By SUZANNE DOWNING
May 30, 2026 – The 2025-2026 Alaska Legislature passed more than 100 bills during its two-year session, but woven throughout the pile of legislation was a recurring theme: Government asserting greater control over personal behavior, economic choices, political activity, and private transactions.
Some of the measures were framed as public health protections. Others were sold as anti-corruption reforms, environmental stewardship, or consumer safeguards.
But there is something broader taking shape in Juneau — a steady expansion of government authority into areas once left largely to individual choice.
One of the clearest examples came in House Bill 16, the Legislature’s campaign finance overhaul bill, which restores contribution limits that had been struck down in federal court in 2021.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Thompson v. Hebdon, invalidated Alaska’s previous notoriously low campaign contribution caps after finding they violated constitutional free speech protections. For several election cycles afterward, Alaskans operated in a largely unlimited contribution environment for direct donations.
HB 16 changes that.
Under the bill, individuals are once again limited in how much money they may voluntarily contribute to political candidates, parties, and advocacy groups.
The legislation caps donations at $2,000 per candidate during a two-year election cycle, or $4,000 for a governor-lieutenant governor ticket. Contributions to political parties and groups are capped at $5,000 annually. That’s $1,000 a year, or the purchasing power of about $517, in the year 2000.
Groups themselves, including political organizations, advocacy organizations, and other non-party entities, are also restricted. They may contribute no more than $4,000 per candidate per cycle, or $8,000 in a governor’s race.
The government is rationing political speech.
In modern politics, money funds communication through advertising, mailers, digital outreach, staffing, and voter contact. Limiting contributions therefore limits the ability of citizens to amplify political messages and support candidates they strongly believe in.
From a libertarian or classical liberal perspective, HB 16 places government directly between willing donors and willing candidates, restricting voluntary political association and expression protected under the First Amendment.
The bill also expands regulatory oversight by the Alaska Public Offices Commission, or APOC.
HB 16 requires APOC to periodically adjust contribution limits for inflation beginning in 2031, further entrenching bureaucratic control over campaign finance. It also imposes additional reporting requirements, disclosure mandates, and complaint procedures.
HB 16 was not the only bill this session expanding government restrictions.
Senate Bill 24 imposed a new 25% retail sales tax on vaping products beginning in 2028, raised the legal age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products from 19 to 21, and created fines for minors possessing vaping devices.
The bill is another example of government using taxation and penalties to shape personal behavior.
Senate Bill 39 restricted payday lending by capping interest rates at 36% APR and limiting short-term lending practices.
This limits financial options for adults capable of making their own borrowing decisions.
House Bill 25 restricted the use of polystyrene foam food containers, reducing packaging choices for restaurants and businesses in the name of environmental policy.
Across issue after issue, the pattern remained similar: Legislators identifying a social concern, then responding with new rules, taxes, restrictions, reporting requirements, or enforcement mechanisms.
Not every bill expanded government control. Lawmakers also expanded internet access for prison inmates, and approved a variety of technical or symbolic bills.
Still, for many Alaskans, the cumulative direction of the Legislature feels unmistakable: More regulation. More control. More government management of personal behavior.
