Debate in Alaska over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

* * *

These pages were updated from March 2020 through June 2020 and do not contain the latest commentary available. To submit arguments for inclusion on this page, email editor@ballotpedia.org. To learn how Ballotpedia decides which arguments to feature, click here.

* * *

Scroll here for more articles

Debate over responses to coronavirus pandemic

* * *

Topics
Elections • Protests • Religious service restrictions • School closures • State lockdowns • Testing

* * *

Arguments by topic
Testing • Mask requirements • School closures • Travel restrictions • Lockdown/stay-at-home orders • Expansion of absentee/mail-in voting • Religious service restrictions

* * *

Debate by state
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

Related coronavirus coverage
Changes to elections • Federal responses • State responses

Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. In addition to monitoring federal, state, and local responses to the coronavirus, we are also capturing the nationwide and local debates on whether to extend or lift coronavirus-related restrictions affecting the economy, schools, government operations, public health, religious services, and travel.

These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.

This article covers the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Alaska in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You will find the following:

* Debate over the stay-at-home order
* Debate over travel restrictions
* Debate over school closures
* Debate over religious service restrictions
* Debate over election policy
* Links to coverage of responses to the coronavirus in Alaska

## Contents

* 1 Debate over stay-at-home orders in Alaska
* 2 Debate over travel restrictions in Alaska
* 3 Debate over school closures in Alaska
* 4 Debate over religious service restrictions in Alaska
* 5 Debate over election policy in Alaska
* 6 Debate over state budget in Alaska
* 7 Responses to the coronavirus in Alaska
* 8 General resources
* 9 See also
* 10 Footnotes

## Debate over stay-at-home orders in Alaska[edit]

See also: Debate over stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the stay-at-home order in Alaska.

* Governor Mike Dunleavy (Alaska Public Media): "This seemingly simple approach of just staying away from each other is probably the best defense we have right now to slow this down. It’s going to hit us and, like I said, there’s going to be a lot of us that will be impacted. But working together, especially over the next two weeks, I think we can make a huge difference, and by that time, we’ll have many more swabs, and be able to test many more people." - "‘We crossed a line today’: Dunleavy orders statewide shelter in place, limits travel," March 27, 2020.

## Debate over travel restrictions in Alaska[edit]

See also: Debate over travel restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

* Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz (KTVA): On May 15, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) extended the travel restrictions on out-of-state travelers and residents returning to the state through June 2. The restrictions had been set to expire on May 19. Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz was in favor of the extension.

"Going slow and getting it right is more important than going for the quick buck and trying to get something done this year. I think that puts not only the travelers in jeopardy, but it puts the providers, the people who are providing the tourist services, in jeopardy and it puts the community at large in jeopardy." - "Berkowitz: Alaska should keep 14-day quarantine for interstate travel," May 15, 2020.

* Office of Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) (Anchorage Press): "This [quarantine and travel restriction] mandate is issued to protect the public health of Alaskans. The Governor looks to establish consistent mandates across the state in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. The goal is to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of the virus. The purpose of this mandate is to control the ingress to Alaska from outside localities in order to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19." - "All people arriving in Alaska must quarantine for 14 days, Governor says," March 23, 2020.

### Additional reading

* "As Alaska’s summer tourism season nears, a mix of unease, resistance and hope at the end of the road" - Anchorage Daily News, May 10, 2020

## Debate over school closures in Alaska[edit]

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in Alaska.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.

## Debate over religious service restrictions in Alaska[edit]

See also: Debate over religious service restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on religious service restrictions in Alaska.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.

## Debate over election policy in Alaska[edit]

See also: Debate over election policies and procedures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on election policies in Alaska.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.

## Debate over state budget in Alaska[edit]

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on Alaska's state budget.

* Governor Mike Dunleavy (Alaska Public Media): Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed $210 million of spending from line items in Alaska's budget, saying the state's revenue was declining due to the coronavirus. He said he would use funds from the CARES Act to fund many of the items he vetoed.

"Our attorney general has given us guidance after looking at the CARES Act and the language in the CARES Act, and from the discussions we’ve had with individuals in Washington, it’s our understanding that we can use the CARES Act for anything that’s coronavirus-related — the impacts and expenditures. This includes our municipalities, who have been devastated by the coronavirus." - "Legal experts, legislators push back on Dunleavy’s claim that CARES Act funding will fill in budget vetoes," April 16, 2020.

* State Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D) (Alaska Public Media): State Sen. Bill Wielechowski said he did not think Governor Dunleavy could spend CARES Act funds on vetoed line items in the budget without legislative approval.

"The constitution very clearly gives the Legislature the power of appropriation. And the governor does not have the ability to unilaterally decide where the $1.25 billion from the federal government gets appropriated." - "Legal experts, legislators push back on Dunleavy’s claim that CARES Act funding will fill in budget vetoes," April 16, 2020.

* Legislative Legal Services Director Megan Wallace (Alaska Public Media): "If we want to take out the speculation or confusion about the authority to expend those monies … the simplest thing to do would be for the Legislature to specifically appropriate the $1.25 billion." - "Legal experts, legislators push back on Dunleavy’s claim that CARES Act funding will fill in budget vetoes," April 16, 2020.

## Responses to the coronavirus in Alaska[edit]

See also: Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (Alaska)

Click the links below for more on responses to the coronavirus pandemic in Alaska.

* Changes to election dates and procedures
* Statewide stay-at-home order
* Statewide travel restrictions
* Executive orders
* Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus
* Enacted legislation
* Legislative session changes
* School closures
* Court closures
* Prison inmate release responses
* Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies

## General resources[edit]

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
* National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
* Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
* U.S. Department of Education
* World Health Organization
* Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
* Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
* Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)

## See also[edit]

* Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
* State government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
* Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
* Changes to ballot measure campaigns, procedures, and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2022
* Ballotpedia's elections calendar

## Footnotes[edit]

v • e

Political responses to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-2021

Overviews|

Overview • Changes to election dates and procedures • Ballotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemic • Resources for citizens • Terms and definitions

* * *

Articles by Type|

Federal policy responses • State government responses • Local government responses • Diagnosed or quarantined incumbents, candidates, and officials • State legislative session changes • State legislative responses • State executive orders •  Eviction and foreclosure policies • Travel restrictions • School responses (2021-2022) • School responses (2020-2021) • School responses (2019-2020) • State court closures • Stay-at-home order status • States that issued stay-at-home orders • States that did not issue stay-at-home orders • Changes to ballot measure campaigns and policies • Changes to vote-by-mail and absentee voting procedures • Initial key federal official responses • Arguments in support of and opposition to government responses • Lawsuits • Multistate agreements • Non-governmental plans to reopen • Unemployment filings • Analysis articles • Paycheck Protection Program • Mask requirements • School budget changes • State budgets • Federal definitions of essential and nonessential businesses • Federal aid to states • Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program • State emergency power authority • Changes to state emergency power authority • Municipal emergency power authority • Halloween guidelines • Vaccine distribution plans • State plans to end federal unemployment • Changes to emergency power laws • Active COVID-19 emergency orders • State vaccine requirement (vaccine passport) policies • Recalls related to the pandemic • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on school responses to the coronavirus • State employee vaccine requirements • Healthcare worker vaccine requirements

* * *

State responses to coronavirus|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

State paths to recovery|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

State school responses|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

Coronavirus debate topics|

Elections • Protests • Religious service restrictions • School closures  • State lockdown

* * *

Coronavirus debate by state|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming