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SB191 • 2026

TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER

An Act approving the transfer of land owned by the Alaska Railroad Corporation to the City of Whittier; and providing for an effective date.

Agriculture Land
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
SENATOR GIESSEL
Last action
2026-03-04
Official status
(S) RLS
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the exact timing of when the land transfer will occur after the bill is passed.

Transfer of Railroad Land to Whittier

This act allows the Alaska Railroad Corporation to transfer approximately 84.8 acres of land in Whittier to the City of Whittier for fair market value.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Alaska Railroad Corporation to convey its interest in about 84.8 acres of land to the City of Whittier at fair market value, subject to existing rights.
  • Details five specific areas within Whittier where the land transfer will take place.
  • Requires both parties to agree on surveying and platting actions before transferring the land.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Alaska Railroad Corporation
  • The City of Whittier

Terms To Know

fair market value
The price at which a willing buyer and seller would agree to buy or sell the land.
surface estate
The top layer of the land that can be used for building, farming, etc., but does not include minerals under the ground.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much money will be exchanged between the Alaska Railroad Corporation and the City of Whittier.
  • Does not provide details on when the land transfer will happen after the bill is passed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 1827

    (S) REFERRED TO RULES

  2. 2026-03-04 1827

    (S) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  3. 2026-03-04 1827

    (S) NR: YUNDT

  4. 2026-03-04 1827

    (S) DP: MERRICK, OLSON, GRAY-JACKSON

  5. 2026-03-04 1827

    (S) CRA RPT 3DP 1NR

  6. 2026-03-03 Text

    (S) Moved SB 191 Out of Committee

  7. 2026-03-03 Text

    (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  8. 2026-02-10 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  9. 2026-02-10 Text

    (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  10. 2026-02-06 1619

    (S) FN1: ZERO(CED)

  11. 2026-02-06 1619

    (S) DP: BJORKMAN, STEDMAN, KIEHL, TOBIN

  12. 2026-02-06 1619

    (S) TRA RPT 4DP

  13. 2026-02-05 Text

    (S) Moved SB 191 Out of Committee

  14. 2026-02-05 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  15. 2025-05-15 Min

    (S) Minutes (STRA)

  16. 2025-05-15 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  17. 2025-05-15 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  18. 2025-05-09 1191

    (S) TRA, CRA

  19. 2025-05-09 1191

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER
An Act approving the transfer of land owned by the Alaska Railroad Corporation to the City of Whittier; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB0191A -1- SB 191
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0968\A

SENATE BILL NO. 191

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY SENATOR GIESSEL

Introduced: 5/9/25
Referred: Transportation, Community and Regional Affairs

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act approving the transfer of land owned by the Alaska Rail road Corporation to 1
the City of Whittier; 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 o f Alaska is amended by adding a new section 4
to read: 5
APPROVAL OF THE TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY TO THE CITY OF 6
WHITTIER. (a) The Alaska Railroad Corporation is authorized to convey the corporation's 7
interest in the surface estate of approximately 84.8 acres of r ail land located within five areas 8
of interest within the City of Whittier to the City of Whittier for fair market value, subject to 9
valid existing rights. The five areas of interest are generally described as follows: 10
(1) approximately 0.8 acres located within Section 23 of Township 8 North, 11
Range 4 East, Seward Meridian that consists of a portion of Parcel B of U.S. Survey No. 12
2559, according to the plat of survey officially filed December 14, 1994, together with a 13
portion of Lot 8 of U.S. Survey 9008, according to the plat of survey officially filed 14
34-LS0968\A
SB 191 -2- SB0191A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

October 12, 1995; 1
(2) approximately 36 acres located within Section 23 of Township 8 North, 2
Range 4 East, Seward Meridian that consists of a portion of Lot 8 of U.S. Survey No. 9008, 3
according to the plat of survey officially filed October 12, 19 95, together with a portion of 4
Parcel A of U.S. Survey No. 2559 according to the plat of surve y officially filed 5
December 14, 1994, in the land records of the federal Bureau of Land Management, 6
Anchorage Field Office; 7
(3) approximately 10.2 acres located within Sections 13, 14, 23, and 24 of 8
Township 8 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian that consists o f Parcels I, J, and H, 9
together with Lot 11 and a portion of Lot 8 of U.S. Survey No. 9008, according to the plat of 10
survey officially filed Octobe r 12, 1995, in the land records o f the federal Bureau of Land 11
Management, Anchorage Field Office; 12
(4) approximately 22.3 acres located within Sections 14, 15, 2 2, and 23 of 13
Township 8 North, Range 4 East, Seward Meridian that consists of Lot 2, Lot 4, and a portion 14
of Lot 8 of U.S. Survey No. 9008, according to the plat of surv ey officially filed October 12, 15
1995, in the land records of the federal Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage Field Office; 16
(5) approximately 15.5 acres loc ated within Section 15 of Town ship 8 North, 17
Range 4 East, Seward Meridian that consists of a portion of Lot 1, U.S. Survey No. 9008, 18
according to the plat of survey officially filed October 12, 19 95, in the land records of the 19
federal Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage Field Office. 20
(b) The legislature recognizes that the real property in the a reas of interest described 21
in (a) of this section includes portions of existing lots, whic h are not currently discrete and 22
separate parcels, and that surveying and platting actions neces sary to convey the real property 23
in the areas of interest described in (a) of this section will change the legal description of the 24
real property. It is the intent of the legislature that the lan d transfer approved in this Act 25
include any land described by a reasonable modification to the legal description of the real 26
property described in (a) of this section to the extent that th e transfer of that land is approved 27
by the board of directors of the Alaska Railroad Corporation un der AS 42.40. The Alaska 28
Railroad Corporation and the City of Whittier shall make and ex ecute an agreement to 29
conduct any necessary surveying and platting actions. 30
(c) In consideration for the conveyance authorized in (a) of t his section, the Alaska 31
34-LS0968\A
SB0191A -3- SB 191
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

Railroad Corporation may accept cash equivalent to the fair mar ket value of the land being 1
conveyed. 2
(d) This section constitutes legislative approval under AS 42.40.285(1) for the Alaska 3
Railroad Corporation to convey its entire interest in the land described in (a) of this section. 4
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 5