Hughes, Shelley

Authored SB 32 as prime sponsor, the act allowing pharmacist substitution of interchangeable biological products and requiring prescriber notification; it was signed into law on July 13, 2018 as Chapter 58, Session Laws of Alaska 2018.

July 13, 2018Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on House passage of SB 74 on April 15, 2016, the Medicaid redesign act that added telemedicine coverage, a controlled-substance prescription database and Medicaid cost-containment reforms; it passed 33-6 and became Chapter 25, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

April 15, 2016Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on Senate passage of HB 76 on April 28, 2021, the bill extending Alaska's COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration and the associated executive powers; it passed the Senate 13-7 over her objection and became Chapter 2, Session Laws of Alaska 2021.

April 28, 2021Opposes Environment and Public Health

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HCR 18 as prime sponsor, the resolution urging Alaska hospitals to adopt the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative maternity care standards, adopted as Legislative Resolve 44 on July 28, 2014.

July 28, 2014Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on Senate passage of HB 44 on May 8, 2018, the legislative ethics bill tightening conflict-of-interest disclosure and voting rules and restricting legislator per diem; it passed the Senate 13-6 and became Chapter 61, Session Laws of Alaska 2018.

May 8, 2018Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the August 2, 2025 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of SB 183, the bill expanding the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee's powers over legislative audits; the override succeeded 43-16 and the bill became Chapter 1, First Special Session Laws of Alaska 2025.

August 2, 2025Opposes Government Efficiency

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the April 22, 2025 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 69, the education funding bill raising the base student allocation; the override failed 33-27 and the veto was sustained.

April 22, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on Senate passage of SB 88 on January 31, 2024, the bill reopening a defined-benefit pension option for Alaska public employees and teachers; it passed the Senate 12-5 over her objection and later stalled in the House.

January 31, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the January 24, 2020 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's line-item vetoes of HB 2001, the fiscal year 2020 operating appropriation; the override failed 37-20 and the vetoes stood.

January 24, 2020Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on Senate passage of HB 49 on May 14, 2019, the crime bill that repealed most of SB 91 and increased sentences for drug, theft and sex offenses; it passed the Senate 20-0 and became Chapter 4, First Special Session Laws of Alaska 2019.

May 14, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on Senate passage of SB 54 on April 7, 2017, the crime bill that lengthened sentences and rolled back parts of the 2016 criminal justice overhaul; it passed the Senate 19-1 and became Chapter 1, Fourth Special Session Laws of Alaska 2017.

April 7, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on House passage of SB 91 on May 5, 2016, the omnibus criminal justice reform package that reduced sentences and pretrial detention for lower-level offenses; it passed 28-11 and became Chapter 36, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

May 5, 2016Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on Senate passage of SB 26 on March 15, 2017, the appropriation-limit and permanent fund earnings bill that capped the Permanent Fund dividend and drew on fund earnings for state government; it passed the Senate 13-7 over her objection.

March 15, 2017Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the May 20, 2025 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 57, the school bill covering student cellphone restrictions, class size reporting and school funding; the override succeeded 46-14 and the bill became Chapter 5, Session Laws of Alaska 2025, without a signature.

May 20, 2025Opposes Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the April 22, 2025 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 69, the education funding bill raising the base student allocation; the override failed 33-27 and the veto was sustained.

April 22, 2025Opposes Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on the March 18, 2024 joint-session motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of SB 140, the education package raising the base student allocation and expanding charter school and broadband funding; the override failed 39-20 and the veto was sustained.

March 18, 2024Opposes Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Wrote to the acting commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development on May 10, 2023 in support of conditional approval of Alaska Bible College's elementary education degree program, citing the state's teacher shortage; the letter was published in the State Board of Education's October 2023 meeting packet.

May 10, 2023Supports Public Education Quality

Source: education.alaska.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on House passage of HB 278 on April 7, 2014, the omnibus education bill that raised the base student allocation and expanded the school tax-credit program; it passed the House 29-11 and became Chapter 15, Session Laws of Alaska 2014.

April 7, 2014Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Introduced an Alaska Senate bill in May 2021 that would bar transgender women and girls from playing on girls' and women's school sports teams.

