# Alaska HB 23: STATE COMMISSION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Alaska HB 23, STATE COMMISSION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, is a 34th Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Andy Josephson (Democratic); status vetoed, last action 2026-06-20 ((H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/18/26); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB23-34
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Alaska HB 23
- State: Alaska
- Session: 34th Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: STATE COMMISSION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
- Status: vetoed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2026-06-20, (H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/18/26
- Sponsor: Andy Josephson (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More workplace protections for nonprofit workers: benefit, high. Beginning January 1, 2027, more nonprofit workers gain Alaska's employment-related civil rights protections. Charitable, educational, and religious groups with at least one employee in Alaska are no longer excluded just by organization type. The remaining organization-type exclusion covers nonprofi…
- Binding settlements for civil rights complaints: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, commission staff must investigate civil rights complaints promptly, informally, and impartially. The person filing, the executive director, and the responding party can resolve a complaint before or after an investigator's determination. Their agreement must be written an…
- New rules for Alaska's civil rights commission: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, the law renames Alaska's human rights agency the Alaska State Commission for Civil Rights. It remains within the governor's office, and related laws use the new name. The governor can remove commissioners only for cause: incompetence, neglected duties, misconduct, or stat…
- Religious employers gain a discrimination defense: cost, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, qualifying religious employers gain a legal defense against claims under Alaska's employment discrimination provision. It covers religious corporations, associations, educational institutions, and societies hiring workers of a particular religion for related work. The wor…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Andy Josephson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matt Claman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Elvi Gray-Jackson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Scott Kawasaki (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (81)

- 2026-06-20: (H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/18/26 (House)
- 2026-06-04: (H) 10:44 A.M. 6/1/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR (House)
- 2026-05-19: (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (House)
- 2026-05-19: (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y40 (House)
- 2026-05-19: (H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 32 (House)
- 2026-05-19: (H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP (House)
- 2026-05-18: (H) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND HELD (House)
- 2026-05-17: (S) VERSION: SCS CSHB 23(FIN)(EFD ADD S) (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) PASSED Y20 N- (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS CSHB 23(FIN)(EFD ADD S) (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) ...CHANGES TITLE OF LEGISLATION (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) FIN SCS ADOPTED UC (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) READ THE SECOND TIME (Senate)
- 2026-05-17: (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/17/2026 (Senate)
- 2026-05-16: (S) FN3: (GOV) (Senate)
- 2026-05-16: (S) NR: KAUFMAN, CRONK, MERRICK (Senate)
- 2026-05-16: (S) DP: OLSON, HOFFMAN, KIEHL (Senate)
- 2026-05-16: (S) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 32 (Senate)
- 2026-05-16: (S) FIN RPT SCS 3DP 3NR NEW TITLE (Senate)
- 2026-05-15: (S) Minutes (SFIN) (Senate)
- 2026-05-15: (S) Moved SCS CSHB 23(FIN) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change -- (Senate)
- 2026-05-15: (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532 (Senate)
- 2026-05-15: Audio/Video (House)
- 2026-05-13: (S) Scheduled but Not Heard (Senate)
- 2026-05-13: (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532 (Senate)
- 2026-04-21: (S) Minutes (SFIN) (Senate)
- 2026-04-21: (S) Heard & Held (Senate)
- 2026-04-21: (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532 (Senate)
- 2026-04-21: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-05-17: (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): KAWASAKI, GRAY-JACKSON, CLAMAN (Senate)
- 2025-05-17: (S) FIN (Senate)
- 2025-05-17: (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS (Senate)
- 2025-05-16: (H) VERSION: CSHB 23(L&C) (House)
- 2025-05-16: (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) (House)
- 2025-05-16: (H) PASSED Y39 E1 (House)
- 2025-05-16: (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 23(L&C) (House)
- 2025-05-14: (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/16 CALENDAR (House)
- 2025-05-14: (H) L&C CS ADOPTED UC (House)
- 2025-05-14: (H) READ THE SECOND TIME (House)
- 2025-05-14: (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/2025 (House)
- 2025-04-25: (H) FN2: (GOV) (House)
- 2025-04-25: (H) NR: BYNUM (House)
- 2025-04-25: (H) DP: HANNAN, GALVIN, JIMMIE, FOSTER, JOSEPHSON, SCHRAGE (House)
- 2025-04-25: (H) FIN RPT CS(L&C) NEW TITLE 6DP 1NR (House)
- 2025-04-24: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House)
- 2025-04-24: (H) Moved CSHB 23(L&C) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change -- (House)
- 2025-04-24: (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519 (House)
- 2025-04-24: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-04-15: (H) -- MEETING CANCELED -- (House)
- 2025-04-15: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House)
- 2025-04-09: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House)
- 2025-04-09: (H) Heard & Held (House)
- 2025-04-09: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House)
- 2025-04-09: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-03-27: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House)
- 2025-03-27: (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 2:10 pm -- (House)
- 2025-03-27: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House)
- 2025-03-27: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-02-28: (H) FN1: (GOV) (House)
- 2025-02-28: (H) NR: NELSON, SADDLER, COULOMBE (House)
- 2025-02-28: (H) DP: CARRICK, BURKE, HALL, FIELDS (House)
- 2025-02-28: (H) L&C RPT CS(L&C) NEW TITLE 4DP 3NR (House)
- 2025-02-26: (H) Minutes (HL&C) (House)
- 2025-02-26: (H) Moved CSHB 23(L&C) Out of Committee -- Delayed to a Call of the Chair -- (House)
- 2025-02-26: (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124 (House)
- 2025-02-26: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-02-24: (H) Minutes (HL&C) (House)
- 2025-02-24: (H) Heard & Held (House)
- 2025-02-24: (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124 (House)
- 2025-02-24: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-02-19: (H) Minutes (HL&C) (House)
- 2025-02-19: (H) Heard & Held (House)
- 2025-02-19: (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124 (House)
- 2025-02-19: Audio/Video (House)
- 2025-01-22: (H) L&C, FIN (House)
- 2025-01-22: (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS (House)
- 2025-01-22: (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25 (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled HB 23, 2026-05-19: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023Z), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023Z.PDF)
- SCS CSHB 23(FIN)(efd add S), 2026-05-17: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023D), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023D.PDF)
- SCS CSHB 23(FIN), 2026-05-16: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023C), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023C.PDF)
- CSHB 23(L&C), 2025-02-28: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023B), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023B.PDF)
- HB 23, 2025-01-22: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023A), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023A.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB 28: EDU: SCHOOLS/TEACHERS/SCHOOL BD/LOAN PRGM (became law)
- SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES (became law)
- SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE (became law)
- SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY (became law)
- HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP (signed)
- HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET (signed)

## Sources
- [Enrolled HB 23 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023Z)
- [Enrolled HB 23 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023Z.PDF)
- [SCS CSHB 23(FIN)(efd add S) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023D)
- [SCS CSHB 23(FIN)(efd add S) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023D.PDF)
- [SCS CSHB 23(FIN) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023C)
- [SCS CSHB 23(FIN) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023C.PDF)
- [CSHB 23(L&C) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023B)
- [CSHB 23(L&C) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023B.PDF)
- [HB 23 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0023A)
- [HB 23 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0023A.PDF)

## Related
- [HB 28: EDU: SCHOOLS/TEACHERS/SCHOOL BD/LOAN PRGM](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB28-34)
- [SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB178-34)
- [SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB104-34)
- [SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB86-34)
- [HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB263-34)
- [HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB265-34)
- [Alaska bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska/bills)
- [Alaska state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB23-34 (as of 2026-11-04).