2016 RATINGS of ALASKA

Transcription

1 2016 RATINGS of ALASKA #ACURatings Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 AK Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 AK Senate Scores 6 Selecting the 3 AK House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 AK House Scores 9

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, We are pleased to present the American Conservative Union Foundation s ratings for the 2016 meeting of the Alaska State Legislature. Like our Congressional Ratings, our State Ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual's life. The Alaska legislators with the highest scores voted most consistently with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and lasting cultural values. In 2015, ACU Foundation was proud to make history by being the first organization to rate every single state legislature across the full spectrum of issues, helping each voter understand how his or her state ranks among the rest. Ultimately, we are trying to help people understand what conservatism is and how it improves the lives of everyday Americans. Conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person. We think that understanding this idea is essential if Americans are to successfully govern themselves again. Working with our policy centers and fellows, the ACU Foundation engages in deep policy analysis to help create our annual state scorecards. We have enhanced the vote descriptions this year to show this effort more clearly. By examining all 50 of our State Ratings, we can see which states have most effectively promoted conservative solutions and which have struggled. Our ratings also help identify legislators who have courageously fought against liberal majorities. We hope that this guide helps you learn how well, or poorly, your legislators work to preserve the values we share. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Charlie Gerow First Vice Chairman Carolyn D. Meadows Second Vice Chairman Bob Beauprez Treasuer Amy Frederick Secretary Thomas Winter Executive Committee Member Larry Beasley Kimberly Bellissimo Morton C. Blackwell John Bolton Jose Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman Kellyanne Conway Tom DeLay Becky Norton Dunlop ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS John Eddy Luis Fortuno Alan M. Gotleib Van D. Hipp, Jr. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser James V. Lacy Michael R. Long Ed McFadden Grover G. Norquist Ron Robinson Mike Rose Ned Ryun Peter Samuelson Sabrina Schaeffer Fred L. Smith, Jr. Matt Smith Ed Yevoli SELECTING THE VOTES ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Alaska State Legislature that determine a member s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan s philosophy of the three-legged stool : 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Alaska s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property. Matt Schlapp Chairman Millie Hallow Vice Chairman Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Amy Frederick Secretary Kimberly Bellissimo Jose Cardenas Jonathan Garthwaite Charlie Gerow Colin Hanna Niger Innes Willes Lee Carolyn D. Meadows Randy Neugebauer Thomas Winter 1331 H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2016 WINNERS & LOSERS AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE <= 10 COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE n/a n/a n/a n/a AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT SENATE HOUSE n/a THOMPSON 4

5 ALASKA SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. SB 89 Sex Education Regulations. This bill requires a parents permission before a student attends sex educations classes in public schools. The bill also bars schools from using educational material from an organization that performs abortions. ACU supports strengthening parental rights and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 26, 2016 by a vote of SB 18 Health Care Regulatory Reform. This bill exempts health care sharing ministries from health care insurance regulations in Alaska. HCSMs allow people with a common faith to opt-out of the regular insurance-based model of health care and form a co-op to share costs. ACU supports common-sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 7, 2016 by a vote of SB 127 Insurance Regulations. This bill allows insurance companies to take into account credit history and insurance scores when renewing a policy, currently only allowed at the time of the initial policy. ACU opposes regulations that interfere with the free market and drive up the cost of insurance for many and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 9, 2016 by a vote of HB 256 Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Bill. This bill reduces spending by $800 million over Fiscal Year ACU supports a fiscally sound approach to dealing with the state s revenue shortfall and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 14, 2016 by a vote of SB 123 Driving Laws. This bill decriminalizes texting while driving, which had been a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $10,000 and up to one year in jail. Instead, the bill lists it with other traffic violations that carry a $500 fine if no injuries are involved in the traffic violation. ACU Foundation s Center for Criminal Justice Reform engages heavily on these issues and opposes the over-criminalization of actions not directly related to hazardous driving and ACU supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 16, 2016 by a vote of SB 124 Reducing the Size of Government. This bill pushes the expiration, or sunset date, of the Alaska Commission on Aging back by eight years. ACU supports reducing the size of government by eliminating this kind of bureaucracy that spends most of its time lobbying for more government spending and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 18, 2016 by a vote of SB 1 Smoking Ban. This bill bans smoking in all public places and any private business that has hired employees, and expands the definition of smoking to include e-cigarettes. ACU believes the use of tobacco is a personal liberty issue and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 30, 2016 by a vote of SB 158 Real Estate Licenses. This bill dramatically increases the requirements to obtain a real estate license by doubling the time to obtain one from 2 years to 4 years, and doubling the continuing education requirements from 15 hours to 30 hours. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that when entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity. ACU opposes measures to increase regulations that are primarily designed to reduce competition and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 1, 2016 by a vote of SB 174 Concealed Carry. This bill allows the possession of a concealed firearm anywhere on a university campus, including dorms, overturning regulations that require firearms be kept in vehicles or locked storage. ACU supports the founders belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 7, 2016 by a vote of SB 203 Overtime for Medi-Vac Crews. This bill exempts medical care providers that work in helicopters and planes from overtime rules, following federal rules that exempt flight crews because of their irregular hours. ACU supports commonsense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 14, 2016 by a vote of SB 32 Competitive Bidding. This bill eliminates the requirement for competitive bidding in the sale of lumber by the state Division of Forestry. ACU supports competitive bidding that benefits the taxpayer when the government either buys or sells goods or services and opposed the bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of HB 41 Fishing Guide Licenses. This bill reinstates licensing requirements for fishing guides that had been allowed to expire in The bill also doubles the previous fees for obtaining a license. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that expanded entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, allowing families to prosper. ACU opposes the proliferation of license requirements for every occupation that are primarily designed to reduce competition and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of HB 234 Insurance Mandate. This bill adds mental health treatment to the list of telemedicine services the state requires insurance companies to cover. ACU opposes these insurance mandates that drive up the cost of health insurance to everyone and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of

