# Alaska HB 36: FOSTER CHILDREN: PSYCH. TREATMENT/HOMES Alaska HB 36, FOSTER CHILDREN: PSYCH. TREATMENT/HOMES, is a 34th Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Andrew Gray (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-07-03 ((H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB36-34 - 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 36 - State: Alaska - Session: 34th Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: FOSTER CHILDREN: PSYCH. TREATMENT/HOMES - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-22 - Last action: 2026-07-03, (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER - Sponsor: Andrew Gray (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 24 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More Medicaid access for foster children: benefit, high. The law adds a Medicaid eligibility group for qualifying children under 21 in Alaska department supervision. Their living costs must be paid partly or fully with public funds. Covered placements include foster homes, treatment foster homes, and private child-care institutions. Alaska can claim fede… - More children get court-appointed lawyers: benefit, medium. Courts must appoint a lawyer for any child placed in a hospital through this law's psychiatric placement process. In child-protection cases, children age 10 or older also get lawyers when they do not consent to residential treatment or psychiatric medicine. Appointment is also required when they ob… - Psychiatric placements for children require oversight: mixed, medium. The law allows residential psychiatric treatment and short-term hospital psychiatric care for children in specified state-custody cases. Residential placement is no longer limited to secure centers. A mental health professional must testify that the child is gravely disabled or mentally ill and lik… - Specialized foster care with new safeguards: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2028, Alaska recognizes treatment foster homes that provide specialized care 24 hours a day. Children must have behavioral, developmental, emotional, or medical needs tied to a condition identified by an authorized health-care provider. Homes must follow licensing, criminal-histor… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Andrew Gray (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Burke - Cosponsor: Jeremy Bynum (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matt Claman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mia Costello (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Forrest Dunbar (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Ted Eischeid (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Zack Fields (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Neal Foster (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Alyse Galvin (Not), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Giessel (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Elvi Gray-Jackson (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sara Hannan (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nellie Unangiq Jimmie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andy Josephson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Scott Kawasaki (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Donna Mears (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kelly Merrick (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Genevieve Mina (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Justin Ruffridge (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Dan Saddler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Calvin Schrage (Not), House - Cosponsor: Bert Stedman (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Andi Story (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Louise Stutes (Republican), House ## Actions (113) - 2026-07-03: (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER (House) - 2026-07-03: (H) LAW W/O GOVERNOR SIGNATURE 6/22 CHAPTER 26 SLA 26 (House) - 2026-06-04: (H) MANIFEST ERROR(S) (House) - 2026-06-04: (H) 2:45 P.M. 6/4/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) COURT RULE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y40 (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 10 (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP (House) - 2026-05-17: (H) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND HELD (House) - 2026-05-16: (H) COSPONSOR REMOVED: TOMASZEWSKI (House) - 2026-05-16: (S) VERSION: SCS HB 36(FIN) (Senate) - 2026-05-16: (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED (Senate) - 2026-05-16: (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (Senate) - 2026-05-16: (S) COURT RULE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (Senate) - 2026-05-16: (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1 (Senate) - 2026-05-16: (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SCS HB 36(FIN) (Senate) - 2026-05-15: (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/16 CAL (Senate) - 2026-05-15: (S) FIN SCS ADOPTED UC (Senate) - 2026-05-15: (S) READ THE SECOND TIME (Senate) - 2026-05-15: (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/15/2026 (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) FN5: ZERO(DFC) (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) FN4: ZERO(AJS) (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) NR: OLSON, STEDMAN, KAUFMAN, CRONK (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) DP: HOFFMAN, MERRICK, KIEHL (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 10 (Senate) - 2026-05-13: (S) FIN RPT SCS 3DP 4NR NEW TITLE (Senate) - 2026-05-12: (S) Minutes (SFIN) (Senate) - 2026-05-12: (S) Moved SCS HB 36(FIN) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change -- (Senate) - 2026-05-12: (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532 (Senate) - 2026-05-12: Audio/Video (House) - 2026-05-06: (S) Heard & Held (Senate) - 2026-05-06: (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532 (Senate) - 2026-05-06: (S) CLAMAN (Senate) - 2026-05-06: (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): MERRICK, KAWASAKI, GIESSEL, GRAY-JACKSON, STEDMAN, DUNBAR, (Senate) - 