SB 224 Summary

• Legislators may hire employees during legislative sessions and terminate at will, provided decisions are not for unlawful reasons and hiring is first authorized by the chief clerk of the house or senate secretary.

• Chief clerk or senate secretary may withhold hiring authorization only based on applicable law (including the Legislative Ethics Act) and the prospective employee's past record of compliance with criminal and ethics laws in Alaska or another jurisdiction.

• When authorization is withheld, the legislator may request review by the legislative council's executive director, who must promptly deliver a written determination that either upholds the withholding or requires authorization of the hiring.

• Legislative council gains power to review executive director determinations and issue final written determinations either approving or denying withheld hiring authorizations.

• The bill specifies that all reviews and determinations may be based only on applicable law and the prospective employee's past compliance record with criminal and ethics laws.