{"id":63,"date":"2026-05-14T16:37:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T16:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movingtoalaskausa.com\/?p=63"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:37:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T16:37:30","slug":"legislature-approves-extra-legal-help-for-alaskans-who-cant-afford-attorneys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movingtoalaskausa.com\/?p=63","title":{"rendered":"Legislature approves extra legal help for Alaskans who can\u2019t afford attorneys"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After four years of effort, the Alaska Legislature has passed a bill offering additional support for the underfunded organization that offers free legal help to Alaskans facing civil lawsuits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Alaska Beacon state and legislative daybook for the week of May 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so excited,\u201d said Maggie Humm, executive director of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ALSC is the state\u2019s largest provider of free legal assistance for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. It generally supports Alaskans who are unable to afford an attorney on their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under state law, Alaska must provide criminal defendants with a defense attorney. No such mandate exists in civil cases, so the work falls to the ALSC, a nonprofit that lacks the budget to take on every request for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the state Senate voted 17-3 to pass <\/span>House Bill 48<\/span> and give the corporation 25% of all state court filing fees, up from 10%. The change is worth an extra $400,000 to the corporation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The change does not affect funding for the Alaska Court System; the fees are otherwise used for general purposes, not the courts specifically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Humm said earlier this year that ALSC provided legal help to roughly 6,200 Alaskans in 2024. By email on Wednesday, she said she expects another 800-850 people will be helped by the additional money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Alaska lawmakers consider strengthening civics education requirements for high schoolers<\/a><\/p>\n

Because the House <\/span>passed HB 48 on a 27-13 vote in February<\/span>, the Senate\u2019s action on Wednesday will send the bill to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for final approval or veto.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, <\/span>proposed an identical bill in 2023<\/span>, and while that bill passed the Senate, it never received a vote in the House before the 33rd Alaska Legislature expired in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

That left Sara Hannan, D-Juneau, to reintroduce the bill last year and restart the legislative process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By email, Humm said that if signed into law, the bill \u201chelps to ensure that more low-income Alaskans facing issues such as domestic violence, elder fraud, and access to earned benefits receive the legal help they need to protect their safety, stability, and dignity. Investing in legal services benefits all Alaskans by helping resolve problems early, before they become more serious and costly challenges for both individuals and our communities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

ALSC has been trying since 2011 to pass a bill that reserves 25% of the state\u2019s court fees for the corporation. In 2018, the Legislature <\/span>passed a measure<\/span> allocating 10%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Dalton Highway toll proposal stalls in Alaska Senate committee<\/a><\/p>\n

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