Alaska Supreme Court asks lawyers in recall case to further explain arguments

This seal of the state of Alaska, pictured here on Jan. 4, 2019, hangs on the wall behind the dais where the Alaska Supreme Court hears cases in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage.
This seal of the state of Alaska, pictured here on Jan. 4, 2019, hangs on the wall behind the dais where the Alaska Supreme Court hears cases in the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. On Thursday, the Supreme Court asked the lawyers in the recall case to further explain their arguments. (Photo by Wesley Early/Alaska Public Media)

The Alaska Supreme Court asked the lawyers in the recall case on Thursday to further explain their arguments.

The court heard oral arguments last week in the case over whether Gov. Mike Dunleavy will face a recall election. The justices asked the lawyers for more on whether his veto of court funding related to abortions should be placed on a recall ballot.

Dunleavy opposes court rulings that say the state Medicaid program must fund abortions. In reaction, he vetoed the projected cost of abortions from the court system budget.

That veto is one of four grounds listed in the recall application. The recall campaign argued that it violated the separation of powers between the executive and judicial branches.

The court asked the lawyers to address the historical basis for the governor having the authority to veto items in spending bills, and the related requirement that the governor provide a statement of objections to the vetoed items.

The justices also asked the lawyers to address whether there are constitutional limits to the line-item veto authority.

The court ordered the lawyers to respond by April 13.

 

Andrew Kitchenman

State Government Reporter, Alaska Public Media & KTOO

State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications