HB 7 Summary

• Increases administrative law judge admission requirement from two to four years of practice in Alaska or another state, with exceptions for tax law proceedings requiring four years in any state.

• Authorizes the chief administrative law judge to hire professional staff in the partially exempt service and expands the office's jurisdiction to conduct arbitrations and alternative dispute resolution proceedings for entities including municipalities and school districts.

• Modifies the chief administrative law judge's salary from a stepped range (Steps A-F, Range 27) to equal a single step in Range 27, applicable only to individuals appointed after the effective date.

• Grants administrative law judges subpoena power for good cause to compel witness testimony and document production, and allows proceedings to be stayed for related criminal or civil litigation without counting toward the 120-day decision deadline.

• Requires agencies to submit hearing requests to the office with copies of the request, party contact information, and decision documents within 20 days, and clarifies that proposed decisions become final agency decisions if not acted upon timely by the agency.