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SB258 • 2026

CONTRACT: LICENSING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

An Act relating to contracts for the licensing of software applications.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
SENATOR KIEHL
Last action
2026-05-20
Official status
(S) CONCURRED(H) AM
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Software Licensing Contracts

This act changes how the state can enter into contracts for software applications to ensure it has more freedom in using and installing these programs.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the state to choose which hardware to use when running licensed software, as long as there are no federal requirements or security concerns that limit this choice.
  • Permits the state to buy additional services like cloud hosting or support along with software licenses if it does not affect the state's ability to install and run the software on its chosen hardware.
  • Gives the commissioner of administration the power to make rules about how this act should be followed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The State of Alaska
  • Software vendors who license their applications to the state

Terms To Know

federal accreditation requirement
A rule set by the federal government that a software application must meet before it can be used.
security certification requirement
A standard or test that ensures a software application is secure and meets safety requirements.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not apply to contracts already in place before the effective date.
  • It only applies to software designed for desktop or server hardware, not other types of devices.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-20 2871

    (S) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-20 2871

    (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N-

  3. 2026-05-20 2871

    (S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP

  4. 2026-05-20 3013

    (H) VERSION: HCS SB 258(L&C)

  5. 2026-05-20 3013

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDED

  6. 2026-05-20 2982

    (H) PASSED Y26 N13 A1

  7. 2026-05-20 2982

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HCS SB 258(L&C)

  8. 2026-05-19 Text

    (H) Moved HCS SB 258(L&C) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 8:30 AM --

  9. 2026-05-19 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124

  10. 2026-05-19 2909

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/20 CALENDAR

  11. 2026-05-19 2908

    (H) MOTION TO MOVE TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR WITHDRAWN

  12. 2026-05-19 2908

    (H) L&C HCS ADOPTED Y22 N18

  13. 2026-05-19 2908

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  14. 2026-05-19 2908

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/19/2026

  15. 2026-05-19 2907

    (H) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  16. 2026-05-19 2907

    (H) DP: FRIER, CARRICK, FIELDS, HALL

  17. 2026-05-19 2907

    (H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) 4DP

  18. 2026-05-18 Text

    (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --

  19. 2026-05-18 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 09:30 AM DAVIS 106

  20. 2026-05-06 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  21. 2026-05-06 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  22. 2026-04-29 Text

    (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 5 min. Following Session --

  23. 2026-04-29 Text

    (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124

  24. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) L&C

  25. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  26. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) VERSION: SB 258

  27. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  28. 2026-04-20 2286

    (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1

  29. 2026-04-20 2286

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 258

  30. 2026-04-16 2262

    (S) NOT TAKEN UP 4/16 - ON 4/20 CALENDAR

  31. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/16 CAL

  32. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  33. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/15/2026

  34. 2026-04-10 2192

    (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  35. 2026-04-10 2191

    (S) DP: DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON

  36. 2026-04-10 2191

    (S) NR: BJORKMAN, MERRICK, YUNDT

  37. 2026-04-10 2191

    (S) L&C RPT 3NR 2DP

  38. 2026-04-08 Text

    (S) Moved SB 258 Out of Committee

  39. 2026-04-08 Text

    (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  40. 2026-03-30 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  41. 2026-03-30 Text

    (S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  42. 2026-03-20 1994

    (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  43. 2026-03-20 1994

    (S) DP: DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON

  44. 2026-03-20 1994

    (S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT

  45. 2026-03-20 1994

    (S) CRA RPT 2DP 2NR

  46. 2026-03-19 Text

    (S) Moved SB 258 Out of Committee

  47. 2026-03-19 Text

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

  48. 2026-03-17 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  49. 2026-03-17 Text

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

  50. 2026-02-23 1754

    (S) CRA, L&C

  51. 2026-02-23 1754

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

CONTRACT: LICENSING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS
An Act relating to contracts for the licensing of software applications.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Enrolled SB 258
LAWS OF ALASKA

2026

Source Chapter No.
HCS SB 258(L&C) _______

AN ACT

Relating to contracts for the licensing of software applications.

_______________

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1

-1- Enrolled SB 258

AN ACT

Relating to contracts for the licensing of software applications. 1
_______________ 2
* Section 1. AS 36.90 is amended by adding a new section to read: 3
Sec. 36.90.310. Software licenses. (a) Except for a contract entered into under 4
AS 36.30.300 - 36.30.320, a contract entered into by the state to license a software 5
application designed to run on generally available desktop or server hardware may not 6
limit the state's ability to install or run the software on desktop or server hardware of 7
the state's choosing. 8
(b) This section does not prohibit the state from 9
(1) entering into a contract that includes a restriction that is necessary 10
because of a federal accreditation requirement, a security certification requirement, or 11
the technical architecture of the software application; 12
(2) voluntarily purchasing bundled software, including cloud, hosting, 13
support, or related services, or from negotiating pricing discounts associated with 14
those purchases under a contract that does not otherwise restrict the state's ability to 15

Enrolled SB 258 -2-
install or operate the software application on desktop or server hardware of the state's 1
choosing; or 2
(3) voluntarily purchasing bundled software that is restricted by the 3
vendor for the purpose of discounted rates if the state determines in writing that the 4
restriction is in the best interest of the state. 5
(c) The commissioner of administration may adopt regulations to implement 6
this section. 7
(d) In this section, "state" has the meaning given to "state or a political 8
subdivision of the state" in AS 36.95.010. 9
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 10
read: 11
APPLICABILITY. AS 36.90.310, enacted by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to a contract 12
entered into, renewed, or amended on or after the effective date of sec. 1 of this Act. 13