In the Alaska legislative bill process, fiscal notes aren’t just paperwork, they are foundational to the legislative process. They tell us, in dollars and cents, what a proposed bill is going to cost the state. That’s not an optional requirement, its the law, laid out clearly in AS 24.08.035.
These fiscal notes are supposed to be drafted by the state agency most impacted by the bill, giving legislators the facts they need to make informed decisions. But recent developments surrounding HB78 (defined benefits for state employees) and last year’s HB173 have me questioning whether that law is being followed; and whether the process is being compromised.
Let’s be clear. Fiscal notes are meant to protect us from budgetary surprises down the road. They’re there to highlight what a bill will really do to our budget and whether it’s going to save money or cost us more. That only works if the notes are written by professionals who have the right data and the right experience. When that process gets usurped or twisted, and the wrong people are involved, or there’s bias at play, it undermines the whole point…