Legislator
State Senator
James Kaufman
(R) - Alaska
Alaska Senate District F
In Office
contact info
Capitol Office
State Capitol
120 4th St.
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
120 4th St.
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907-465-4949
Phone 2: 800-478-4950
Anchorage Office
1500 W. Benson Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99503
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-269-0244
Vote Record By Category
| Category | Vote Index | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| All Bills | 85 |
18
|
Rated Bill Votes
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Rating | Vote | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB29 | Insurance Discrimination | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | This bill ensures that elected officials could not be discriminated against in insurance policies. |
| HB66 | Omnibus Crim Law/procedure;civ Commitment | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Court Rule(s) Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | Increases penalty for deaths resulting from drugs such as fentanyl. Aligns AK grand jury admissable evidence to federal grand jury evidence in sexual abuse & sexual assault cases. |
| HB69 | Allowing Downgrading of First Class Cities Due to Population Decrease | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/12/2023 | 1 | Yea | No cost to the State. As a result of population decrease, enables cities to reclassify to a second class city. |
| HB88 | Warehouse Work Quotas | Senate: Third Reading - On Reconsideration Effective Date(s) | 05/14/2024 | -1 | Nay | Increases government interference and regulates private industry re work quotas and tasks. Government should have no role in mandating work tasks in private industry. |
| HB104 | Timber Sale: Expedited/salvage/negotiated | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | This allows the State to sell beetle infested timber and thus reduces fire hazards while using a renewable resource |
| HB126 | Counselors/therapists/review Orgs | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | |
| HB148 | Ak Perform. Scholarship; Edu Tax Credits | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 2 | Yea | This bill extends/expands the education tax credit to companies that support education institutions, including non-public entities. It increases education opportunities for AK students. Also allows APS to be used for CTE programs. Increases time to apply for APS from 6 yrs to 8 yrs following HS graduation thus increasing opportunity for those graduates to choose ed path. |
| HB193 | Internet For Schools | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 03/25/2024 | -1 | Yea | The intent of this bill is good. However, the funding of this effort is not cost-effective. The bill increases the internet download speed from 25mps to 100mps. It would cost $39M using a fiber network. The out years would cost $40M. The use of Starlink at $90/month would be a more cost-effective use at a fraction of the cost of fiber. |
| HB202 | Preserving the Correspondence School program and Opioid overdose administration in schoolsin Schools | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 2 | Yea | This bill preserves the Correspondence (home school) program which serves more than 22,000 students. These students cost much less than a brick&mortar student. Provides K12 students more education choice at a much, much lower cost, saving the State education funds. |
| HB219 | Repeal Assistive Technology Loan Program | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/14/2024 | 1 | Yea | Transfers funding and responsibility from govt to private nonprofit. Reduces government footprint while providing same services to disabled. |
| HB230 | Retired teachers can substitute longer; Out-of-state experience and salary | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/14/2024 | 1 | Yea | This allows retired teachers to substitute for 165 consecutive days. Also counts out-of-state experience fully for salary purposes. The bill should have removed the ceiling on the number of days a retired teacher could teach. |
| HB237 | Temporary Permit For Lapsed Nurse License | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/10/2024 | 1 | Yea | Increases the nursing workforce at no cost to the State. Provides more capability for Alaskan healthcare |
| HB273 | Ahfc Mortgage Loans; Comm. Fishing Loans | Senate: Third Reading - Final Passage Effective Date(s) | 05/14/2024 | 1 | Yea | Changes commercial fishing loans, allowing them to be set at the cost of funds to the state rather than a fixed maximum of 5.25% or 10.5% per year. Increases housing affordability by increasing loan to value percentage. |
| SB34 | Citizen Advisory Comm On Federal Areas | Senate: Shall the Senate Concur in the House Amendment to CSSB 34(FIN) Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | The CACFA provides transparency to Alaskans as it is a sounding board to ensure we have information regarding federal overreach in land access. Ensures federal land management is in accordance with the laws. Provides Alaskans a voice. |
| SB45 | Improved Health Care Agreement-Doctor/Patient Relationship (DHA) | Senate: Effective Date Clause(s) | 04/11/2024 | 2 | Yea | This provides for more competition in health care for most Alaskans. Reinforces doctor/patient relationship. Excludes insurance companies. Helps lower cost. |
| SB74 | Physical Therapy Licensure Compact | EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y18 N1 E1 | 05/11/2023 | 1 | Yea | Reduces obstacles for licensing of physical therapists by accepting other states' licensing. |
| SB75 | Aud. & Speech-lang Interstate Compact | Senate: Effective Date Clause(s) | 05/11/2023 | 1 | Yea | This provides more audiology and speech pathology individuals to practice in Alaska. Reduces barriers through an interstate compact thus increasing the availability of speech pathologists. Reduces hiring time as well. |
| SB91 | Telehealth: Multidisciplinary Care Team | Senate: Shall the Senate Concur in the House Amendment to CSSB 91(FIN) | 05/15/2024 | 1 | Yea | Provides additional health care resources from Outside Alaska. No additional cost to the State. Improves health care options and competition. |
| SB140 | Edu: Internet/charter/transp./funding/bsa | Veto Override | 03/18/2024 | -3 | Yea | This bill increases the BSA by $680, a total increase of $176M. There is no accountability for improving K12 education. Throwing lots of money with no requirement for improving education. It funds internet for schools by $39M, providing fiber (GCI) versus using more cost-effective Starlink at $90.month. Seems to be a sole source vs. providing excellent service at a much lower cost. The vote to override the governor's veto also got a score of -3 because, if successful, it would be law. |
| SB179 | Opposing tax on transfer of real estate by local & state govts | Senate: Shall the Senate Concur in the House Amendment to CSSB 179(CRA) Effective Date(s) | 05/15/2024 | 2 | Yea | Prohibits local and state governments from from taxing real estate sales/transfers |
Rated Sponored Bills
| Bill | Bill Name | Rating | Comments |
|---|