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AlaskaHB 26534th Legislature (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET

Sponsored By: HOUSE RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

16 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Housing help for people with special needs

Beginning July 1, 2026, the law provides $10.15 million for statewide Mental Health Trust homeless assistance. It also provides $1.95 million for beneficiary and special-needs housing and $1.15 million for home upgrades to help people keep housing. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation gets $135,000 for a rural housing coordinator in Ketchikan. Its FY2027 operations also receive $200,000, covering July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. These appropriations do not set individual awards, change mortgage terms, or establish new eligibility rules.

Funding for corrections and youth care

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law funds corrections services and juvenile justice. Corrections gets $6.9705 million for community residential centers and $10.2095 million for health and rehabilitation. The health funding includes $8.5656 million for behavioral health and $1.6439 million for substance abuse treatment. Juvenile justice gets $1.7709 million for McLaughlin, Fairbanks, and Bethel youth facilities, probation, and health care. These funds support services within the justice system, not general household payments.

Funding for public defense and advocacy

The law provides $4.3185 million for legal and advocacy services from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. This includes $2.8925 million for the Office of Public Advocacy and $1.426 million for the Public Defender Agency. The Department of Law also gets $100,100 for civil health, safety, and welfare legal services. That amount includes unused, uncommitted receipts from its federally approved cost allocation plan. These funds support legal services rather than direct household payments.

Funding for trial and therapeutic courts

The law provides $634,800 for Alaska trial courts and $4.6782 million for therapeutic courts. The funding covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. It supports court operations and therapeutic court participants. It does not set new participant eligibility rules or individual payment amounts.

Funding for victim help and policing

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law funds victim assistance and state policing functions. The Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault gets $1.6175 million for integrated victim assistance. State Trooper detachments get $60,000, and the Police Standards Council gets $80,000. The council's funding includes specified unused, uncommitted receipts carried forward from June 30, 2026. The law does not set individual victim awards or new household duties.

Funding for Alaska Medicaid services

The law provides $82.1558 million for Alaska Medicaid services for FY2027, July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The money supports services for enrolled people. This appropriation does not change who qualifies or set an individual payment amount.

Funding for children and foster care

The law provides $2.2269 million for Alaska children's services from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. It supports front-line social workers, family preservation, and program management. It also funds foster care augmented rates and special needs. The appropriation does not establish a new direct household payment.

Funding for mental health and recovery

The law provides $58.8427 million for Alaska behavioral health programs for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. It funds treatment and recovery grants, prevention, the Alcohol Safety Action Program, residential child care, and program operations. It also supports advisory bodies and facilities. Funding includes unused, uncommitted balances at June 30, 2026, from the alcohol and drug treatment, recidivism reduction, and marijuana education funds. The appropriation does not create a direct household payment.

Funding for psychiatric and complex care

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides $22.2376 million for the Alaska Psychiatric Institute. That includes $21.5756 million for the institute and $662,000 for rent, operations, and upkeep. Family and Community Services also gets $8.2883 million for coordinated health and complex care. These funds support care and facilities rather than direct payments to patients. They do not establish new individual eligibility rules.

Funding for public health and oversight

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, public health programs get $5.133 million and health care services get $283,000. Public health funding covers family health, emergency programs, disease prevention, vital statistics, and facility upkeep. Health facility licensing and certification gets $128,700, while residential licensing gets $154,300. Health facility funding includes unused, uncommitted biennial license fee receipts at June 30, 2026. These appropriations do not create household payments or new individual licensing duties.

Higher provider rates stated as goals

For FY2027, the law states legislative intent to raise private duty nursing reimbursement rates per service increment. Registered nurse rates go from $20.00 to $30.00; licensed practical or vocational nurse rates go from $18.75 to $26.25. It also states intent to raise adolescent treatment rates to reflect added youth care costs. Qualifying residential programs must be Level 3 and certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine; no youth rate is specified. These are stated payment goals for providers, not direct patient payments or guarantees of lower household costs.

Transportation and access funding for beneficiaries

Beginning July 1, 2026, the law provides $250,000 for statewide Mental Health Trust person-centered transportation assistance. It provides another $700,000 for coordinated transportation and vehicles. Statewide Trust maintenance and accessibility improvements get $500,000, and the Universal Changing Spaces Assistance Fund gets $250,000. The money supports transportation capacity, facility upkeep, and access. These provisions do not specify individual awards, vehicle recipients, or the number of changing-space projects.

