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HB221 • 2026

ARTS AND CULTURE DAY

An Act establishing the first Friday of every October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES HALL, Galvin, Story, Eischeid, Josephson SENATORS Claman, Yundt, Kawasaki, Dunbar
Last action
2026-05-16
Official status
RTN TO (H) GOV NEXT
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about how the day should be celebrated or if there will be funding provided for events.

Alaska Arts and Culture Day

This act establishes the first Friday of October each year as Alaska Arts and Culture Day.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the first Friday of October each year as Alaska Arts and Culture Day.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who live or work in Alaska
  • Schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies

Terms To Know

Alaska Arts and Culture Day
A special day set aside each year to celebrate arts and culture in Alaska.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the day should be celebrated or what activities are required.
  • It is unclear if there will be funding provided for events on this day.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-16 Alaska State Legislature

    (H) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-15 2665

    (S) VERSION: CSHB 221(STA)

  3. 2026-05-15 2665

    (S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT

  4. 2026-05-15 2670

    (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): YUNDT, KAWASAKI, DUNBAR

  5. 2026-05-15 2665

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  6. 2026-05-15 2665

    (S) PASSED Y20 N-

  7. 2026-05-15 2665

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 221(STA)

  8. 2026-05-14 2645

    (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): CLAMAN

  9. 2026-05-14 2643

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/15 CAL

  10. 2026-05-14 2643

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  11. 2026-05-14 2643

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/2026

  12. 2026-05-11 2566

    (S) FN1: ZERO(GOV/COMBINED)

  13. 2026-05-11 2566

    (S) NR: TILTON, BJORKMAN

  14. 2026-05-11 2566

    (S) DP: KAWASAKI, GRAY-JACKSON

  15. 2026-05-11 2566

    (S) STA RPT 2DP 2NR

  16. 2026-05-07 Text

    (S) Moved CSHB 221(STA) Out of Committee

  17. 2026-05-07 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  18. 2026-04-28 2383

    (S) STA

  19. 2026-04-28 2383

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  20. 2026-04-27 2315

    (H) VERSION: CSHB 221(STA)

  21. 2026-04-27 2315

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  22. 2026-04-27 2314

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): STORY, EISCHEID, JOSEPHSON

  23. 2026-04-27 2311

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  24. 2026-04-27 2311

    (H) PASSED Y37 N3

  25. 2026-04-27 2311

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 221(STA)

  26. 2026-04-27 2310

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  27. 2026-04-27 2310

    (H) STA CS ADOPTED UC

  28. 2026-04-27 2310

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  29. 2026-04-24 2292

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): GALVIN

  30. 2026-04-24 2290

    (H) HELD TO 4/27 CALENDAR

  31. 2026-04-24 2286

    (H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  32. 2026-04-24 2286

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/24/2026

  33. 2026-03-16 1855

    (H) FN1: ZERO(GOV/COMBINED)

  34. 2026-03-16 1855

    (H) NR: HIMSCHOOT

  35. 2026-03-16 1855

    (H) DP: HOLLAND, STORY, CARRICK

  36. 2026-03-16 1855

    (H) STA RPT CS(STA) NEW TITLE 3DP 1NR

  37. 2026-03-12 Min

    (H) Minutes (HSTA)

  38. 2026-03-12 Text

    (H) Moved CSHB 221(STA) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 10 minutes Following Session --

  39. 2026-03-12 Text

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

  40. 2026-03-11 1827

    (H) COSPONSOR REMOVED: JOHNSON

  41. 2026-03-10 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  42. 2026-03-10 Text

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

  43. 2025-05-07 1044

    (H) STA

  44. 2025-05-07 1044

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

ARTS AND CULTURE DAY
An Act establishing the first Friday of every October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0221b -1- CSHB 221(STA)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0957\N

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 221(STA)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Offered: 3/16/26
Referred: Rules

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES HALL, Galvin
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act establishing the first Friday of every October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day; 1
and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 44.12 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read: 4
Sec. 44.12.197. Alaska Arts and Culture Day. Alaska Arts and Culture Day 5
is established on the first Friday of October each year. Alaska Arts and Culture Day 6
may be observed by schools, community groups, and other public and private agencies 7
and individuals with celebratory events, projects, and activities directed at or involving 8
people of all ages to increase awareness and appreciation of arts and culture in the 9
state. 10
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 11