The Alaska Legislature’s special session, called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, was to formally end Tuesday in what has become a predictable pattern: Nothing accomplished.
But now it appears the session will run through the end of the month. That’s because the Democrat-led majority is worried the governor will call legislators back for another special session.
Lawmakers gaveled in for less than a single day at the beginning of the 30-day session, then went home. On Aug. 19, they were to technically return, but only in the loosest sense of the word. A handful of designated members, mostly from Juneau, will preside over what is called a “technical session.” No calendar items are scheduled, no bills will be taken up, and the Legislature will then gavel back out until the end of the month.
The governor had asked legislators to take up two priorities during this special session: the creation of a stand-alone Department of Agriculture and a series reforms to improve Alaska’s chronically poor public school outcomes. Both issues were ignored.
Instead, the only real action lawmakers took was to override Dunleavy’s partial veto of a permanent increase to K-12 spending, a move that locks in more money for the same system that consistently produces some of the worst educational results in the nation. That took a half an hour.
This special session mirrors the Legislature’s recent trend under Democrat-led leadership: convening, ignoring the governor’s agenda, passing symbolic resolutions such as support for Canada and against President Trump, and adjourning without addressing Alaska’s long-term challenges.
On Tuesday, Alaskans can expect a symbolic gavel-in, gavel-out, and little else.
If only this was a Democrat problem. Only four Republicans in the legislature (out of 32) voted against the Democrat measure (HJR11) criticizing Trump and supporting Canada. And that was only after all four had voted to pass the Democrat amendments to the bill.
Likewise, the vast majority (21 out of 32) Republicans voted to pass the very bill the governor vetoed (HB57). Does it help anything to switch your vote and vote with the governor afterward, when it’s too late to change anything? Not really.
With Republican legislators voting like this, there is no Republican agenda in the legislature today. (see ‘https://davideastman.org/democrats-talk-alaska-legislators-into-abandoning-trump-and-supporting-canada-first-agenda/)