Republican Committee Assignments 2023-2024
Representative George Rauscher is the Majority Whip, Chairs the House Special Committee on Energy, Vice Chair of House Resources, Vice Chair of Legislative Strategic Food Task Force, Chair of Congressional Legislative Prayer Caucus for the State of Alaska.
Representative Rauscher is a Member Of: Legislative Council, Resources (Fin Sub), House Military and Veterans Affairs, Community and Economic Development (Fin Sub), House Arctic Policy Economic Development and Tourism, House Environmental Conservation (Fin Sub), The Governor’s Strategic Energy Task Force, Executive Member on the National Energy Council, Alternate Executive Member on the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.

George@GeorgeRauscher.com

 907-841-6654

Do you know where George stands on the PFD?

Below are PFD bills George sponsored and co-sponsored, and one PFD bill he voted for. Bills highlighted in this email designated with 'Votes' are bills that were passed by both house and senate. You will find other options at the top of these linked pages if you wish to do more research:
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Passed/30
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Home/BillsandLaws
 
Bills Sponsored

HB 65 & 66 - 2016 PFD SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT - An act increasing the amount of the 2016 PFD, and directing the Dept. of Revenue to pay a supplemental dividend to qualified individuals. This restores what was taken by the governor.
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HB0065A

HB 161 - ADVISORY VOTE ON USE OF THE PFD - An Act authorizing an advisory vote from the people on the use of permanent fund earnings to finance the operation of state government.

http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HB0161A

Bills Co-Sponsored

HB 21 & 22 - APPROPRIATION FOR 2016 PFD SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT - An Act authorizing an advisory vote on the use of permanent fund earnings to finance the operation of state government.
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HB0021A

HB 187 - PERM FUND EARNINGS: DIVIDEND & GEN FUND - An act protecting the Permanent Fund by using the Earnings Reserve Account, where half of the money goes first for payment of the dividend and the other half to be used on essential state services.
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HB0187A

Other Positions & Votes

No bills were passed the first session. There was only one bill that passed during the second session. George vote 'NO' on all POMV bills.

SB 26 - Establishes a new formula to withdraw from the Earnings Reserve for the state to use to a POMV formula (Percent of Market Value). It does not change the formula for the PFD. The formula for the PFD is 1/2 of the previous 5 years' interest earned from the Permanent Fund. The new statutory formula to withdraw for government use is a percent of the value of the Permanent Fund and Earnings Reserve together for the previous 5 years.
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=SB0026Z
VOTED NO

Where does George stand on the PFD?

George has publicly stated he ONLY supports the original formula with a 50/50 plan for the PFD.

The traditional 50/50 plan is half of the interest earned from the Permanent Fund toward the PFD, and the other half is available for government, if needed. Historically, none of the Earnings Reserve has been used for government, but this year was an exception. Rep. George Rauscher only supports this original formula for the PFD.

Generally speaking, a POMV plan would be a different formula based on the total value of the Permanent Fund, not just the interest. A percentage of the formulated amount would go toward the PFD, and the rest toward government. As different legislators proposed their bills, those percentages vary. A wide variety of POMV formulas have come before legislators during the last 2 sessions. Only one has passed both legislative bodies, and it did not address the percentage for the PFD.

There have been 3 years that our PFD has been taken from the people. The first year the Governor took approximately half of it. The second year the legislature took approximately half of it. This third year they took less than half. The first 2 years none of it was spent. It still sits in the Earning Reserve account. This year they spent some of it.

George believes that the PFD formula needs to be put in the Alaska Constitution in order to prevent legislators / governors from stealing part (or all) of it.