The Alaska Legislature adjourned after the first day of its special session on Saturday, without considering bills pushed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The only action taken during the special session, besides voting to approve adjournment via an extended recess of the House and Senate, were a pair of votes to restore education funding slashed by the governor from the state budget and to override his veto of a bill strengthening the ability of the state’s legislative auditors to obtain information “in the form or format requested.”
Several members of the Republican-led House minority during a floor session of the House spoke against the move to adjourn, saying that after lawmakers had traveled to Juneau they ought to consider Dunleavy’s request that they create a Department of Agriculture and approve his priorities for education reform.
Speaking during a press availability minutes after adjournment, Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said that Dunleavy’s priorities have been heard and will be heard. Bills like those introduced by the governor this week were considered during the last legislative session “and did not gain support.” He pointed to the House Resources Committee, which will continue to explore a Department of Agriculture during next year’s session, and the newly formed task force on education, which will hold its first meeting on Aug. 25 to explore ways to improve Alaska’s public education system.
Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, said that only the two veto override votes were taken up Saturday because there was not “overwhelming” consensus on the other issues.
The House and Senate both adjourned Saturday until Aug. 19, though Stevens declined to confirm whether lawmakers would actually return to Juneau on that day. He said it “depends on the progress we make,” pointing to the education task force, which isn’t set to meet for the first time until days after the Legislature is set to return.
Stevens repeated a complaint repeatedly levied against the governor by the Legislature in recent years, saying that he is often absent from Juneau and his staff members often don’t engage with lawmakers.
“The Legislature certainly wants to include the governor,” he said. “We want to know what he wants to do. The governor plays an important role in the state, so we’re ready to work with him — I hope he’s ready to work with us.”
Dunleavy, during a press conference on Saturday railed against the Legislature’s adjournment as being opaque — “I’m not sure what the Legislature is doing right now; there’s a session, but not really?”
He also said that other state’s legislatures get more bills across the finish line and asserted that the Alaska Legislature would not pursue any education policy bills next year.
Stevens said today that education policy is a priority before additional funding.
“I think we need to address the policies; those are extremely important.”
Dunleavy said he would “possibly” call another special session before January if the Legislature does not advance his priorities.
“I will always reserve the tools afforded to me, by the constitution of Alaska, to get policy done and move the state forward,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
