Legislative Committee

About the Legislative Committee

Meeting Time: Last Monday from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Committee Chairs: Dianne Blumer, NavigateAK, and Shareen Crosby, Brilliant Media Strategies

Email a request to attend meeting to info@anchoragechamber.org.

Mission

The Legislative Committee works to gather proposed legislation at the state and federal levels that may impact businesses in Anchorage. It communicates directly with the Anchorage Chamber Board of Directors and members in an effort to develop advocacy actions that ensure a successful business climate.

Goals

Develop survey and survey membership for legislative issues of concern for the next year's legislative session
Review standing resolutions and make recommendations to the board for those to carry forward
Develop legislative priorities and advocacy plan for each priority.
- Develop standard language and format for letters of support and public testimony for each priority
- Describe action to be taken for each priority
Review pending legislation and prioritize based on member concerns

2024 Legislative Priorities

Workforce Development

Workforce development and investment are vital to a healthy Alaska economy. The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce members require a diverse, trained, and available workforce to enhance economic stability and prosperity.

Access to a vital, trained workforce ensures Alaska is ready to capitalize on economic opportunities, future growth, and strong dynamic communities. Reductions in program funding and the impacts from the recent pandemic have resulted in fewer educational and training opportunities for Alaska’s workforce and creating a “perfect storm” for employers and business owners.

We encourage the Governor and Legislature to support:

Affordable, quality healthcare
Childcare availability
Affordable housing
Funding and support for education
Increasing reciprocity between states with similar high licensing standards
Expediting licensing and background checks

Diversify Alaska’s Economy

Anchorage Chamber of Commerce members believe strongly in the need to diversify Alaska’s economy. After decades of energy providing the main source of government funding, that has now been surpassed by funding from the Permanent Fund.

The Chamber strongly encourages the State to take steps to diversify the economy to include investments in responsible energy development, minerals, forestry, fish, tourism, airports, construction, the university system, and affordable health care for Alaskans.

A diversified economy also includes support for:

Small businesses
Emerging markets

Investments in Infrastructure

Investing in Alaska’s infrastructure is a key part of building and sustaining a strong and thriving economy. The Anchorage Chamber strongly supports infrastructure improvements that provide predictability and stability for our ports, bridges, and roads throughout the state.

The Port of Alaska plays a critical role in service and delivery to a majority of all Alaskans; therefore, the Anchorage Chamber joins with the Municipality of Anchorage in requesting $100 million from the State of Alaska to assist with the repair, design, and modernization of the cargo facilities at the Port of Alaska. Alaska’s largest and most strategically located port needs $1 billion in funding by 2025 in order to complete the work necessary to ensure the Port’s operational capacity before the dock reaches the end of its design life.

As Alaska is set to receive more than $3 billion over the next five years from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for highway and bridge replacement and repairs, prudent decisions must be made to support the projects that will deliver economic benefits to communities.

Sustainable Fiscal Plan

A sustainable and stable fiscal plan will encourage business development and investment in Alaska. The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce supports attempts to align state spending and revenue by prioritizing essential programs, equitably balancing competing interests for funding, and finding efficiencies and cost savings where possible. Uncertainty around program funding and potential adverse impacts of future revenue measures is detrimental to private investment in Alaska’s economy.

DOWNLOAD 2024 PRIORITIES

Legislative Positions

Committee Meetings

Accomplishments

Initiated 2020 Diversity Program to better serve and advocate for the business community by becoming a more open, inclusive, anddiverse organization reflective of the make-up of Anchorage.
Maintains a vast reach to the community through a streamlined weekly newsletter distributed to nearly 4,000 individuals
Manages the largest Young Professional Group in the state in order to educate and grow the future leaders of Alaska
Continues communication efforts to help local businesses to navigate CARES Act and PPP Application processes
Hosts the largest Military Appreciation Events in Alaska and received citation for efforts for the 25th Anniversary
Formed the Anchorage Gig Economy Network to assist with the expansion of Anchorage's workforce prospects
Coordinates many education sessions including: Chamber Academy, Make it Monday Forum, & CEO Briefings
Cultivates connectivity and networking within the membership through various events throughout the year
Honored by the Small Business Administration as the Alaska Division Veteran Service Advocate
Awarded the Alaska Chamber’s “2018 Local Chamber of Commerce of the Year” Award
Supported and joined OneAlaska which ultimately defeated Ballot Measure 1
Awarded a Five-Star Accreditation in 2019 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Responsibilities

Responsible for the Anchorage Chamber advocacy program including development, implementation, and evaluation
Responsible for considering the needs of our members and the legislative priorities of our board
Responsible for researching and monitoring progress of all proposed legislation in the local, state, and federal arenas relevant to our mission of advancing a successful business climate
Prioritizes proposed legislation on which the Anchorage Chamber can have a significant impact, creates an advocacy strategy, and makes recommendations to the board
Responsible for outreach to as wide an acquaintanceship as possible with key decision makers so that immediate contacts can be made as needed to learn their positions and to present the Anchorage Chamber's viewpoints on issues as they develop
Responsible for developing and implementing an advocacy communications strategy which effectively informs members and engages members to testify, provide, comments, vote, etc. All out-going communications must be shared and approved by appropriate Anchorage Chamber staff (committee notices, mass member emails, website updates, social media entries, etc.)
To operate all advocacy efforts within the budget approved by the board of directors