Speaker Stutes abruptly cancels House meeting, declares $1,100 dividend is her final offer, and that session is over for her

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Speaker Louise Stutes decided she is done with this special session, and released the following statement on Tuesday morning:

“Following the unfortunate failure to build consensus on SB 3006, the House of Representatives has completed its work. The House Majority passed an $1,100 dividend, for the second time this year after it was vetoed by the Governor, and the bill waits approval in the Senate. Our rules preclude us from concurring the same day the other body passes legislation and there is no time left for a conference committee should the bill change in the Senate. But I am assured that the bill is safe in the capable hands of the Senate. Alaskans are counting on us to deliver the largest dividend we can afford without any further political delay, and I urge the Senate and Governor to join the House and deliver on that responsibility.”

House Bill 3006 is the telehealth bill that was hung up after Amendment 4 passed, which she and most Democrats object to. That amendment gives patients the right to have an advocate by their side in the hospital.

Rep. David Eastman, a member of the Republican minority, protested the decision to end the session early:

“Under the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, the Alaska House of Representatives is required to ‘convene daily’, ‘unless otherwise ordered by a majority vote of the members present.’ House Records show that no such vote was taken at our last floor session.

“Further, I was personally in attendance at this morning’s scheduled 10am floor session, and I can assure you that no such vote was taken.

“Our Uniform Rules also require that in order to adjourn sine die from the current special session before the session expires, a vote must be taken by a majority of the members of the full house. I can attest, as can the Chief Clerk, that no such vote has been taken to adjourn sine die and end the current special session. As the elected Speaker of the House, you are entrusted with the responsibility of presiding over scheduled floor sessions of the Alaska House of Representatives.

“Our constitution and our Uniform Rules do not grant you the authority to cancel a scheduled floor session of the Alaska House of Representatives. As no one was present with me at our 10am floor session that was scheduled for today, and as it is our obligation as a body to convene daily, I am notifying you and all other members of my intention to return to the House Floor at noon today to complete the business that is before us in the current special session. Neither you nor I have the authority to declare that the Alaska House of Representatives will fail to convene on a day that we are required to convene under the Uniform Rules. I hope that you and all other members will join me at noon today on the House Floor.”

41 COMMENTS

  1. So who died and made her God?
    And I suppose there is no way to rid ourselves of this Stutes clown? Representative Eastman is one of the few that has stood for we, the People of Alaska in this travesty of a legislature. WE KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS CORRUPTION!
    We are looking forward to hearing Governor Dunleavy call a 4th Special Session in Anchorage or Wasilla or at least on the road system. And that the Governor will not accept anything lower than a $2350. pfd. And at the same time letting US know that he is aware that there is enough money to make us whole.

  2. Cool. Someone finally decided something. Now maybe we can get on with it.
    Lets hope no one pays any attention to Eastman.

    • Ohh, he’s getting plenty of attention!! And so is the Democrat majority including my local representative , Chris Tuck, who voted with the other ‘ bought and paid for” liberals WHO THINK ALL ALASKANS SHOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE A VACCINE. ,!!.

  3. The law, the rules, or past practices have met nothing to those in charge in Juneau since day one of this entire session which was doomed to failure from its beginning…
    Alaskan’s have again been awarded with a legislature that refused to legislate and a Governor joined by a Lt. Governor that refused to govern.

  4. Two America’s on display right here, so shut up serfs and take what she deigns give you through the grace of my good nature.
    Absolutely disgusting.

    • I am presuming the $1100 is not fully funded due to failed 3/4 vote.
      I expect the Senate will pass the $525 today.

  5. Stutes doesn’t speak for the majority of Alaskans. Her “final offer” sounds like the eager shopper on The Price Is Right. What a clowness!

      • She’s been a CLOWN for this whole Legislative season since Feb when it started.. What do you expect from someone who thinks she’s the Queen? She only speaks for a small group in Kodiak . I don’t think many in Kodiak are “happy” with her stunts either.

  6. If she’s so sick of all this and so done with arguing, why doesn’t she just quit and slink back to Kodiak…….nobody likes her anyway. No big loss, she quits, the legislature appoints a new speaker and we get on with it.

