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HB337 • 2026

EXTEND WEST COAST STORM DISASTER

An Act extending the governor's October 9, 2025, declaration of a disaster emergency in response to the 2025 West Coast Storm; 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
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE
Last action
2026-03-11
Official status
(H) TRB
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about approving and ratifying previous declarations which are not explicitly supported by the official source material. The bill text only mentions extending the original declaration from October 9, 2025.

Extend West Coast Storm Disaster Emergency

This act extends the governor's disaster emergency declaration from October 9, 2025, in response to the 2025 West Coast Storm until March 8, 2026.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the governor’s disaster emergency declaration for the 2025 West Coast Storm from February 6, 2026, to March 8, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The people affected by the 2025 West Coast Storm
  • State agencies involved in disaster relief

Terms To Know

Disaster Emergency Declaration
A formal statement by a governor that a state of emergency exists, allowing for special actions to address the situation.
Ratification
The act of approving and confirming something previously done or declared.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much funding will be provided for disaster relief.
  • Does not detail the specific actions state agencies must take during this extension period.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-11 1826

    (H) MOTION TO DISCHARGE FROM TRB, RULE 48(D), FAILED Y19 N21

  2. 2026-03-11 1823

    (H) RULED OUT OF ORDER, RULE 27(C)

  3. 2026-03-11 1822

    (H) MOTION TO DISCHARGE FROM TRB, RULE 48(D)

  4. 2026-02-23 1686

    (H) REFERRED TO TRIBAL AFFAIRS

  5. 2026-02-23 1686

    (H) TRB, STA

  6. 2026-02-23 1686

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

EXTEND WEST COAST STORM DISASTER
An Act extending the governor's October 9, 2025, declaration of a disaster emergency in response to the 2025 West Coast Storm; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0337a -1- HB 337
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1467\A

HOUSE BILL NO. 337

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE

Introduced: 2/23/26
Referred: House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs, State Affairs

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act extending the governor's October 9, 2025, declaration of a disaster emergency 1
in response to the 2025 West Coast Storm; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 4
to read: 5
FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 6
(1) on October 9, 2025, the governor declared a disaster emergency, following 7
the 2025 West Coast Storm; 8
(2) the condition of the disaster emergency was extended in November of 9
2025, December of 2025, and January of 2026, with the disaster emergency expiring on 10
February 6, 2026; 11
(3) the effects of the storm remains severe, and infrastructure systems from the 12
original storm, as well as ongoing emergency actions, are necessary to respond to those 13
effects; 14
34-LS1467\A
HB 337 -2- HB0337a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(4) under AS 26.23.020(c), "[a] proclamation of disaster emergency may not 1
remain in effect longer than 30 days unless extended by the legislature by a concurrent 2
resolution"; and 3
(5) an additional extension will allow agencies to continue the agencies' 4
emergency response to meet the disaster. 5
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 6
read: 7
WEST COAST STORM DISASTER EMERGENCY: APPROVAL, 8
RATIFICATION, AND EXTENSION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY. (a) The declarations 9
of a disaster emergency for the 2025 West Coast Storm issued by the governor in November 10
of 2025, December of 2025, and January of 2026, are approved and ratified. 11
(b) Under AS 26.23.020(c), the Alaska State Legislature extends the October 9, 2025, 12
disaster emergency declared by the governor for the 2025 West Coast Storm until March 8, 13
2026. 14
* Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 15
read: 16
RETROACTIVITY. Section 2(b) of this Act is retroactive to February 6, 2026. 17
* Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 18