Merit Institute Merit

The Alaska Merit-Based Credentialing Act (AK-ACSA)

Alaska state companion to ACSA. Extends AS Title 08 Occupational Licensing, Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (AS Title 14 Ch. 42), and AS Title 43 Ch. 20 corporate income tax credits.

THE ALASKA MERIT-BASED CREDENTIALING ACT (AK-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Alaska Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House Labor and Commerce / Finance and Senate Labor and Commerce / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Alaska Merit-Based Credentialing Act (AK-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that occupational licensing is administered under AS Title 08 by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing; that the University of Alaska and Alaska Technical and Vocational Education Program (“TVEP”) operate under AS Title 14; that the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education operates under AS Title 14 Ch. 42; that Alaska levies a corporate income tax under AS Title 43 Ch. 20 but does not levy a personal income tax; that the Department of Labor and Workforce Development operates under AS Title 23; and that Alaska’s credential portability provisions include AS Sec. 08.01.063 (military-spouse licensure). This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH ALASKA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Alaska Recognized Merit Credential” or “AKRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development in coordination with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means an agency issuing an occupational license under AS Title 08.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Alaska Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • AS Title 08 (occupational licensing).
  • AS Title 14 (education); Ch. 42 (postsecondary).
  • AS Title 23 (labor); TVEP provisions.
  • AS Title 43 Ch. 20 (corporate income tax).
  • AS Sec. 08.01.063 (military-spouse and related licensure).

TITLE II — ALASKA RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in coordination with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, shall maintain an Alaska Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“AKRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) AS Title 39 shall be applied so that an AKRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Alaska statute.

TITLE III — CORPORATE INCOME-TAX INCENTIVE FOR SKILLS-BASED HIRING

Sec. 301. Alaska Skills-Based Hiring Corporate Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to AS Title 43 Ch. 20 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to an Alaska-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is an AKRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Given Alaska levies no personal income tax, the credit is designed against the corporate income tax (AS Sec. 43.20.011).
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Department of Revenue administers consistent with existing education credit mechanics under AS Sec. 43.20.014.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting AKRMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA and AS Sec. 08.01.063.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of that year.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Alaska bills: AK-MEWRA, AK-GT&P, AK-AI-Workforce.