Travel industry advocate says a shutdown would be “effectively cutting the cord of our microphone right now as we are saying to the world: ‘Go big, go Alaska.'”
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.
Alaska Gov. Dunleavy introduces new budget bill as legislators talk about how to avoid government shutdown
Leaders from both House caucuses said that their talks are focusing on the vote on the effective date for the budget bill the Legislature has already passed.
Alaska’s second legislative special session starts with state government shutdown on horizon
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has cited the failure of a vote related to the budget bill in announcing the shutdown.
No progress on avoiding Alaska state government shutdown; new special session next week
Nearly 15,000 Alaska state workers received layoff notices on Thursday. The next special session is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday in the Capitol.
State workers receive layoff notices as governor calls Legislature’s budget ‘defective’
The administration didn’t immediately announce what programs would be shut down and how many state workers would be laid off.
Alaska State Capitol reopens to the public as lawmakers scale back pandemic policies
The policy change also ends mandatory screenings for lawmakers, legislative aides, executive branch employees and news reporters to enter the Capitol.