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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

SB5

Health Insurance for School and University Employees

Last scannedSep 21, 2026, 12:32 AM

In one sentence

This bill allows Alaska schools, universities, and other government units to join state-managed group health insurance or self-insurance programs.

What it does

  • Allows school districts to choose a group health insurance plan selected by the commissioner of administration.
  • Permits participation in a self-insurance program managed by the Department of Administration instead of buying private policies.
  • Requires participating schools to pay their share of costs into the state's group health and life benefits fund.
  • Sets aside up to $100 million from the public education fund to help cover claims for school employees under these plans.
  • Updates existing laws so that regional school boards can manage insurance policies as part of their duties.

Who it affects

  • Employees of Alaska school districts
  • Employees of the University of Alaska
  • Employees of other state governmental units

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill limits total spending from the public education fund for these insurance claims to $100 million.
  • School employers must pay back any funds taken from the public education fund over a period of 10 years.
  • The exact effective date when this law starts is not listed in the provided text.

Plain language

Terms to know

Group insurance coverage
A health plan where a large group, like all school employees, buys one policy together.
Self-insurance coverage
When an organization sets aside its own money to pay for employee medical claims instead of buying insurance from a private company.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSUR An Act relating to group insurance coverage and self-insurance coverage for school district employees, employees of the University of Alaska, and employees of other governmental units in the state; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (S) PRIME SPONSOR CHANGED - MYERS REPLACED HUGHES1558
  2. (S) Minutes (SEDC)Min
  3. (S) Heard & HeldText
  4. (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)Text
  5. (S) REFERRED TO EDUCATION26
  6. (S) EDC, L&C26
  7. (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS26
  8. (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/2526