By SUZANNE DOWNING
May 8, 2026 – The Alaska Senate has passed the state’s operating budget, advancing a spending plan that includes a $1,150 Permanent Fund dividend that includes a $150 in “energy relief payments” for Alaskans.
The vote came after a final push by three members of the Republican Senate minority to restore a full statutory dividend, which would have been more than three times larger than the amount included in the budget. Their effort fell well short of the votes needed for passage.
Senators considered eight amendments during Thursday’s floor session. Four amendments were adopted, all sponsored by Senate Finance Co-Chair Lyman Hoffman.
Because the Senate made changes to the operating budget, the measure now returns to the House for a concurrence vote on Thursday. If the House declines to concur with the Senate’s version, legislative leaders will appoint a six-member conference committee , three members selected by the House Speaker and three by the Senate President, to negotiate a final compromise budget before adjournment.
The final day of session is May 20.
9 thoughts on “Senate rejects full PFD push, approves $1,150 dividend and energy relief”
150 energy relief doesn’t cover anything.
Energy relief would be a smaller government, reduced government dependency by Alaskans for either employment, public assistance, or Medicaid, and a Full PFD.
Alaskans are not an Independent people while most of the people depend on some kind of government dependency; and the PFD is not government dependent. We are liken as Shareholders with invested stock in a corporation and the corporation is paying us what is due out of the profits made during that period just for simply being an Alaskan and eligible.
Thieves. Straight up thieves. Stealing our dividend to pay off political allies.
It effects the poorer most all. Think about that the next time one of these criminals has a bleeding heart. What an act.
And then small, local, Alaskan businesses who would see an increase of customers after a full dividend.
A lot of small, local, Alaskan businesses would like more customers these days. You know. Actually help Alaskans. What a concept. But we just don’t rate in Juneau. They are thieves and beneath contempt.
Alaskans need to vote smarter! That’s the REAL solution.
Of course! They’ve got a $700 base student additional (addictional?) allocation to pay for. Well, every man woman and child resident in Alaska is paying for. With a 60% failure rate.
Actually, it’s about $7000, depending on the final 2026 legislation. Always remember, BSA is just that, Base. most school districts have a variety of multipliers that increase that amount significantly. Anchorage gets more than 2 times that amount per student.
Thieves with OUR money.
Who were the 3 senators who voted to pay out the full, legal, statutory PFD?
Disgusting human beings! No empathy for Alaskans struggling to keep their heads above water during this period of high energy costs even though the State coffers are reaping the benefits of high oil prices. The righteous thing to do would be to fund the full statutory PFD, but noooo,., they are going to give more money to our failing brick and mortar schools, of which many are closing because of declining enrollment! Scoundrels!
And the clowns in Juneau would like a slap on the back for the $150. “energy assistance”. What a joke! That $12.50 a month might buy a couple gallons of heating oil or a couple bundles of firewood from Walmart. We have to vote a few of the thieves out of office! Every time there is an election I just cannot believe some of these people keep getting elected. And they just sit back and smirk at the stupidity of the voters.