding of school energy costs starting in 2028. On the energy front, the Coalition fully funded Power Cost Equalization at $56 million, doubled the bulk fuel loan cap to $1.5 million, and added $15 million to the fund along with $11 million for heating assistance — all critical steps for Alaskans facing the high cost of staying warm.
None of this was possible without a responsible approach to the budget. The Coalition balanced the budget without dipping into savings or overdrawing the Permanent Fund, passed a larger capital budget, and kept working toward a long-term fiscal plan. When the Governor vetoed the state's transportation match, threatening the 2026 construction season, the Legislature restored $70 million to unlock roughly $600 million in federal dollars. Lawmakers also brought new transparency to oil-tax audits, requiring the state to report oil-tax settlements to the Legislature — a measure the Governor vetoed and the Legislature overrode.
Beyond the budget, the Coalition delivered on public safety and health care. A landmark public safety law brought more than a dozen reforms, including raising the age of consent from 16 to 18 and criminalizing AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Communities recovering from Typhoon Halong received $62.8 million in support, and the Coalition increased funding for regional jails, rural trooper housing, and Village Public Safety Officers. On health care, lawmakers backed the $272 million Rural Health Transformation Program and joined five licensing compacts to bring more providers to Alaska, and expanded pharmacy care so pharmacists can treat common health problems — another veto the Legislature overrode to keep Alaskans' access to care intact.
Every Alaskan felt the impact of this session directly, from a $1,000 Permanent Fund Dividend and a $200 energy relief check for every eligible Alaskan, to new state financing for workforce housing and increased funding for child care, food banks, and senior care.
Not every good idea made it across the finish line — the Governor vetoed a pension for teachers, troopers, firefighters, and other public employees, an elections bill to expand voting access in rural Alaska, and age-appropriate mental health education for schools. The Coalition will keep fighting for those priorities in coming years.
