Members of the House Majority Coalition spent most of Friday, May 13, 2022 in caucus meetings at the Alaska State Capitol, discussing how to proceed with a large budget bill some have called irresponsible. With a thin majority in the House of Representatives, there’s a possibility the budget could pass. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Members of the House Majority Coalition spent most of Friday, May 13, 2022 in caucus meetings at the Alaska State Capitol, discussing how to proceed with a large budget bill some have called irresponsible. With a thin majority in the House of Representatives, there’s a possibility the budget could pass. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

State budget work stretches into weekend

Sessions have been delayed and canceled since Wednesday

The Alaska House of Representatives continued negotiations behind closed doors Friday, canceling the day’s floor session and scheduling another for Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

“The determination of when to go on the floor is taking longer than anticipated, but the delay is not being made lightly,” said House Majority Coalition spokesperson Joe Plesha. “The decision whether to concur or not with the Senate’s budget will have far-reaching impacts on the future of Alaska. The House Coalition was founded on the principle of fiscal responsibility and they take that obligation too seriously to rush the outcome.”

House floor sessions have been scheduled and eventually canceled every day since Wednesday this week, following the Alaska Senate’s approval of the budget bill Tuesday afternoon. Senators passed a budget with more than $1 billion added through the amendment process, including statutory Alaska Permanent Fund dividends of $4,300 and energy relief payments of $1,300.

[With thin margins in the House, floor debate is delayed]

Several lawmakers in both bodies have been critical of the bill, calling it irresponsible, while defenders say the high price of oil and state savings will cover the cost. But the state not following the statutory formula for dividends has been a major sticking point for a number of mostly Republican lawmakers, and with only 21 votes needed to concur on the budget, there’s a possibility the House could approve the budget and send it to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who’s repeatedly advocated for a statutory dividend.

The House Majority Coalition has only 21 members and some members have voted for full dividends before. Likewise, some members of the Republican minority, Fairbanks Reps. Bart LeBon and Steve Thompson, have voted against statutory dividends in the past.

Private organizations have weighed in with Alaska AFL-CIO and the Alaska Chamber of Commerce both issuing statements calling on lawmakers to reject the budget.

If the House does vote against the budget, the bill will be negotiated by a conference committee made up of two members of the majority from each body — typically the co-chairs of the finance committees — and a member of the minority from each body.

But the constitutional end of session is May 18, and if lawmakers are unable to finish the budget process by then they will need to be called into special session. Lawmakers can call themselves into special session or the governor can issue a proclamation. Last year, this Legislature went through four special sessions, the most in state history, but this year is an election year, and lawmakers can’t campaign while in session.

Contact reporter Peter Segall at psegall@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SegallJnuEmpire.

More in News

Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchor Point man indicted for 3 shootings at Homer family planning clinic, recovery center

The grand jury returned 12 counts total for the three shootings

The entrance to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center is barricaded on Overland Avenue in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Citing dangerous drivers, Kenai closes one entrance to visitor’s center

The barricade will be removed temporarily on Friday for Christmas Comes to Kenai festivities

A Kenai Peninsula Food Bank truck in the Food Bank parking lot on Aug. 4, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Food bank seeks turkey donations as Thanksgiving nears

The local food bank is calling for donations of $25 to “Adopt-A-Turkey” for a local family in need

Seward City Hall is seen under cloudy skies in Seward, Alaska, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward budget hearing covers bed tax, wages, emergency medical services

The Seward City Council on Nov. 12 considered a series of legislative items connected to 2025 and 2026 budget

The results of ranked choice tabulation show Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, winning reelection in the race for Senate District D. (Screenshot/Gavel Alaska)
Bjorkman, Vance win reelection after tabulation of ranked choice ballots

An effort to repeal ranked choice voting and the open primary system was very narrowly defeated

Jacob Caldwell, chief executive officer of Kenai Aviation, stands at the Kenai Aviation desk at the Kenai Municipal Airport on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Aviation, Reeve Air submit proposals to bring air service back to Seward

Scheduled air service has been unavailable in Seward since 2002

Erosion damage to the southbound lane of Homer Spit Road is seen on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, following a storm event on Saturday in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
City, DOT work to repair storm damage to Spit road

A second storm event on Saturday affected nearly a mile of the southbound lane

Kenaitze Indian Tribe Education Director Kyle McFall speaks during a special meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Charter school proposed by Kenaitze Indian Tribe given approval by school board

The application will next be forwarded to the State Department of Education and Early Department

Suzanne Phillips, who formerly was a teacher at Aurora Borealis Charter School, speaks during a special meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Aurora Borealis charter renewal clears school board

The school is seeking routine renewal of its charter through the 2035-2036 school year

Most Read