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CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 169(STA)
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION
BY THE SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Offered: 5/6/26
Referred: Finance
Sponsor(s): SENATOR TOBIN
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act establishing the welcoming Alaska office; establishing the welcoming Alaska 1
center; establishing the Welcoming Alaska Advisory Committee; relating to the state's 2
refugee services program; repealing the office of citizenship assistance; and providing 3
for an effective date." 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 5
* Section 1. AS 23.05 is amended by adding new sections to read: 6
Sec. 23.05.131. Welcoming Alaska office. (a) The welcoming Alaska office is 7
established in the department to promote full participation of immigrants, refugees, 8
and other newcomers as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, 9
social, and civic life of the state, and to advance the state's workforce security. Under 10
the supervision of the executive director, the office shall 11
(1) provide to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers employment 12
information, referrals to employment services, including job placement services, and 13
information about how to access labor unions, administrative agencies, and court 14
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actions to pursue claims or charges of job discrimination, illegal termination of 1
employment, sexual harassment, and unsafe working conditions; 2
(2) serve as the state's coordinating entity among stakeholders, 3
including state agencies and local governments, to align strategies to reduce licensing 4
and other barriers that hinder immigrants, refugees, and newcomers from gaining 5
employment or starting a business; 6
(3) use the education and experience of immigrants, refugees, and 7
newcomers to benefit the economy of the state; 8
(4) contract with other state agencies to develop and administer 9
programs or services that promote entrance into and mobility within the workforce for 10
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 11
(5) consult with stakeholders, including state agencies and local 12
governments, to develop and implement a statewide strategy to support businesses in 13
recruiting and retaining workers who are immigrants, refugees, and newcomers and to 14
support immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in starting and scaling new businesses; 15
(6) advise the commissioner on 16
(A) improving employment opportunities for immigrants, 17
refugees, and newcomers; 18
(B) preventing employment discrimination against immigrants, 19
refugees, and newcomers; 20
(C) cooperating with state and federal agencies to accomplish 21
the office's mission; 22
(D) supporting the economic and social integration of 23
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; and 24
(E) reducing the exploitation of immigrants, refugees, and 25
newcomers; 26
(7) subject to appropriation, offer grants to support the economic and 27
social integration of immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 28
(8) serve as a convener for community-based organizations serving 29
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 30
(9) design and implement strategies and programs to make the state a 31
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more welcoming place for immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 1
(10) serve as a point of contact for all state agencies regarding issues 2
affecting immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 3
(11) subject to appropriation, establish the welcoming Alaska center 4
under AS 25.05.134 and operate a toll-free multilingual hotline for referral of services; 5
(12) coordinate with departments and nonprofit organizations to assist 6
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in improving quality-of-life issues, including 7
access to business opportunities, education, employment, housing, health care, and 8
other services; 9
(13) subject to appropriation, assist political subdivisions with fees and 10
other costs associated with visa applications, recruitment, and housing support for 11
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 12
(14) research and analyze economic and demographic trends to better 13
serve immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 14
(15) coordinate and establish best practices for language access 15
initiatives for all state agencies; 16
(16) serve as an information clearinghouse on information regarding 17
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 18
(17) coordinate refugee programs, including education, training, 19
employment, housing, and medical support and other services, for refugees who no 20
longer receive federal assistance; and 21
(18) make policy recommendations to the governor and the legislature 22
on issues affecting immigrants, refugees, and newcomers. 23
(b) The office may contract with other organizations as appropriate to further 24
the goals of the office. 25
(c) The commissioner shall appoint an individual to serve as the executive 26
director of the office. The executive director is in the partially exempt service under 27
AS 39.25 (State Personnel Act). 28
(d) The department shall adopt regulations necessary to implement this 29
section. 30
Sec. 23.05.132. Welcoming Alaska liaison. (a) Each principal department in 31
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the executive branch shall designate one staff member to serve as a liaison between 1
the department and the office. 2
(b) A liaison shall 3
(1) disseminate information about services offered by the department 4
that are available to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers, department staff, the 5
office, and the public; 6
(2) communicate with the office on issues affecting immigrants, 7
refugees, and newcomers; 8
