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HB313 • 2026

EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

An Act relating to professional employee organizations in public schools; and providing for an effective date.

Education Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE BY REQUEST
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
(H) EDC
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Equal Access Rules for School Employee Groups

This law requires Alaska school districts to give all professional employee groups equal access to facilities and meetings if one group is allowed, while banning exclusive deals or naming holidays after specific groups.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires schools to let any professional employee organization use buildings or mail systems if they allow one such group to do so upon request.
  • Mandates that schools offer equal chances for all professional employee organizations to join meetings with new or current staff upon request.
  • Stops school leaders from naming holidays, breaks, or special days after a specific professional employee organization.
  • Forbids giving any single professional employee organization the only right to use school spaces or communication tools.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School district governing bodies in Alaska
  • Professional employee organizations working with public schools

Terms To Know

professional employee organization
A group of professional employees whose main goal is to improve teaching and the professional standing of its members.
governing body
The official leaders or board that runs a specific school district.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law only applies to groups focused on improving instruction and professional status.
  • The rules take effect starting July 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 1644

    (H) REFERRED TO EDUCATION

  2. 2026-02-18 1644

    (H) EDC, L&C

  3. 2026-02-18 1644

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
An Act relating to professional employee organizations in public schools; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB0313a -1- HB 313
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1445\N

HOUSE BILL NO. 313

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE BY REQUEST

Introduced: 2/18/26
Referred: Education, Labor and Commerce

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to professional employee organizations in public schools; and 1
providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.20 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4
Article 8. Professional Employee Organizations. 5
Sec. 14.20.700. Restrictions relating to professional employee 6
organizations in public schools. (a) If the governing body of a school district allows 7
a professional employee organization to 8
(1) use school facilities or school communication systems, including 9
physical or electronic mailboxes, to communicate with or recruit members, the 10
governing body shall allow any professional employee organization equal access upon 11
the request of the organization; 12
(2) attend or participate in an orientation or meeting for new or 13
existing employees, the governing body shall allow any professional employee 14
34-LS1445\N
HB 313 -2- HB0313a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

organization an equal opportunity to participate in the orientation or meeting upon the 1
request of the organization. 2
(b) The governing body of a school district may not 3
(1) use the name or acronym of a professional employee organization 4
to identify a special day, school holiday, or school break on a school district calendar; 5
or 6
(2) grant exclusive access to school facilities or communication 7
systems to a professional employee organization. 8
(c) In this section, "professional employee organization" or "organization" 9
means an organization of professional employees that has as its primary purpose the 10
improvement of instruction and the professional status of its members. 11
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 12