Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks during a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks during a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

With long list of tasks, Legislature set to begin special session

Governor looking for answers on crime, budget

Even before the end of the 121st day of session, Gov. Mike Dunleavy called the Alaska Legislature into special session.

Dunleavy said he called the session so the Legislature can make decisions on a few key issues: the state’s budget, the amount of the Permanent Fund Dividend, how to craft its crime legislation and how future education funding is going to work.

“Obviously, I think a lot of us are disappointed,” Dunleavy said. “We had 121 days to be able to get the work done.”

The session will commence at 10 a.m. Thursday and will be held in Juneau. According to Alaska Statute 24.05.100, a special session can last up to 30 calendar days.

[Capitol Live: Regular session ends in frazzled fashion]

The announcement came at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, and by that time the writing was on the wall that the Legislature wasn’t going to finish everything it had to do by midnight (its constitutional deadline). The conference committee (essentially a negotiating group with members from the House and Senate) on the budget had made a few key decisions the prior night, but hadn’t finalized everything. Another conference committee tasked with working out a crime bill hadn’t even met publicly yet.

The formal declaration of a special session was read at 11:46 p.m. Wednesday. The declaration listed the governor’s tasks for the Legislature: education funding, the operating budget, the capital budget and the crime bill (House Bill 49).

Three words were noticeably missing from the declaration: Permanent Fund Dividend. When a governor calls a special session, the Legislature is required to focus only on the issues identified by the governor, according to state statute. The PFD now has to come up in budget negotiations during the special session. Dunleavy and the House both didn’t include the PFD in their budget proposals, but the Senate did.

Dunleavy has been staunch in his desire to greatly reduce the state’s budget, provide a full $3,000 PFD and repeal and replace the criminal justice reform legislation Senate Bill 91. The Senate’s proposals have been much more in line with the governor’s wishes, but the House has proposed smaller cuts, a smaller dividend (about $1,200) and less serious repeals to SB 91.

The Legislature moved slowly in the final days of session. The most significant piece of legislation passed Wednesday was Senate Bill 16, which preserves the Alaska State Fair’s liquor license. The bill also allows Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area to apply for a liquor license.

The night ended in chaotic fashion on the House floor. When House Majority Leader Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, made a motion for the House to adjourn, Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, objected.

An exasperated scoff went through the room, and even House Minority Leader Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, was upset at Eastman (a member of the Minority).

“What the freak?” Pruitt said, frustrated.

After a brief at-ease to talk through the situation, the House took a vote on whether to adjourn until Thursday. Eastman was the sole “no” vote.

Both the House and Session are scheduled to reconvene their floor sessions at 10 a.m. Thursday.

More in News

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Ships in Port for the Week of June 4

Here’s what to expect this week.

The author’s wife hikes down the ridge of a still snow-covered mountain. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
I Went to the Woods: The summer bod

It’s summer bod time. Not in a show it off at the… Continue reading

Former President Donald Trump listens as he speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, in Waco, Texas, on March 25 while en route to West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president

MIAMI — Donald Trump said Thursday that he was indicted for mishandling… Continue reading

Key Bank was one of the banks victimized by a Juneau man who pleaded guilty Thursday to federal theft charges after stealing nearly $580,000 from multiple banks and credit unions between 2019 and 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Juneau man pleads guilty to nearly $580,000 bank fraud

He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Hazel Sutton, 13, pauses at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge at the end of her shift monitoring tree swallow nest-boxes. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
Alaska Science Forum: A new teenager and her unusual bird

Hazel Sutton was eating lunch on an island at Tanana Lakes Recreation… Continue reading

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly member Greg Smith smiles Thursday afternoon while walking across the rainbow crosswalk recently repainted in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Faces of Pride: Assembly member Greg Smith

“For me it’s about acceptance, respect and understanding where people are in their lives.”

Fenton Jacobs, 42, was sentenced to 53 years in prison Tuesday after being found guilty of a number of charges from his involvement in a 2019 stabbing. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire File)
Man sentenced to 53 years for fatal downtown stabbing

The sentencing follows a guilty verdict last June for the 2019 crime.

City and Borough of Juneau administration and Assembly members smile for a picture during the Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night, which was city Finance Director Jeff Rogers last finance meeting after serving four years in his position. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Assembly and chamber bid farewell to outgoing city finance director

Jeff Rogers will depart from his position at the end of June.

Ships in Port for the Week of June 11

Here’s what to expect this week.

Most Read