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HB262 • 2026

NUMBER OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES

An Act increasing the number of superior court judges in the third judicial district; 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
HOUSE RULES BY REQUEST
Last action
2026-05-21
Official status
RTN TO (H) GOV NEXT
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about how the new judge will be selected or if there are additional costs associated with adding this extra judge.

Increase Number of Judges for Third Judicial District

This act increases the number of superior court judges in Alaska's third judicial district and sets an effective date.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the total number of superior court judges from 45 to 46.
  • Adds one more judge specifically for the third judicial district, increasing its count from 28 to 29.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Alaska judiciary system
  • People living in the third judicial district of Alaska

Terms To Know

Judicial Council
A group that helps select and recommend judges to the governor.
Vacancy
An empty position on a court, usually because someone has left or retired.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the new judge will be selected.
  • It is unclear if there are any additional costs associated with adding this extra judge.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-21 3023

    (H) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-20 2857

    (S) VERSION: HB 262

  3. 2026-05-20 2857

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

  4. 2026-05-20 2857

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  5. 2026-05-20 2857

    (S) PASSED Y20 N-

  6. 2026-05-20 2857

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 262

  7. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/20 CAL

  8. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  9. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) RULES TO FIRST SUP CALENDAR 5/19/2026

  10. 2026-05-13 2623

    (S) FN2: (AJS)

  11. 2026-05-13 2623

    (S) NR: OLSON, STEDMAN, KAUFMAN, CRONK

  12. 2026-05-13 2623

    (S) DP: HOFFMAN, MERRICK, KIEHL

  13. 2026-05-13 2623

    (S) FIN RPT 3DP 4NR

  14. 2026-05-12 Min

    (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  15. 2026-05-12 Text

    (S) Moved HB 262 Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --

  16. 2026-05-12 Text

    (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532

  17. 2026-04-24 2340

    (S) FIN

  18. 2026-04-24 2340

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  19. 2026-04-22 2264

    (H) VERSION: HB 262

  20. 2026-04-22 2264

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  21. 2026-04-22 2262

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  22. 2026-04-22 2262

    (H) PASSED Y37 E3

  23. 2026-04-22 2261

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 262

  24. 2026-04-21 2243

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/22 CALENDAR

  25. 2026-04-21 2242

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  26. 2026-04-20 2233

    (H) HELD TO 4/21 CALENDAR

  27. 2026-04-20 2233

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/20/2026

  28. 2026-04-10 Text

    (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled> -- MEETING CANCELED --

  29. 2026-04-10 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 09:00 AM ADAMS 519

  30. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) FN4: (ADM)

  31. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) FN3: (LAW)

  32. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) FN2: (AJS)

  33. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) FN1: (ADM)

  34. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) NR: TOMASZEWSKI

  35. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) DP: JIMMIE, GALVIN, HANNAN, STAPP, ALLARD, BYNUM, JOSEPHSON, SCHRAGE, FOSTER

  36. 2026-04-08 2050

    (H) FIN RPT 9DP 1NR

  37. 2026-04-07 Text

    (H) Moved HB 262 Out of Committee

  38. 2026-04-07 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519

  39. 2026-03-24 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  40. 2026-03-24 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519

  41. 2026-02-09 1584

    (H) FN3: (LAW)

  42. 2026-02-09 1584

    (H) FN2: (AJS)

  43. 2026-02-09 1584

    (H) FN1: (ADM)

  44. 2026-02-09 1584

    (H) DP: UNDERWOOD, KOPP, COSTELLO, MINA, GRAY

  45. 2026-02-09 1584

    (H) JUD RPT 5DP

  46. 2026-02-06 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  47. 2026-02-06 Text

    (H) Moved HB 262 Out of Committee

  48. 2026-02-06 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  49. 2026-02-04 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  50. 2026-02-04 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  51. 2026-02-04 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  52. 2026-01-23 1472

    (H) JUD, FIN

  53. 2026-01-23 1472

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

NUMBER OF SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES
An Act increasing the number of superior court judges in the third judicial district; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0262a -1- HB 262
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1312\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 262

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST

Introduced: 1/23/26
Referred: Judiciary, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act increasing the number of superior court judges in the third judicial district; 1
and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 22.10.120 is amended to read: 4
Sec. 22.10.120. Number of judges. The superior court consists of 46 [45] 5
judges, six of whom shall be judges in the first judicial district, three of whom shall be 6
judges in the second judicial district, 29 [28] of whom shall be judges in the third 7
judicial district, and eight of whom shall be judges in the fourth judicial district. At the 8
time of submitting the names of nominees to the governor to fill a vacancy on the 9
superior court bench, the judicial council shall also designate the district in which the 10
appointee is to reside and serve. 11
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 12