Roger Holland criticizes Cathy Giessel’s leadership of the Senate, but she says her approach reflects the importance of compromise.
"Alaska Permanent Fund earnings"
Legislative leaders aim for session end in days, not weeks
A major piece of the end-of-session talks is a bill to draw from Alaska Permanent Fund earnings to pay for state government. The conference committee on Senate Bill 26 is scheduled to meet Saturday.
Senate passes its version of state budget after charged debate
The vote came after the Senate defeated 24 proposed amendments, including one that would have raised permanent fund dividends to the full amount.
Legislature picks up pace, with little time to spare
The Legislature is on track to break the record for fewest bills passed in a year, with only five so far this year compared with the current record-low of 32 last year.
House bill will need Senate rewrite to fund schools early
The bill no longer accomplishes its original primary purpose. Senate President Pete Kelly said he thinks House leaders were “knowingly misleading” in saying that the bill would fund all schools early.
Alaska House passes early school budget bill, but leaves the funding out
The House rejected the part of the bill that would use state savings to fund it.
House leaders aim for compromise, early school budget this year
“We’re willing to sit down and negotiate and to talk about what it takes to not only get a budget done for the upcoming year, but to put a package together that keeps essential services in plan and allows for our economy to once again stabilize,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon.