Justin M. Ruffridge

Ruffridge voted yes on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 195, on pharmacists and physician associates; the legislature overrode the veto on June 19, 2026.

June 19, 2026Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of SB 89 in the 34th Legislature, expanding the scope of practice for physician assistants; it became Chapter 21 SLA 2026.

June 18, 2026Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill as its only sponsor to set rules for direct health care agreements, where patients pay a provider a flat fee, and to require dental insurers to spend a set share of premiums on care (House Bill 273).

January 23, 2026Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill proposing rules for health insurers' prior approval of medical care, an online system for handling those requests, and limits on step therapy (House Bill 144).

April 9, 2025Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Co-sponsored a 2024 Alaska law regulating pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen who run drug benefit plans, including registration and dispensing-fee rules (House Bill 226).

September 23, 2024Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Co-sponsored a health law that created a license for associate counselors, set rules for marital and family therapists and for telehealth, and required health providers to disclose their prices and fees (House Bill 126). It also barred group health insurers from treating associate counselors unfairly and covered professional counseling under Medicaid. It became Alaska law on August 30, 2024 as Chapter 44.

August 30, 2024Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge sponsored HB 309 in the 33rd Legislature, legislation on delegation of routine optometry services that became Chapter 37 SLA 2024.

August 28, 2024Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Led an Alaska law that reworked the rules for pharmacies, pharmacists and the state Board of Pharmacy, added licensing rules for some drug wholesalers, and broadened who may prescribe and give epinephrine. It became law in 2023 (House Bill 112, Chapter 15 SLA 2023).

July 6, 2023Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: akleg.gov

Sponsored House Joint Resolution 35, urging federal fishery managers to cut trawl bycatch, keep existing bycatch limits, and strengthen enforcement.

February 23, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: akleg.gov

Sponsored, by request, a law letting Alaska's chief medical officer set up panels that review deaths and injuries. It widened who may serve on those panels and allowed their findings to be released publicly (House Bill 371, Chapter 38, 2024 session laws).

August 28, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill limiting Alaska's paid sick leave requirement to employers with 50 or more workers, ending it for smaller businesses (House Bill 161).

March 28, 2025Opposes Labor Rights

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge voted yes on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of SB 183, on the powers of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee and legislative audit; the override succeeded and the measure became Chapter 1 FSSLA 2025.

August 2, 2025Supports Government Efficiency

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was the prime sponsor of HB 56 in the 33rd Legislature; the bill exempted veterinarians from controlled-substance prescription database requirements and became Chapter 14 SLA 2023.

July 6, 2023Supports Government Efficiency

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of SB 25 in the 33rd Legislature, repealing dormant state funds, accounts and programs; it became Chapter 6 SLA 2023.

June 13, 2023Supports Government Efficiency

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge prime-sponsored HB 136 in the 33rd Legislature, a bill rejecting the State Officers Compensation Commission's recommendations; the official bill record listed it in House State Affairs on March 27, 2023.

March 27, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of SB 119 in the 33rd Legislature, providing state identification cards for prisoners on release; it became Chapter 23 SLA 2023.

August 5, 2023Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of HB 36 in the 34th Legislature, on psychiatric treatment and placement of foster children; it became Chapter 26 SLA 2026.

June 22, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced House Bill 337, proposing to extend the governor's October 2025 disaster declaration for the storm that hit Alaska's west coast.

February 23, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of SB 10 in the 33rd Legislature, on hunting, trapping and fishing privileges for disabled veterans; it became Chapter 4 SLA 2023.

May 24, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge voted yes on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 57, a schools bill covering communication devices, class size and funding; the legislature overrode the veto 46-14 on May 20, 2025 and the bill became Chapter 5 SLA 2025.

May 20, 2025Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge voted no on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 69, an education funding bill; the joint session sustained the veto 33-27 on April 22, 2025.

April 22, 2025Opposes Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of HB 202 in the 33rd Legislature, covering overdose-reversal drugs in schools and correspondence study programs; it became Chapter 47 SLA 2024.

August 30, 2024Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Prime-sponsored a bill proposing to remove the expiration date on Alaska's education tax credits, which give businesses tax breaks for donating to schools. The House passed it in May 2024, but it died in Senate Finance (House Bill 144).

May 3, 2024Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge voted yes on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of SB 140, the education package raising the base student allocation; the joint session sustained the veto 39-20 on March 18, 2024.

March 18, 2024Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Sponsored a bill to raise state funding for correspondence-study students from 90 percent of the per-student rate to the full rate. It stalled in the House Finance Committee (House Bill 139, 2023).

May 3, 2023Supports Public Education Quality

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of HB 61 in the 33rd Legislature, which placed limitations on firearms restrictions; it became Chapter 21 SLA 2023.

