Bill > HJR39

This Joint Resolution formally asks the federal government to exempt teachers from a new, steep $100,000 application fee for an H-1B visa, which is a specialized federal document that allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in high-skill occupations. The measure is driven by widespread teacher shortages across Alaska—especially in rural areas and in critical subjects like math, science, and special education—where local school districts currently rely on nearly 500 international educators to keep classrooms staffed. Because a recent 2025 executive order drastically raised the visa cost, Alaska schools face an impossible choice between paying millions of dollars they do not have or losing the teachers their students depend on, prompting the Alaska State Legislature to direct copies of this urgent plea to the President, federal cabinet members, and members of Alaska's congressional delegation.