KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Alaska

HB187 • 2026

MEMBERS LEG COUNCIL; LEG BUDGET & AUDIT

An Act relating to the membership of the legislative council; and relating to the membership of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.

Budget
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES COSTELLO, McCabe
Last action
2026-05-07
Official status
(H) RLS
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not listed in the provided metadata or bill excerpt.

Changes to Legislative Council and Budget Committee Membership

This bill changes how members are chosen for two state groups by requiring that each group include at least one member from the minority party.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the legislative council to have at least one member from the minority in both houses.
  • Changes the rule so the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee must include a minority member instead of members from every major political party.
  • Defines 'minority' as an organized group with an elected leader that makes up at least 25 percent of the house membership.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The legislative council
  • The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee
  • Senators and representatives who are appointed to these groups

Terms To Know

Legislative Council
A group made up of the president of the senate, six senators, the speaker of the house, and six representatives.
Minority
An organized group with an elected leader that has at least 25 percent of all members in a house.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not state when these changes will officially start.
  • The text only defines the rules for membership and does not explain how current members are replaced immediately.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-07 2446

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): MCCABE

  2. 2026-05-06 2409

    (H) REFERRED TO RULES

  3. 2026-05-06 2409

    (H) FN1: ZERO(LEG)

  4. 2026-05-06 2409

    (H) DP: VANCE, MCCABE, ST. CLAIR, HOLLAND, HIMSCHOOT, STORY, CARRICK

  5. 2026-05-06 2409

    (H) STA RPT 7DP

  6. 2026-05-05 Text

    (H) Moved HB 187 Out of Committee

  7. 2026-05-05 Text

    (H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120

  8. 2026-04-30 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  9. 2026-04-30 Text

    (H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120

  10. 2025-04-11 671

    (H) STA

  11. 2025-04-11 671

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

MEMBERS LEG COUNCIL; LEG BUDGET & AUDIT
An Act relating to the membership of the legislative council; and relating to the membership of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0187a -1- HB 187
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0858\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 187

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE COSTELLO

Introduced: 4/11/25
Referred: State Affairs

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the membership of the legislative council; and relating to the 1
membership of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 24.20.020 is amended to read: 4
Sec. 24.20.020. Membership. The legislative council is composed of the 5
president of the senate and six other senators appointed by the president, and the 6
speaker of the house of representatives and six other represent atives appointed by the 7
speaker. The membership from each house shall include at least one member from the 8
minority [EACH OF THE TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES]. The appointing 9
authority in each house shall make and announce the appointment or reappointment of 10
members of the council within 15 days after the convening of th e first regular session 11
of each legislature. 12
* Sec. 2. AS 24.20.161 is amended to read: 13
Sec. 24.20.161. Membership. The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee is 14
34-LS0858\A
HB 187 -2- HB0187a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

composed of 10 members: the chairs [CHAIRMEN] of the senate and house finance 1
committees, [;] one member selected from each of the senate and house fina nce 2
committees and appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house, 3
respectively, [;] and three members appointed from each house by the respect ive 4
presiding officer. The chair [CHAIRMAN] of the finance committee may choose not 5
to serve on the committee. If this occurs, the presiding office r of the appropriate house 6
shall appoint a replacement from the finance committee. The mem bership from each 7
house shall include at least one member from the minority [EACH OF THE TWO 8
MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES]. The committee shall select its own chair 9
[CHAIRMAN]. 10
* Sec. 3. AS 24.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 11
Article 4. General Provisions. 12
Sec. 24.20.700. Definition. In this chapter, "minority" means a group of 13
members who have organized and elected a minority leader and who constitute at least 14
25 percent of the total house membership. 15