Every year, more than half of reported sexual assault victims in Alaska are children. Raising the age of consent helps protect them and ensures survivors have access to justice. #SAAM2026
HB 101 Would Raise Alaska’s Age of Consent to 18 as Lawmakers Respond to Alaska’s High Rates of Sexual Violence Against Children
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | April 6, 2026
Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds are minor children under adult supervision. Yet in Alaska, adults can legally have sex with them. HB 101 aims to change that.
The bill would raise the age of consent from 16 to 18 while including a close-in-age exemption so teens near the same age are not criminalized. It passed the Alaska House in May 2025 unanimously and has strong bipartisan support. The bill is now waiting in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Representative Andrew Gray of Anchorage introduced the legislation. Lawmakers from both parties are backing the bill along with child advocacy groups.
Alaska has one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the nation. More than half of reported victims in 2024 were children. Sexual assault is linked to long-term trauma, depression, and suicide. Standing Together Against Rape (STAR) sees the damage firsthand every day. They work with children who have been groomed or abused by adults. STAR says older teens are especially vulnerable when the law treats them as adults, leaving them unprotected and less able to access help.
The current law conflicts with other parts of being 16 or 17. Teenagers cannot rent cars, sign contracts, or get tattoos without parental permission. Why would the law allow adults to have sex with them? Raising the age of consent to 18 would protect children and align Alaska with other states.
See a Problem? Here’s How You Can Make a Difference
HB 101 can’t wait. Every day it’s stalled leaves Alaska children at risk. The bill has been sitting in the Senate Judiciary Committee for more than nine months, with no vote scheduled. Alaskans can make a difference by contacting their state senators and urging them to bring HB 101 to a full vote. Adults should not be allowed to have sex with minors. The law must reflect that.
Call the Senate Judiciary Committee at 907-465-4919 or email Senate.Judiciary@akleg.gov to voice your support for HB 101.
Sources
Alaska State Legislature HB 101 bill history and committee records
State of Alaska Felony Level Sex Offenses Report 2024
University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center research on sexual violence
Standing Together Against Rape (STAR) advocacy and prevention data
