3/9/17

Alaska’s public safety commissioner says keeping drugs out of state prisons continues to be a tough task.

3/9/17

The state health commissioner says Alaska cannot absorb a shift in federal responsibility for health care costs back to the states, citing Alaska’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

3/8/17

Alaska’s two U.S. senators met with President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and called the meeting productive.

3/8/17

Alaska marijuana regulators are breathing life into a proposal they killed last month to allow onsite consumption of pot products at retail stores.

Gov. Bill Walker has proposed additional steps aimed at addressing opioid abuse in Alaska.   His legislation introduced Monday includes training for medical providers and limits on initial prescriptions.   Walker recently issued a public health disaster declaration stemming from the abuse of opioids such as heroin and prescription painkillers.   Walker’s bill would allow adult patients to decline opioids as part of a health-care directive and limit to seven days initial prescriptions for outpatient use, with some exceptions.   The bill includes provisions for continuing education in pain management and opioid addiction for medical providers and for daily updates to a controlled substance prescription database.   Walker calls the proposal significant.   Walker previously directed state agencies to pursue grant funding to help combat opioid abuse.

3/6/17

Alaska legislative leaders say they are committed to taking major steps to address the state’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit this year, even if that means working beyond 90 days.

3/3/17

The world’s most famous sled dog race has its ceremonial start Saturday in Anchorage

3/3/17

A lawsuit is challenging Alaska’s practice of using some foster kids’ social security benefits to pay for care without notifying the child.

3/2/17

It soon could be legal to post selfies of marked ballots in Alaska.