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HB20 • 2026

PROHIBIT FEES FOR PAPER DOCUMENTS

An Act relating to fees for paper documents; relating to unfair trade practices; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES SADDLER, Fields, Josephson
Last action
2026-03-25
Official status
(S) JUD
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

No Fees for Paper Documents

This act stops insurance companies and businesses from charging extra money to give out paper documents like statements or invoices.

What This Bill Does

  • Forbids insurance companies from charging more for giving customers paper documents such as statements, invoices, notices, or other similar papers.
  • Prohibits businesses from charging extra fees when providing paper statements, invoices, notices, or other documents to customers.
  • Allows the director of a relevant department to make rules about how this law works and enforce it.
  • Adds a new rule that says breaking the no-fee-for-paper-documents rule is an unfair trade practice.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Insurance companies
  • Businesses

Terms To Know

Unfair trade practices
Actions by businesses that are not fair or honest and can hurt customers or competitors.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not stop companies from charging for duplicate copies of documents.
  • It is unclear how strictly this rule will be enforced until regulations are made.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  2. 2026-03-25 Text

    (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  3. 2026-03-05 1844

    (S) REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

  4. 2026-03-05 1844

    (S) JUD, L&C

  5. 2026-03-05 1844

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  6. 2026-03-04 1780

    (H) VERSION: CSHB 20(JUD)

  7. 2026-03-04 1780

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  8. 2026-03-04 1779

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): JOSEPHSON

  9. 2026-03-04 1777

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) ADOPTED Y40

  10. 2026-03-04 1777

    (H) PASSED Y26 N14

  11. 2026-03-04 1776

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 20(JUD)

  12. 2026-03-04 1776

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  13. 2026-03-04 1776

    (H) JUD CS ADOPTED UC

  14. 2026-03-04 1776

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  15. 2026-03-04 1776

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/4/2026

  16. 2026-02-06 1568

    (H) FN2: ZERO(CED)

  17. 2026-02-06 1568

    (H) NR: GRAY

  18. 2026-02-06 1568

    (H) DP: UNDERWOOD, EISCHEID, KOPP, MINA, VANCE

  19. 2026-02-06 1568

    (H) JUD RPT CS(JUD) NEW TITLE 5DP 1NR

  20. 2026-02-04 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  21. 2026-02-04 Text

    (H) Moved CSHB 20(JUD) Out of Committee

  22. 2026-02-04 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  23. 2026-01-28 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  24. 2026-01-28 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  25. 2026-01-28 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  26. 2025-05-18 1279

    (H) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  27. 2025-05-18 1279

    (H) NR: COULOMBE, CARRICK, NELSON

  28. 2025-05-18 1279

    (H) DP: BURKE, SADDLER, FIELDS

  29. 2025-05-18 1279

    (H) L&C RPT 3DP 3NR

  30. 2025-05-16 Text

    (H) Moved HB 20 Out of Committee -- Delayed to 4:30 pm --

  31. 2025-05-16 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  32. 2025-05-15 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  33. 2025-05-15 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 09:00 AM BARNES 124

  34. 2025-05-14 Text

    (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to 15 min Following Session --

  35. 2025-05-14 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  36. 2025-05-12 Text

    (H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- MEETING CANCELED --

  37. 2025-05-12 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  38. 2025-02-21 229

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): FIELDS

  39. 2025-02-19 Min

    (H) Minutes (HL&C)

  40. 2025-02-19 Text

    (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>

  41. 2025-02-19 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  42. 2025-02-14 Min

    (H) Minutes (HL&C)

  43. 2025-02-14 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  44. 2025-02-14 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  45. 2025-01-22 36

    (H) L&C, JUD

  46. 2025-01-22 36

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  47. 2025-01-22 36

    (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

PROHIBIT FEES FOR PAPER DOCUMENTS
An Act relating to fees for paper documents; relating to unfair trade practices; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0020b -1- CSHB 20(JUD)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0237\I

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 20(JUD)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Offered: 2/6/26
Referred: Rules

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES SADDLER, Fields, Josephson
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to fees for paper documents; relating to unfair trade practices; and 1
providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 21.36 is amended by adding a new section to article 5 to read: 4
Sec. 21.36.530. Fee for paper documents. (a) An insurer may not charge an 5
additional fee or impose a different rate for providing a paper statement, invoice, 6
notice, or other document. 7
(b) This section does not prohibit an insurer from charging a fee for providing 8
a duplicate copy of a paper statement, invoice, notice, or other document that has 9
already been provided. 10
(c) The director may adopt regulations to implement, define, and enforce this 11
section. 12
* Sec. 2. AS 45.45 is amended by adding a new section to article 13 to read: 13
Sec. 45.45.940. Fee for paper documents. (a) A business may not charge an 14
34-LS0237\I
CSHB 20(JUD) -2- HB0020b
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

additional fee or impose a different rate for providing a paper statement, invoice, 1
notice, or other document. 2
(b) This section does not prohibit a business from charging a fee for providing 3
a duplicate copy of a paper statement, invoice, notice, or other document that has 4
already been provided. 5
(c) In this section, "business" has the meaning given in AS 43.70.110. 6
* Sec. 3. AS 45.50.471(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 7
(58) violating AS 45.45.940 (paper document fees). 8
* Sec. 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2027. 9