May 13, 2021Opposes Civil Rights

Source: en.wikipedia.org · researched July 2, 2026

Voted yes on House passage of SB 91 on May 5, 2016, the omnibus criminal justice reform package that reduced sentences and pretrial detention for lower-level offenses; it passed 28-11 and became Chapter 36, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

May 5, 2016Supports Civil Rights

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 255 as lead prime sponsor, Alaska's first statute governing law enforcement use of unmanned aircraft systems and evidence obtained by drone; it was signed into law on July 28, 2014 as Chapter 105, Session Laws of Alaska 2014.

July 28, 2014Supports Civil Rights

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 12 as prime sponsor, updating Alaska's mortgage lending and loan originator licensing statutes; it was signed into law on July 28, 2016 as Chapter 51, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

July 28, 2016Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted no on House passage of HB 247 on May 13, 2016, the bill that cut and restructured oil and gas exploration tax credits; it passed the House 25-12 over her objection and became Chapter 4, Fourth Special Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

May 13, 2016Opposes Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on final House passage of SB 21 on April 13, 2013, the oil and gas production tax rewrite that replaced Alaska's progressive production tax; the bill passed the House 24-15 and was signed into law as Chapter 10, Session Laws of Alaska 2013.

April 13, 2013Opposes Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Resigned from the Alaska State Senate seat for District M on November 14, 2025, ending 12 years of legislative service that began in the Alaska House in 2013.

November 14, 2025

Source: ktoo.org · researched July 31, 2026

Chaired the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force, which delivered its first statutorily required report on Alaska food security and local food production to the Legislature, reported August 6, 2023.

August 6, 2023

Source: frontiersman.com · researched July 31, 2026

Voted yes on Senate passage of SB 9 on February 8, 2022, the first comprehensive rewrite of Alaska's alcoholic beverage licensing and regulation title in four decades; it passed the Senate 18-0 and became Chapter 8, Session Laws of Alaska 2022.

February 8, 2022

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored SB 27 as lead prime sponsor, making Alaska's industrial hemp pilot program permanent and authorizing hemp product manufacturing; it was signed into law on August 29, 2021 as Chapter 32, Session Laws of Alaska 2021.

August 29, 2021

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Was elected Alaska Senate majority leader by the Senate Republican majority caucus on January 19, 2021, when the 32nd Legislature convened, and served in that post through 2022.

January 19, 2021

Source: alaskasnewssource.com · researched July 31, 2026

Authored SB 6 as lead prime sponsor, the act legalizing industrial hemp production and cannabidiol oil in Alaska and creating a state hemp pilot program; it was signed into law on April 12, 2018 as Chapter 5, Session Laws of Alaska 2018.

April 12, 2018

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored SCR 4 as prime sponsor, extending the Alaska Legislative Task Force on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, adopted as Legislative Resolve 4 on November 13, 2017.

November 13, 2017

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 8 as prime sponsor, Alaska's revised Uniform Power of Attorney Act standardizing power-of-attorney forms and agent duties; it was signed into law on July 28, 2016 as Chapter 50, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

July 28, 2016

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 314 as prime sponsor, extending the Alaska Regional Economic Assistance Program's sunset date; it was signed into law on July 28, 2016 as Chapter 52, Session Laws of Alaska 2016.

July 28, 2016

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 71 as prime sponsor, extending and revising the Alaska Regional Economic Assistance Program that funds regional economic development organizations; it was signed into law on March 25, 2014 as Chapter 2, Session Laws of Alaska 2014.

March 25, 2014

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HCR 6 as prime sponsor, establishing the Alaska Legislative Task Force on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, adopted as Legislative Resolve 17 on June 14, 2013.

June 14, 2013

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HCR 4 as prime sponsor, setting the selection and instruction of Alaska's delegates to a United States countermand convention, adopted as Legislative Resolve 46 on September 23, 2016.

September 23, 2016

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HJR 14 as prime sponsor, Alaska's application to Congress for a countermand convention of the states to limit federal power, adopted as Legislative Resolve 49 on September 15, 2016.

September 15, 2016

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026

Authored HB 40 as prime sponsor, the municipal property tax exemption for farm structures, which was signed into law on June 28, 2013 as Chapter 66, Session Laws of Alaska 2013.

June 28, 2013

Source: akleg.gov · researched July 31, 2026