Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Who are my Legislators?

Find out who your legislators are by submitting your address in the “Who Represent Me” bubble on the lower right-hand corner of our homepage.
Or contact your local LIO office

Back to Top

How do I contact my Legislator?

You may contact your Legislator by e-mail, mail, or phone. You may also send a Public Opinion Message during the legislative session. For a list of Legislators and their contact information click here:  Legislator List. 

For information regarding Public Opinion Messages click here: Public Opinion Message.

 

If you would like to send an email to your legislator; please use the following email format.

Representatives: Rep.First.Last@akleg.gov

Example: Rep.John.Doe@akleg.gov

Senators: Sen.First.Last@akleg.gov

Example: Sen.John.Doe@akleg.gov

Back to Top

How do I address a letter to my Legislator and where do I send it?

State Senator:
The Honorable...(Full Name)
State Senate
Alaska State Capitol
120 4th Street Rm 3
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Dear Senator (Last Name):

State Representative:
The Honorable...(Full Name)
House of Representatives
Alaska State Capitol
120 4th Street Rm 3
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Dear Representative (Last Name):

Back to Top

What is the composition of the Legislature?

The Alaska Legislature is composed of two bodies: There are 40 members in the House of Representatives and 20 members in the Senate.

The House consists of 22 Republicans, 13 Democrats, 1 independent, 4 non-affiliated. Of the forty Representatives, 15 are women and 25 are men.

The Senate consists 11 Republicans and 9 Democrats. Of the twenty Senators, 5 are women and 15 are men.
For short biographies of your Legislators, click on one of the following links:

House of Representatives
Senate

Back to Top

How does a bill become a law?

A bill becomes a law by going through an introduction, reading, referral, hearing and voting process known as the Legislative Process.  Click on the link for a detailed description of this process.

Back to Top

How do I find information about a bill if all I know is a general topic?

From the Legislative home page, click on the left side bar menu “Bills and Laws”. Select “subject summary” under bills. There will be a list of general topics to choose from, you can read the short titles of the bills and find the one that best matches your inquiry. You can also contact your local Legislative Information Office.

Back to Top

Is there a way of tracking bills?

You can track bills on your own two ways.

By Email: Visit our Bill Tracking Management Facility (BTMF), and create an account. After doing so you will need to create a folder and add bills you would like to be notified on. Make sure the box to receive email notifications is checked on each bill that you add.

By Text: Text a bill number (ex: HB1) to 559-245-2529 to enroll in text alerts. You will receive an enrollment confirmation and instructions on how to stop receiving the alerts.

You can also contact your local Legislative Information Office. Some offices contact interested persons when a bill they are following is scheduled for public testimony. Legislative Information staff are also happy to assist you in understanding the legislative process.

Back to Top        

When does the Legislative session convene?  adjourn?

Dates for the current or upcoming legislative session can be found on our homepage on the right of the page, below the tabs.

The legislature convenes at the capitol each year on the third Tuesday in January. Each legislature has a duration of two years and consists of a "First Regular Session" that meets in odd-numbered years, a "Second Regular Session" that meets in even-numbered years and any special session that the governor or legislature calls. The first and second regular sessions are limited in statute to 90 days (AS 24.05.150), but the constitution allows for 121 days (Article 2, Section 8).

 Back to Top        

How do I contact my local Legislative Information Office?

From the Legislative home page, click on the sidebar menu “Information Offices”. Here you will find addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and links to individual LIO web pages.

Back to Top        

Where can I find a list of the House and Senate standing committees?

From the Legislative home page, click on the side bar menu "PUBLICATIONS", under "Contact Lists" select Committee and Members.  You can also find committee information by selecting the sidebar menu "COMMITTEES"

Back to Top     

How do I send a Public Opinion Message (POM)?

POMs can only be sent during a legislative session and are limited to 50 words or less. Your name and address need to match your voter registration card. To access the program click here. If you have problems or questions, contact your local Legislative Information Office

To have your Legislative Information Office send your POM, call your local LIO. You may also fill out the Public Opinion Message form and fax it to your local Legislative Information Office.

Are there Capitol tours?

Click here for a self-guided Capitol Tour brochure. Also on this web site is a virtual Capitol Tour. For questions about tours of the Capitol call 907-465-3800.


Back to Top