Notes from today’s proceedings at the Capitol:
- Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux lost her chairmanship of Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and was stripped of her positions in all committees, because she voted for a $3,000 Permanent Fund dividend, against the wishes of the Democrat-led caucus.
- Rep. Laddie Shaw, a military veteran, has been made chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
- Rep. Ivy Spohnholz is notably the only member of the House that is staying away from gender pronouns. She makes a concerted effort not to say, “Mr. Speaker,” but instead says “Speaker Edgmon” when addressing the chairman.
- Conference Committee appointees are Sens. Bert Stedman, Natasha von Imhof, and Donny Olson; Reps. Neal Foster, Tammie Wilson, and Cathy Tilton. They will meet at 1 pm Tuesday to get organized on the negotiation of HB 39, the operating budget, and HB 40, the Mental Health budget.
- HB 69, the governor’s bill to repeal the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission, was heard and held by the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee. It is not likely to move out of this committee, chaired by Democrat Rep. Sarah Hannan of Juneau. The commission’s job is distribute state funds to the various public broadcasting stations, and to serve as a buffer between stations and fund appropriators, to protect stations from political retribution.