(3) when applicable, coordinate between the office, the liaison's 9
department, and professional boards within the liaison's department to assist the office 10
with license applications from immigrants, refugees, and newcomers. 11
Sec. 23.05.133. Welcoming Alaska Advisory Committee. (a) The 12
Welcoming Alaska Advisory Committee is established in the department and shall be 13
staffed and administered by the office. The advisory committee consists of the 14
following 13 members: 15
(1) one nonvoting member who is a member of the house of 16
representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 17
(2) one nonvoting member who is a member of the senate appointed by 18
the president of the senate; 19
(3) 11 voting members appointed by the governor as follows: 20
(A) a representative from a nonprofit organization that provides 21
employment or language services to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 22
(B) a representative from a tribal nonprofit organization; 23
(C) a representative from the Alaska Council of School 24
Administrators; 25
(D) a representative from the business and economic 26
development community; 27
(E) a representative from a nonprofit legal services agency that 28
provides services to immigrants and refugees; 29
(F) a representative of a refugee resettlement agency operating 30
in the state; 31
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(G) a representative of a refugee-led or immigrant-service 1
community-based organization; 2
(H) a representative with expertise in workforce development 3
or labor market analysis; 4
(I) a representative from the health care delivery sector; 5
(J) a representative from the criminal justice system; 6
(K) a member of the public. 7
(b) The committee shall 8
(1) assist the office with developing recommendations for policies, 9
procedures, regulations, and legislation to help ensure state government and state 10
programs are accessible and responsive to the needs of immigrants, refugees, and 11
newcomers; 12
(2) work with the office to monitor the work of state agencies to 13
include and retain immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in state programs; 14
(3) conduct public meetings, as requested by the governor or the 15
office, for the public to comment and make suggestions on attracting to and retaining 16
in the state immigrants, refugees, and newcomers and improving the employment 17
opportunities, inclusion in civic matters, and community connections of immigrants, 18
refugees, and newcomers; 19
(4) conduct studies, on request of the governor or the office, on issues 20
affecting immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 21
(5) advise the office on ways to increase outreach to immigrants, 22
refugees, and newcomers; and 23
(6) review budget requests of the office and recommend to the 24
commissioner amounts for appropriations to the office. 25
(c) A voting member of the committee appointed by the governor serves at the 26
pleasure of the governor for staggered terms of four years until reappointed or 27
replaced. If a vacancy occurs among the voting members, the governor shall appoint a 28
member for the unexpired portion of the term. 29
(d) Voting members of the committee shall elect a member to serve as chair. 30
(e) A majority of the committee constitutes a quorum. 31
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(f) The committee shall meet at least twice a year. A meeting may be held at 1
the call of the chair, by request of a majority of the committee, or at the request of the 2
executive director of the office. 3
(g) A member of the committee receives no salary but is entitled to per diem 4
and travel expenses authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180. 5
Sec. 23.05.134. Welcoming Alaska center. (a) Subject to appropriation, the 6
office shall establish a welcoming Alaska center in one or more communities to 7
provide virtual and in-person information and assistance for immigrants, refugees, and 8
newcomers. The office shall prioritize establishing a welcoming Alaska center in an 9
existing state office facility or on a University of Alaska campus that is easily 10
accessible and conveniently located. 11
(b) A welcoming Alaska center shall provide or coordinate the following 12
services for immigrants, refugees, and newcomers: 13
(1) language instruction; 14
(2) employment services and training; and 15
(3) assistance with access to government programs and community 16
services. 17
Sec. 23.05.135. Definitions. In AS 23.05.131 - 23.05.135, 18
(1) "immigrant" has the meaning given in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15) 19
(Immigration and Nationality Act); 20
(2) "newcomer" means a person who moved to the state from another 21
state in the preceding 36 months; 22
(3) "office" means the welcoming Alaska office established under 23
AS 23.05.131; 24
(4) "refugee" has the meaning given in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42) 25
(Immigration and Nationality Act) and includes individuals eligible for services under 26
8 U.S.C. 1521 - 1524 (Refugee Act of 1980) or any successor federal program. 27
* Sec. 2. AS 23.05.131(a), enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, is amended to read: 28
(a) The welcoming Alaska office is established in the department to promote 29
full participation of immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers as self-sufficient 30
individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of the state, and to 31
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advance the state's workforce security. Under the supervision of the executive director, 1
the office shall 2
(1) provide to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers employment 3
information, referrals to employment services, including job placement services, and 4
information about how to access labor unions, administrative agencies, and court 5
actions to pursue claims or charges of job discrimination, illegal termination of 6
