HB316 • 2026

ADJUST DAMAGE LIMIT: PERS INJ/WRG DTH

An Act adjusting for inflation the limit for damages for losses that may be awarded for a personal injury or wrongful death.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVES GRAY, Carrick
Last action: 2026-04-29
Official status: (H) FIN
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, but no specific effective date is listed in the provided text.

HB 316: Adjusting Damage Limits for Inflation

This bill updates the maximum money a court can award in personal injury or wrongful death cases by adjusting current limits based on inflation since 1997.

What This Bill Does

Adjusts damage limits using the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in urban Alaska, compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Updates the standard limit from $400,000 or life expectancy times $8,000 to an inflation-adjusted amount based on changes since 1997.
Updates the higher limit for severe permanent physical impairment or disfigurement from $1,000,000 or life expectancy times $25,000 to an inflation-adjusted amount.

Who It Names or Affects

People filing lawsuits for personal injury in Alaska courts.
Families filing wrongful death claims.
Courts and juries deciding damage awards that include loss of consortium claims arising from a single injury or death.

Terms To Know

Damages: Money awarded by a court for harm caused by an injury or death, including losses like companionship support (loss of consortium).
Consumer Price Index (CPI): A measure used to track price changes over time; this bill uses the CPI for urban Alaska since 1997.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies to damages awarded on or after its effective date.
The exact new dollar amounts are not listed in the text because they depend on future inflation data calculations.
While the bill passed both chambers, an official effective date is not provided in this document.

Bill History

2026-04-29 2344
(H) REFERRED TO FINANCE
2026-04-29 2344
(H) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER L&C
2026-04-24 2277
(H) FN2: ZERO(AJS)
2026-04-24 2277
(H) FN1: INDETERMINATE(ADM)
2026-04-24 2277
(H) AM: SADDLER, D.NELSON
2026-04-24 2277
(H) NR: FIELDS
2026-04-24 2277
(H) DP: FRIER, CARRICK, HALL
2026-04-24 2277
(H) L&C RPT 3DP 1NR 2AM
2026-04-22 Text
(H) Moved HB 316 Out of Committee
2026-04-22 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-15 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-04-15 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-15 Text
(H) <Bill Hearing Canceled> -- Meeting Postponed from 3:15 pm 4/13/2026--
2026-04-15 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124
2026-04-13 Text
(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- Meeting Postponed to 8:00 am 4/15/2026--
2026-04-13 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-08 Text
(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
2026-04-08 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-04-01 2025
(H) COSPONSOR(S): CARRICK
2026-03-30 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-03-30 Text
(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
2026-03-16 1855
(H) FN2: ZERO(AJS)
2026-03-16 1855
(H) FN1: INDETERMINATE(ADM)
2026-03-16 1855
(H) NR: UNDERWOOD, VANCE
2026-03-16 1855
(H) DP: MINA, EISCHEID, GRAY
2026-03-16 1855
(H) JUD RPT 3DP 2NR
2026-03-13 Text
(H) Moved HB 316 Out of Committee
2026-03-13 Text
(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-03-06 Text
(H) Heard & Held
2026-03-06 Text
(H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
2026-02-18 1645
(H) JUD, L&C
2026-02-18 1645
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

ADJUST DAMAGE LIMIT: PERS INJ/WRG DTH
An Act adjusting for inflation the limit for damages for losses that may be awarded for a personal injury or wrongful death.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0316a -1- HB 316
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1463\I

HOUSE BILL NO. 316

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES GRAY, Carrick

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

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act adjusting for inflation the limit for damages for losses that may be awarded for 1
a personal injury or wrongful death." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 09.17.010(b) is amended to read: 4
(b) Except as provided under (c) of this section, the damages awarded by a 5
court or a jury under (a) of this section for all claims, including a loss of consortium 6
claim, arising out of a single injury or death may not exceed $400,000 or the injured 7
person's life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000, adjusted under (e) of this 8
section, whichever is greater. 9
* Sec. 2. AS 09.17.010(c) is amended to read: 10
(c) In an action for personal injury, the damages awarded by a court or jury 11
that are described under (b) of this section may not exceed $1,000,000 or the person's 12
life expectancy in years multiplied by $25,000, whichever is greater, adjusted under 13
(e) of this section, when the damages are awarded for severe permanent physical 14
34-LS1463\I
HB 316 -2- HB0316a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

impairment or severe disfigurement. 1
* Sec. 3. AS 09.17.010 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 2
(e) The maximum amount of damages specified under (b) and (c) of this 3
section shall be adjusted for inflation using 100 percent of the change since 1997 in 4
the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska, compiled by the 5
Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor. 6
* Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 7
read: 8
APPLICABILITY. Sections 1 - 3 of this Act apply to damages awarded on or after the 9
effective date of this Act. 10