(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - Today, Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) announced he has filed legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1), to constitutionalize the Permanent Fund Dividend and give Alaskans the “first call” on distributions from the earnings of the Permanent Fund.

“The PFD was meant to give Alaskans their constitutional maximum benefit for the state's resources we collectively own and to protect the Permanent Fund," said Sen. Wielechowski. 

Wielechowski said, "The PFD statutory formula has been repeatedly violated since 2016, and with severe state deficits and no serious revenue plan offered by the legislature or governor, the Permanent Fund and PFD are now at grave risk." 

Senator Wielechowski was a strong public supporter of Ballot Measure One which failed in the 2020 general election. The ballot measure would have provided protection to the Permanent Fund and the PFD through increased state revenues.

“The oil industry promised Alaskans that voting NO on Ballot Measure One would ‘Save the PFD.’ Alaskans took them for their word. This legislation ensures they keep their word. SJR 1 is the only way to truly save the PFD and guarantee it for current and future generations of Alaskans,” concluded Sen. Wielechowski.

In 2016, Senator Wielechowski sued then-Governor Bill Walker for cutting the PFD. The courts ruled in favor of Walker, leaving the stability of the Permanent Fund in question. Senator Wielechowski has introduced similar legislation to SJR 1 in years past.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Senate Democrats
Office of Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage)
www.akleg.gov

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