Alaska Legislature opens special session called by governor
Posted May 16, 2019 02:39:02 PM.
JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska legislators have convened a special session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy when they failed to complete their work by a constitutional deadline.
Lawmakers ended the regular session late Wednesday. Unresolved are state budgets, crime legislation and a decision on how to handle the dividend residents receive from Alaska’s oil-wealth fund.
House and Senate negotiators are scheduled to meet on the crime package Thursday. Disagreements over the dividend snarled resolution on a state operating budget.
Dunleavy’s office, in a release, indicated he expected lawmakers to consider a full dividend payout as part of their budget deliberations.
The special session agenda also includes a measure for school funding. Dunleavy raised constitutional questions about the appropriation lawmakers approved last year for the coming fiscal year. Legislative leaders have stood behind their actions.
Becky Bohrer, The Associated Press