Update | 6:15 p.m.
Legislation was introduced in the Alaska House seeking to suspend merit pay increases for state employees until the price of North Slope crude more than doubles from its current level.
The House Rules Committee bill was introduced on the first day of an extended session after lawmakers failed to reach agreement on a fiscal plan within the 90-day session. It includes some exceptions.
The measure would bar the state from entering into collective bargaining agreements with employee unions unless the agreement includes no such pay increases.
The intent is to suspend the increases until after North Slope crude averages at least $90 a barrel for a full fiscal year. Rep. Craig Johnson, the committee chair, called that a placeholder. Friday’s price was about $42.
Johnson questioned the wisdom of such raises when the state is running a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.
Update | 4 p.m.
Gov. Bill Walker says he’d like for lawmakers to continue their work in Juneau, even if that means relocating from the Capitol while it undergoes renovation work.
Walker says he wants legislators to keep up the momentum they showed in clearing a backlog of bills as they moved into an extended session Monday where the focus is expected to be on budget- and revenue-related bills.
He says one thing about Juneau is that legislators are here for one reason — to do their legislative work. He says he also noted that a public affairs channel that broadcasts legislative goings-on is based in Juneau.
Renovation work began on the Capitol Monday, closing the front entrance and cordoning off the street in front of the building.
Update | 12:55 p.m.
The majority leader of the Alaska Senate says two bills that faltered on the House and Senate floors this weekend will have to wait until next year.
Sen. John Coghill says House and Senate leaders wanted to clear the decks of pending bills so they could focus during the extended session that began Monday on budget- and revenue-related measures. But two bills — dealing with parental rights and student testing and with alcohol — faltered, with the House and Senate unhappy with amendments added to versions of their bills.
Coghill says there was an agreement that there wouldn’t be conference committees to allow for a “clean break” heading into extended session.
Lawmakers worked past the scheduled end of the 90-day session Sunday, unable to reach agreement on key issues like oil and gas tax credits