Funding for schools and university campuses

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides $532,200 for Student and School Achievement. This funds education support and administration. The University of Alaska gets $3.4318 million for campus operations. That includes $3.3818 million for Anchorage and $50,000 for the Troth Yeddha' Campus. These are institutional funds, not direct payments to students or families.

Funding for vocational rehabilitation administration

The law provides $100,000 for Vocational Rehabilitation Administration from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The funding includes prior-year receipts collected under the department's federal indirect cost plan. It supports program administration rather than establishing an individual rehabilitation award or service entitlement.

Senior and disability help with conditions

The law provides $18.3092 million for Senior and Disabilities Services from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. It supports community grants, early intervention and infant learning, general relief, temporary assisted living, administration, and facilities. Another $454,500 funds SB 178, Expand Early Intervention Services, through the division's administration. That amount is reduced if SB 178 failed without its substance becoming part of another measure, or was vetoed. These appropriations do not set individual award amounts.

Mental health operations face receipt limits

For FY2027, the law provides $6.7185 million: $5.9314 million for Mental Health Trust operations and $787,100 for the Long Term Care Ombudsman. It also provides $6.4382 million for administration and support, including Trust Lands and facility upkeep, plus $25,900 for commissioner administration. Appropriations tied to Trust or administration receipts require program review. Extra receipts are available subject to that review, while receipt shortfalls reduce affected appropriations by the missing amount. FY2027 runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • HOUSE RULES BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 199 • No: 157

House vote • 5/19/2026

CC REPORT ADOPTED Y35 N5 CCS HB 265

Yes: 35 • No: 5

House vote • 5/8/2026

FAILED CONCUR (S) AM Y10 N26 E4

Yes: 10 • No: 26

House vote • 4/14/2026

PASSED Y36 N4

Yes: 36 • No: 4

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 5 ADOPTED Y27 N13

Yes: 27 • No: 13

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 4 FAILED Y19 N21

Yes: 19 • No: 21

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 6 FAILED Y19 N21

Yes: 19 • No: 21

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 1 FAILED Y17 N23

Yes: 17 • No: 23

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 2 FAILED Y19 N21

Yes: 19 • No: 21

House vote • 4/13/2026

AM NO 3 FAILED Y17 N23

Yes: 17 • No: 23

Actions Timeline

  1. (H) FISCAL NOTE MEMO TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 9/11/26

    9/30/2026House

  2. (H) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/8/26

    9/30/2026House

  3. (S) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/8/26

    9/30/2026Senate

  4. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 7/1/26

    7/3/2026House

  5. (H) LINE ITEM VETO AND REDUCTIONS

    7/3/2026House

  6. (H) SIGNED INTO LAW 6/24 CHAPTER 36 SLA 26

    7/3/2026House

  7. (H) LETTER TO AMHTA TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 6/15/26

    6/17/2026House

  8. (H) 3:10 P.M. 6/15/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR

    6/17/2026House

  9. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

    5/20/2026Senate

  10. (S) CC REPORT ADOPTED Y20 N- CCS HB 265

    5/20/2026Senate

  11. (S) CC REPORT TAKEN UP

    5/20/2026Senate

  12. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

    5/19/2026House

  13. (H) CC REPORT ADOPTED Y35 N5 CCS HB 265

    5/19/2026House

  14. (H) CC REPORT TAKEN UP

    5/19/2026House

  15. (H) CC REPORT READ AND HELD

    5/18/2026House

  16. (H) FISCAL NOTE PACKET

    5/18/2026House

  17. (H) CC REPORT: CCS HB 265 RECEIVED 5/17/26 3:11 P.M.

    5/18/2026House

  18. (S) FISCAL NOTE PACKET

    5/18/2026Senate

  19. (S) CC REPORT READ

    5/18/2026Senate

  20. (S) CC REPORT: CCS HB 265 RECEIVED 5/17 3:31 P.M.

    5/18/2026Senate

  21. (S) Moved CCS HB 265 Out of Committee

    5/17/2026Senate

  22. (S) CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB263 AND HB265 at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

    5/17/2026Senate

  23. (H) Moved CCS HB 265 Out of Committee

    5/17/2026House

  24. (H) CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB263 AND HB265 at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

    5/17/2026House

  25. Video

    5/17/2026House

Bill Text

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