6 ALASKA SENATE SCORES ALASKA SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 47 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 56 LOWEST REPUBLICAN STEVENS 38 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 28 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT OLSEN SPARKS ALASKA SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SB 89 SB 18 SB 127 HB 256 SB 123 SB 124 SB 1 SB 158 SB 174 SB 203 SB 32 HB 41 HB 234 ACU BISHOP R C E COGHILL R B COSTELLO R K DUNLEAVY R E Egan D Q Ellis D J E Gardner D I GIESSEL R N Hoffman D S HUGGINS R D KELLY R A MacKINNON R G McGUIRE R L X n/a 58 MEYER R M MICCICHE R O Olson D T X STEDMAN R R - X STEVENS R P Cast LIFETIME AVG 6

7 ALASKA SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SB 89 SB 18 SB 127 HB 256 SB 123 SB 124 SB 1 SB 158 SB 174 SB 203 SB 32 HB 41 HB 234 ACU STOLTZE R F Wielechowski D H E Cast LIFETIME AVG 7

8 ALASKA HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 222 Spending Authority. This bill closes a loophole that occurs when the legislature is not in session, by prohibiting the Governor from spending federal money simply by notifying two legislative committees. ACU supports more legislative control over government spending and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 7, 2016 by a vote of HB 41 Fishing Guide Licenses. This bill reinstates licensing requirements for fishing guides that had been allowed to expire in The bill also doubles the previous fees for obtaining a license. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that expanded entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, allowing families to prosper. ACU opposes the proliferation of license requirements for every occupation and bills that are primarily designed to reduce competition and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 13, 2016 by a vote of HB 317 Civil Asset Forfeiture. This bill requires a criminal conviction before authorities can seize someone s property under civil asset forfeiture laws. The bill also cracks down on the common practice of circumventing state laws by passing a case to the federal government for enforcement. ACU Foundation s Center for 21st Century Property Rights engages heavily on this issue and supports reforming forfeiture laws that harm legitimate property rights and ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 14, 2016 by a vote of SB 32 Competitive Bidding. This bill eliminates the requirement for competitive bidding in the sale of lumber by the state Division of Forestry. ACU supports competitive bidding that benefits the taxpayer when the government either buys or sells goods or services and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 15, 2016 by a vote of SB 158 Real Estate Licenses. This bill dramatically increases the requirements to obtain a real estate license by doubling the time to obtain one from 2 years to 4 years, and doubling the continuing education requirements from 15 hours to 30 hours. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that when entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity. ACU opposes measures to increase regulations that are primarily designed to reduce competition and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 16, 2016 by a vote of SB 123 Driving Laws. This bill decriminalizes texting while driving, which had been a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $10,000 and up to one year in jail. Instead, the bill lists it with other traffic violations that carry a $500 fine if no injuries are involved in the traffic violation. ACU Foundation s Center for Criminal Justice Reform engages heavily on these issues and opposes the over-criminalization of actions not directly related to hazardous driving and ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of HB 234 Insurance Mandate. This bill adds mental health treatment to the list of telemedicine services the state requires insurance companies to cover. ACU opposes these insurance mandates that drive up the cost of health insurance to everyone and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of SB 18 Health Care Regulatory Reform. This bill exempts health care sharing ministries from health care insurance regulations in Alaska. HCSMs allow people with a common faith to opt-out of the regular insurance-based model of health care and form a co-op to share costs. ACU supports common-sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 17, 2016 by a vote of HB 156 Sex Education. This bill requires that sex education courses be approved by the local school board and that only licensed teachers can provide instruction. Parents are allowed to opt their children out of the program. Although this bill drops a provision in SB 89 that prevents the schools from using materials from an organization that performs abortions, ACU supports this effort to strengthen parental rights and local control of education and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 5, 2016 by a vote of HB 256 Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Bill. This bill reduces spending by $800 million over Fiscal Year ACU supports a fiscally sound approach to dealing with the state s revenue shortfall and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 31, 2016 by a vote of

9 ALASKA HOUSE SCORES ALASKA HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 53 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 60 LOWEST REPUBLICAN REINBOLD 40 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 44 HIGHEST DEMOCRATS NAGEAK, GUTTENBERG 60 ALASKA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 222 HB 41 HB 317 SB 32 SB 158 SB 123 HB 234 SB 18 HB 156 HB 256 CHENAULT R Claman D COLVER R Drummond D Edgmon D Foster D Gara D E GATTIS R X Guttenberg D HAWKER R 28 E - E E E E E E E E 0 1 n/a Herron D HUGHES R JOHNSON R Josephson D Kawasaki D KELLER R Kito D Kreiss-Tomkins D 35 - E X LeDOUX R LYNN R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 9

10 ALASKA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 222 HB 41 HB 317 SB 32 SB 158 SB 123 HB 234 SB 18 HB 156 HB 256 MILLETT R MUNOZ R Nageak D NEUMAN R E OLSON R Ortiz I PRUITT R X REINBOLD R SADDLER R SEATON R Spohnholz D n/a 50 STUTES R TALERICO R Tarr D 19 - X THOMPSON R 2 + X + E - + X TILTON R Tuck D VAZQUEZ R WILSON R Wool D Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2016 percentage was not rated. ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 10