employment, sexual harassment, and unsafe working conditions; 7
(2) serve as the state's coordinating entity among stakeholders, 8
including state agencies and local governments, to align strategies to reduce licensing 9
and other barriers that hinder immigrants, refugees, and newcomers from gaining 10
employment or starting a business; 11
(3) use the education and experience of immigrants, refugees, and 12
newcomers to benefit the economy of the state; 13
(4) contract with other state agencies to develop and administer 14
programs or services that promote entrance into and mobility within the workforce for 15
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 16
(5) consult with stakeholders, including state agencies and local 17
governments, to develop and implement a statewide strategy to support businesses in 18
recruiting and retaining workers who are immigrants, refugees, and newcomers and to 19
support immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in starting and scaling new businesses; 20
(6) advise the commissioner on 21
(A) improving employment opportunities for immigrants, 22
refugees, and newcomers; 23
(B) preventing employment discrimination against immigrants, 24
refugees, and newcomers; 25
(C) cooperating with state and federal agencies to accomplish 26
the office's mission; 27
(D) supporting the economic and social integration of 28
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; and 29
(E) reducing the exploitation of immigrants, refugees, and 30
newcomers; 31
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(7) subject to appropriation, offer grants to support the economic and 1
social integration of immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 2
(8) serve as a convener for community-based organizations serving 3
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 4
(9) design and implement strategies and programs to make the state a 5
more welcoming place for immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 6
(10) serve as a point of contact for all state agencies regarding issues 7
affecting immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 8
(11) subject to appropriation, establish the welcoming Alaska center 9
under AS 25.05.134 and operate a toll-free multilingual hotline for referral of services; 10
(12) coordinate with departments and nonprofit organizations to assist 11
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in improving quality-of-life issues, including 12
access to business opportunities, education, employment, housing, health care, and 13
other services; 14
(13) subject to appropriation, assist political subdivisions with fees and 15
other costs associated with visa applications, recruitment, and housing support for 16
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 17
(14) research and analyze economic and demographic trends to better 18
serve immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 19
(15) coordinate and establish best practices for language access 20
initiatives for all state agencies; 21
(16) serve as an information clearinghouse on information regarding 22
immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; 23
(17) coordinate refugee programs, including education, training, 24
employment, housing, and medical support and other services, for refugees who no 25
longer receive federal assistance; [AND] 26
(18) make policy recommendations to the governor and the legislature 27
on issues affecting immigrants, refugees, and newcomers; and 28
(19) serve as the entity responsible for administering the state's 29
refugee services program under 8 U.S.C. 1521 - 1524 (Refugee Act of 1980) and 30
assume responsibilities previously carried out by the state's designee, including 31
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(A) providing or coordinating refugee resettlement, 1
integration, and workforce participation services to support long-term 2
economic self-sufficiency; 3
(B) operating or overseeing refugee support services, 4
including refugee cash and medical assistance as authorized; and 5
(C) collaborating with refugee resettlement agencies, 6
community partners, and refugee-led organizations. 7
* Sec. 3. AS 23.05.131, enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, is amended by adding new subsections 8
to read: 9
(e) The office shall employ an individual to serve as the state refugee 10
coordinator for the state's refugee services program under 8 U.S.C. 1521 - 1524 11
(Refugee Act of 1980). 12
(f) The commissioner of health shall designate an employee in the Department 13
of Health to serve as the coordinator of refugee health services under the state's 14
refugee services program. The coordinator of refugee health services shall work with 15
public health agencies to coordinate the refugee health program in accordance with 16
requirements and guidance from the federal office responsible for refugee resettlement 17
programs. 18
* Sec. 4. AS 39.25.120(c) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 19
(22) the executive director of the welcoming Alaska office. 20
* Sec. 5. AS 23.05.125 is repealed. 21
* Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 22
read: 23
STUDY; REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. The welcoming Alaska office 24
established under AS 23.05.131 shall conduct a study to determine immigration opportunities 25
in the state, establish goals for the welcoming Alaska office, and develop performance 26
indicators to measure progress for the welcoming Alaska office. The study must include input 27
from employers in the state. The welcoming Alaska office shall prepare a report explaining 28
the findings from the study and submit the report by July 1, 2027, to the senate secretary and 29
the chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is 30
available. 31
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* Sec. 7. Sections 2 and 3 of this Act take effect July 1, 2027. 1
* Sec. 8. Except as provided in sec. 7 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 2