July 29, 2023Opposes Gun Control

Source: akleg.gov

Voted against a wide-ranging Alaska elections bill that changed voter registration, election administration, campaign contribution rules and election crimes (Senate Bill 64). The House passed it 23-16 anyway. He then voted against overriding Governor Dunleavy's veto of the bill; the override drew 38 of the 40 votes needed, so the veto stood.

May 4, 2026Opposes Election Integrity

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill proposing to require health care providers that offer electronic records to make all available electronic patient records open to the patient and others authorized by law (House Bill 330).

February 23, 2026Supports Data Privacy

Source: akleg.gov

Voted against overriding Governor Dunleavy's veto of a bill taxing highly digital businesses under Alaska's corporate income tax and changing how company income is assigned to the state. The override failed 35-25 (Senate Bill 113).

January 22, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill limiting Alaska's paid sick leave requirement to employers with 50 or more workers, ending it for smaller businesses (House Bill 161).

March 28, 2025Opposes Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov

Co-sponsored a health law that created a license for associate counselors, set rules for marital and family therapists and for telehealth, and required health providers to disclose their prices and fees (House Bill 126). It also barred group health insurers from treating associate counselors unfairly and covered professional counseling under Medicaid. It became Alaska law on August 30, 2024 as Chapter 44.

August 30, 2024Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: akleg.gov

Signed a House Minority Caucus letter on 2026-08-13 asking House Speaker Bryce Edgmon to call the House back into session and hold a public vote on the governor's gas pipeline tax bill (HB 4001).

August 13, 2026

Source: alaskahouse.org

In the 33rd Alaska Legislature Ruffridge co-chaired the House Education Committee and the House Task Force for the Regulation of Psychotropic Medicines, and served as vice chair of both the House Labor and Commerce Committee and the House Health and Social Services Committee.

July 31, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Before the legislature Ruffridge served on the Soldotna Planning and Zoning Commission, was appointed to the Soldotna City Council in 2019 and then elected to a full term that October, and chaired the Alaska Board of Pharmacy, which writes and enforces the regulations governing dispensing of medications by pharmacies statewide.

July 31, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Washington State University in 2008, began his pharmacy career at Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, and with a business partner acquired the Soldotna Pharmacy and the Juneau Drug Company and later opened the Alpine Apothecary pharmacy in Girdwood.

July 31, 2026

Source: ballotpedia.org

Voted no on 2026-07-16 on the final compromise version of HB 381, the gas pipeline tax break bill, which also added a state income tax on some privately owned oil and gas companies. The vote tied 19-19, so the bill failed.

July 16, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

As one of three House members on the HB 381 conference committee, voted no on 2026-07-16 on adopting and sending out the final gas pipeline tax compromise. He objected that its new tax on privately owned oil and gas companies was unclear. The committee advanced it 2-1 in each chamber's group.

July 16, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Voted no on 2026-06-20 on accepting the Senate's changes to HB 381, the gas pipeline tax bill. The House rejected the Senate changes 12-28 and sent the bill to a conference committee.

June 20, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge voted yes on the motion to override Governor Dunleavy's veto of HB 314, on architects, engineers, surveyors and the regulation of interior design; the legislature overrode the veto 45-15 on June 19, 2026.

June 19, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Voted yes on 2026-06-12 on passing HB 381, a bill proposing to cut state property taxes on the planned Alaska LNG gas pipeline by switching to a tax on the gas it carries. The House passed it 34-5.

June 12, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of HB 1 in the 34th Legislature, recognizing specie as legal tender; it became Chapter 6 SLA 2026.

May 30, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill on sport fishing guides, proposing that the state take away a guide's license only for cause, after written notice and a hearing (House Bill 361).

February 23, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

Introduced a bill by request, not as his own proposal, barring school districts from giving one teachers' union exclusive access to school buildings, mail systems, and new-employee orientations. It proposed equal access for any competing employee group that asks (House Bill 313, 2026).

February 18, 2026

Source: akleg.gov

The Alaska Public Offices Commission, the state's campaign finance agency, dismissed a complaint against Ruffridge on January 22, 2026. Its final order in the case (Michael Alexander v. Justin Ruffridge, 25-16-CD) found no violation.

January 22, 2026

Source: apoc.doa.alaska.gov

Sponsored a bill to create a new Cook Inlet fishing administrative area and to buy back commercial fishing permits (House Bill 195). It was referred to the House Finance Committee and advanced no further.

April 26, 2024

Source: akleg.gov

Ruffridge was a named co-sponsor of SB 87 in the 33rd Legislature, establishing a lumber grading program; it became Chapter 26 SLA 2023.

August 30, 2023

Source: akleg.gov