Alaska legislation · 34th Legislature
Alaska SJR20: CLEAN UP MARINE DEBRIS
Status: Passed both chambers, June 17, 2026
Supporting federal, state, and local efforts to clean up and remove marine debris from the state; urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide additional funding for those efforts and to remove barriers faced by tribes and rural communities in accessing those funds; and urging the Alaska Congressional delegation to advocate for increased federal funding and support for marine debris prevention, clean up, removal, backhaul, and education.
What the bill says
From the introduced text:
STATEOFALASKA THE LEGISLATURE Legislative Source Resolve No. SJR 20 31 Supporting federal, state, and local efforts to clean up and remove marine debris from the state; urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide additional funding for those efforts and to remove barriers faced by tribes and rural communities in accessing those funds; and urging the Alaska Congressional delegation to advocate for increased federal funding and support for marine debris prevention, cleanup, removal, backhaul, and education. _______________ BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: WHEREAS Alaskans depend on a clean and healthy ocean and shoreline for sustainable economies, communities, and ways of life; and WHEREAS the state has more than 30,000 miles of shoreline and an estimated tidal shoreline of almost 50,000 miles, which is more than the rest of the United States combined; and WHEREAS the state's shoreline faces the North Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering, Beaufort, and Chukchi Seas; and -1- Enrolled SJR 20 WHEREAS marine debris causes many adverse effects, including entanglement of and ingestion by birds, fish, and other animals, exposure to toxic chemicals, habitat destruction, and interference with vessel transit and operations; and WHEREAS these adverse effects can interfere with subsistence, commercial, and recreational fishing, tourism, recreation, and other important aspects …
Sponsors
- Jesse Bjorkman (R, SD-D) · primary sponsor
- Jeremy Bynum (R, HD-001)
- Maxine Dibert (D, HD-031)
- Ted Eischeid (D, HD-022)
- Louise Stutes (R, HD-032)
- Andrew Josephson (D, HD-017)
Latest actions
- : (S) PERMANENTLY FILED 6/17 LEGIS RESOLVE 31
- : (S) 10:45 A.M. 6/8/25 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR
- : (S) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
- : (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): EISCHEID, STUTES, JOSEPHSON
- : (H) VERSION: SJR 20
- : (H) RETURN TO (S), TRANSMIT TO GOVERNOR NEXT
- : (H) PASSED Y40
- : (H) READ THE THIRD TIME SJR 20
- : (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC
- : (H) READ THE SECOND TIME
Votes
- PASSED (May 19, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
- PASSED (April 22, 2026): 19 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: WATER, TOURISM, FISH & GAME (FISH), FEDERAL AID, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, ANIMALS, ECONOMY, HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
Common questions
- What is SJR20?
- SJR20 is a bill in the Alaska Legislature (34th Legislature): CLEAN UP MARINE DEBRIS.
- What does SJR20 do?
- Supporting federal, state, and local efforts to clean up and remove marine debris from the state; urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to provide additional funding for those efforts and to remove barriers faced by tribes and rural communities in accessing those funds; and urging the Alaska Congressional delegation to advocate for increased federal funding and support for marine debris prevention, clean up, removal, backhaul, and education.
- What is the status of SJR20?
- Passed both chambers as of June 17, 2026. Latest action: (S) PERMANENTLY FILED 6/17 LEGIS RESOLVE 31 (June 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored SJR20?
- Jesse Bjorkman (R, SD-D), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SJR20?
- On the Alaska Legislature website: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SJR 20
Source: official Alaska record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.