Alaska Authorization of Special Legislative Committees (1980)
From Ballotpedia
The Alaska Authorization of Special Legislative Committees Amendment ballot question appeared on the 1980 statewide general election ballot in Alaska as a proposed legislatively-referred constitutional amendment to the Alaska Constitution.
The proposed amendment was defeated, with 29% voting in favor.
The state legislature wanted greater flexibility in being able to appoint "interim and special committees"; this amendment would have accomplished that, giving the legislature the power to establish interim and special committees without going through the standard "three readings and a roll call vote" procedure, and also without being subject to a gubernatorial veto or a veto referendum.
The legislature particularly wanted the authority to create such committess with the power to share budget-revising authority with the governor.
Ballot language
The ballot summary said, "This proposal would amend the state constitution to permit the legislature to adopt procedures for establishing interim and special committees by legislative rule, which, unlike a bill, may be adopted without three readings or a roll call vote and is not subject to veto by the governor or repeal by referendum. This proposal would also allow interim and special committees to meet during legislative sessions and would allow the legislature to vest such a committee with the power to share with the governor the authority to approve or disapprove budget revisions, including authorizations for receiving and spending federal or other non-state funds."