    • That wouldn’t help anything. Hey, its the last day of the special session – the clock is running out and they are no closer to agreement than before the vetoes. Guess what?
      Another special session? Egads
      “The government we elect is the government we deserve” – Thomas Jefferson

  7. Senate needs to up the amount and send it back, that goof ball in the State House can answer to angry Alaskans. If the Senate fails to do so, Mike D should veto and call another session. I am willing to wait. Enough is enough with the stealing of Alaskans share of the funds, use the formula in place before Walker taught them how to rip us all off. If they do not want to have a PFD program any more, fine grow a pair and make that case to your constituents.

  8. Ahhh modern politics. The new age sport where both teams win, but the fans lose.

    It is time to eliminate this farce of a public service system and take back our power to live our own lives.

    When you give up your power to a popular few, what do you expect, for them to actually help you? Nope, they only help themselves.

    Want to make the world a better place? Get out there and do it yourself!

    Wake up!

  9. Dunleavy needs to veto , veto , veto until the legislature commits to giving the People of Alaska it’s due dollars . Close this chapter and be done with all this BS. Drain the swamp and start over with a vote of the PEOPLE !!!

    • If Dunleavy vetoes, the People of Alaska will get $0.
      I’m not sure starting over with a vote of the PEOPLE will change anything. A vote of the people is what got us with the present government, which we, apparently, deserve.

  10. Here’s the thing; these bought and paid for reps ARENT even the ruling class-with the exception of Von Imhof- no- they are just the LACKEYS of the ruling class.. and guess what? They HATE you.

  11. Where is the law and enforcement of it on this matter? If I broke the law they would be at my door with swat at 2 o clock am kicking it down and hauling me off to jail. Talk about double standards.

  12. Spot on. Peter principle.
    Stutes is over her head.
    With 700k plus people in the state, there has to be someone competent.
    Everything rises and falls on leadership.

  13. How are they so short of money? Oil prices have increased thus the state should have plenty to cover the budget and give the citizens their Royalties

  14. There is such thing as allowance for pretended acts of legislation. Masons Manual when followed keeps unlawful public actions from taking effect. The next time there is a quorum those who abandoned the job can be censored and relieved of duties. We cannot pay these people not be on the clock and even obstructing lawful public action for the people.

  15. There is no such thing as allowance for pretended acts of legislation. Masons Manual when followed keeps unlawful public actions from taking effect. The next time there is a quorum those who abandoned the job can be censored and relieved of duties. We cannot pay these people not be on the clock and even obstructing lawful public action for the people.

  16. Stutes is minus a couple on understanding the law… as in stATutes. Impeach. Serving is not where she is AT. Louise claimed in my presence a couple of years ago that her RINO treason was just a way to better serve her constituents. I disagree – she is serving only herself and ignoring her constituents and thumbing her nose at the rest of the State. But she is not the only one who has bought into the lie that “we can’t afford a bigger PFD.” Follow the law thief.

    • I think we all have been taught rather badly regarding the US Constitution. I wish they would bring in a marine for a seminar to go over the basics again as a refresher. We might save money in time. Also a seminar in aberrant personalities the people might inadvertently elect and what to do? Amendment 25?

  17. Our legislators should all be fired, I have never seen such a group of incompetent unethical unqualified individuals in my 70 years in Alaska
    The republican party is broken, we can’t trust their word after we elect them. The house speaker is not a republican, she is a corrupt Kodiak Democrat.

  18. Actually, it was Bruce Edgmon who spoke through her. The session could have run through Sept 24, I believe. But when no one shows up, Alaskans are left holding the bag. We will see what happens in the next session, already called by Dunleavy for October 1. Stated purpose is to get the rest of the PFD and the fiscal plan for the state. Yup, he doesn’t shout, just keeps making them come back to get it right. Too bad he is dealing with such obdurate power centers. We know who they are, but they keep getting elected to make shambles of the process.

  19. We can thank Southwest and Kodiak for the democrat circus in Juneau. I pleaded with friends and family in Bristol Bay to get rid of Bryce Edgmon, he is the worst kind of Democrat. Louise Stutes is not just a unethical incompetent Rino, she’s Alaska’s Nancy Pelosi. Move the legislature to Southcentral Alaska.

  20. Any non-leftist people in Kodiak should be embarrassed to have voted for a weasel like Stutes. She is the worst kind of politician; one who pretends to be something they are not.

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