2026-05-06: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-05-16: (S) FN3: ZERO(DFC) (Senate) - 2025-05-16: (S) FN2: ZERO(AJS) (Senate) - 2025-05-16: (S) AM: MYERS (Senate) - 2025-05-16: (S) DP: CLAMAN, KIEHL, TOBIN (Senate) - 2025-05-16: (S) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 10 (Senate) - 2025-05-16: (S) JUD RPT SCS(JUD) 3DP 1AM NEW TITLE (Senate) - 2025-05-15: (S) Minutes (SJUD) (Senate) - 2025-05-15: (S) Moved SCS HB 36(JUD) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change -- (Senate) - 2025-05-15: (S) JUDICIARY at 05:15 PM BUTROVICH 205 (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-05-14: (S) Minutes (SJUD) (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) Heard & Held (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) JUDICIARY at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) JUD REFERRAL ADDED AFTER HSS (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) FN3: ZERO(DFC) (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) FN2: ZERO(AJS) (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) NR: CLAMAN, TOBIN (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) DP: DUNBAR, HUGHES, GIESSEL (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 10 (Senate) - 2025-05-14: (S) HSS RPT SCS(HSS) 3DP 2NR NEW TITLE (Senate) - 2025-05-14: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-05-13: (S) Minutes (SHSS) (Senate) - 2025-05-13: (S) Moved SCS HB 36(HSS) Out of Committee (Senate) - 2025-05-13: (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-05-08: (S) Minutes (SHSS) (Senate) - 2025-05-08: (S) Heard & Held (Senate) - 2025-05-08: (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 (Senate) - 2025-05-08: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-04-08: (S) Minutes (SHSS) (Senate) - 2025-04-08: (S) Heard & Held (Senate) - 2025-04-08: (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-03-28: (S) HSS, FIN (Senate) - 2025-03-28: (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS (Senate) - 2025-03-26: (H) VERSION: HB 36 (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) SCHRAGE, COSTELLO, MEARS, SADDLER (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) COSPONSOR(S): EISCHEID, BYNUM, GALVIN, HANNAN, JOSEPHSON, STUTES, RUFFRIDGE, (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) COURT RULE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) PASSED Y39 E1 (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 36 (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) READ THE SECOND TIME (House) - 2025-03-26: (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/26/2025 (House) - 2025-03-24: (H) COSPONSOR(S): MINA (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) COSPONSOR(S): TOMASZEWSKI, STORY (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) FN2: ZERO(AJS) (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) FN1: (DFC) (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) NR: JOHNSON, STAPP (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) DP: BYNUM, HANNAN, ALLARD, GALVIN, JIMMIE, TOMASZEWSKI, FOSTER, JOSEPHSON (House) - 2025-03-21: (H) FIN RPT 8DP 2NR (House) - 2025-03-20: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House) - 2025-03-20: (H) Moved HB 36 Out of Committee -- Delayed to 2:45 pm -- (House) - 2025-03-20: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House) - 2025-03-20: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-03-12: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House) - 2025-03-12: (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 2:30 PM -- (House) - 2025-03-12: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House) - 2025-03-12: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-03-11: (H) Minutes (HFIN) (House) - 2025-03-11: (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to 4:00 pm -- (House) - 2025-03-11: (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519 (House) - 2025-03-03: (H) COSPONSOR(S): FOSTER (House) - 2025-02-28: (H) COSPONSOR(S): BURKE, JIMMIE (House) - 2025-02-28: (H) FN2: ZERO(AJS) (House) - 2025-02-28: (H) FN1: (DFC) (House) - 2025-02-28: (H) DP: PRAX, GRAY, SCHWANKE, RUFFRIDGE, MEARS, FIELDS, MINA (House) - 2025-02-28: (H) HSS RPT 7DP (House) - 2025-02-27: (H) Minutes (HHSS) (House) - 2025-02-27: (H) Moved HB 36 Out of Committee (House) - 2025-02-27: (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106 (House) - 2025-02-27: Audio/Video (House) - 2025-01-27: (H) COSPONSOR(S): FIELDS (House) - 2025-01-22: (H) HSS, 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 36, 2026-05-17: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036Z), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036Z.PDF) - SCS HB 36(FIN), 2026-05-13: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036D), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036D.PDF) - SCS HB 36(JUD), 2025-05-16: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036C), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036C.PDF) - SCS HB 36(HSS), 2025-05-14: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036B), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036B.PDF) - HB 36, 2025-01-22: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036A), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036A.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 36 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036Z) - [Enrolled HB 36 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036Z.PDF) - [SCS HB 36(FIN) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036D) - [SCS HB 36(FIN) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036D.PDF) - [SCS HB 36(JUD) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036C) - [SCS HB 36(JUD) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036C.PDF) - [SCS HB 36(HSS) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036B) - [SCS HB 36(HSS) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036B.PDF) - [HB 36 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HB0036A) - [HB 36 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0036A.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-HB36-34 (as of 2026-11-04).