Alaska House of Representatives

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Alaska House of Representatives

Seal of Alaska.jpg
General Information
Type:   Lower house
Term limits:   None
2013 session start:   January 15, 2013
Website:   Official House Page
Leadership
House Speaker:  Mike Chenault, (R)
Majority Leader:   Alan Austerman, (R)
Minority leader:   Beth Kerttula, (D)
Structure
Members:  40
   Democratic Party (14)
Republican Party (26)
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:   Art II, Alaska Constitution
Salary:   $50,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 6, 2012 (40 seats)
Next election:  November 4, 2014 (40 seats)
Redistricting:  Alaska Redistricting Board
Meeting place:
Alaska capitol.jpg

Contents

The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alaska State Legislature. There are 40 members to the Assembly, representing a relatively equal amount of constituencies. Each member represents an average of 17,756 residents, as of the 2010 Census. [1] After the 2000 census, each member represented approximately 15,673 residents.[2]

Elected officials serve two-year terms and are not subjected to term limits. The Alaska House of Representatives is the smallest legislative lower house in the United States.

As of June 2013, Alaska is one of 24 Republican state government trifectas.

Sessions

Section 8 of Article II of the Alaska Constitution contains provisions relating to the timing and length of sessions of the Alaska State Legislature, of which the House of Representatives is a part. However, the provisions related to the convening date of the Legislature have been changed by law, and the provisions limiting the length of legislative sessions have been changed by the Alaska 90-Day Legislative Session Amendment. This amendment was passed in a 2006 ballot initiative, and it limits the regular sessions of the Legislature to ninety days.

Section 9 of Article II allows for special sessions to be called by the Governor of Alaska or by a two-thirds vote of the legislators. Special sessions are limited to thirty days.

2013

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the Legislature was in session from January 15 to April 14.

Major issues

Major issues during the 2013 legislative session included oil tax reform, state agency performance reviews and a budget for fiscal year 2014.[3][4]

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Legislature was in regular session from January 17 to April 15. It was in special session from April 15 to April 30.[5]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the House was in session from January 18th to April 17th. A special session was called on June 27 to discuss reauthorization of the state's Coastal Management Program, which is set to expire June 30. Measures to reauthorize the program failed during the regular session. [6]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the House of Representatives was in session from January 19th to April 18th.

Transparency

See also: Open States' Legislative Data Report Card

The Sunlight Foundation released an "Open Legislative Data Report Card" in March 2013. Alaska was given a grade of B in the report. The report card evaluated how adequate, complete and accessible legislative data is to the general public. A total of 10 states received an A -- Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.[7]

Elections

2012

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a Primary Election on August 28, 2012, and a General Election on November 6, 2012.

The signature filing deadline was 5:00 PM on June 1, 2012 and the primary date was August 28, 2012.

The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.

2010

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives were held in Alaska on November 2, 2010. State house seats in all 40 districts were up for election in 2010.

The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was June 1, 2010, and the primary election day was August 24, 2010.

During the 2010 election, the total contributions to the 82 House candidates was $3,254,576. The top 10 contributors were:[8]

2008

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2008

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 26, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.

During the 2008 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $2,919,909. The top 10 contributors were:[9]

2006

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2006

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 22, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006.

During the 2006 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $3,973,988. The top 10 contributors were:[10]

2004

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2004

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 24, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004.

During the 2004 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $4,077,001. The top 10 contributors were:[11]

2002

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2002

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 27, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002.

During the 2002 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $3,385,516. The top 10 contributors were:[12]

2000

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2000

Elections for the office of Alaska House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 22, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000.

During the 2000 election, the total contributions to House candidates was $2,737,767. The top 10 contributors were:[13]

Qualifications

Article II, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states: A member of the legislature shall be a qualified voter who has been a resident of Alaska for at least three years and of the district from which elected for at least one year, immediately preceding his filing for office. A senator shall be at least twenty-five years of age and a representative at least twenty-one years of age.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
NevadaMassachusettsColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaskaVacancy fulfillment map.png

If there is a vacancy in the House, the Governor of Alaska is responsible for selecting a replacement. The Governor must select the replacement within 30 days after the vacancy happened. The Governor cannot appoint a replacement if the vacancy happens before a new legislative session is scheduled to convene.[14]

Representatives

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state houses
Party As of June 2013
     Democratic Party 14
     Republican Party 26
Total 40

Historical composition

Alaska House of Representatives[15]
YearDemocratsRepublicansIndependents
20111624-
20101822-
20081723-
20061426-
20041327-
20021327-
20001426-
19981525-
199617221
199421181


The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
Partisan composition of the Alaska State House.PNG

Leadership

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. [16]

Current leadership

Current Leadership, Alaska House of Representatives
Office Representative Party
State Speaker of the House Mike Chenault Ends.png Republican
State House Majority Leader Lance Pruitt Ends.png Republican
State House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula Electiondot.png Democratic

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2013, members of the Alaska House of Representatives are paid $50,400 per year as a base salary rate. They are also paid a per diem of either $238 or $253/day, tied to the federal rate. This per diem varies depending on the time of the year. Legislators who live in the Juneau area receive 75% of federal rate.[17]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

The terms of Alaska legislators begin on the 4th Monday of the January following a November election.

Current members

Current members, Alaska House of Representatives
District Representative Party Assumed office
1 Doug Isaacson Ends.png Republican 2013
2 Tammie Wilson Ends.png Republican 2009
3 Steve M. Thompson Ends.png Republican 2011
4 Scott Kawasaki Electiondot.png Democratic 2007
5 Pete Higgins Ends.png Republican 2013
6 Eric A. Feige Ends.png Republican 2011
7 Wes Keller Ends.png Republican 2007
8 Shelley Hughes Ends.png Republican 2012
9 Lynn Gattis Ends.png Republican 2013
10 Mark Neuman Ends.png Republican 2005
11 Bill Stoltze Ends.png Republican 2003
12 Dan Saddler Ends.png Republican 2011
13 Gabrielle LeDoux Ends.png Republican 2013
14 Max Gruenberg Electiondot.png Democratic 2003
15 Andy Josephson Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
16 Harriet Drummond Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
17 Geran Tarr Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
18 Les Gara Electiondot.png Democratic 2003
19 Lindsey Holmes Ends.png Republican 2007
20 Mia Costello Ends.png Republican 2011
21 Craig Johnson Ends.png Republican 2007
22 Chris Tuck Electiondot.png Democratic 2009
23 Bob Lynn Ends.png Republican 2003
24 Charisse Millett Ends.png Republican 2009
25 Lance Pruitt Ends.png Republican 2011
26 Lora Reinbold Ends.png Republican 2013
27 Mike Hawker Ends.png Republican 2003
28 Mike Chenault Ends.png Republican 2001
29 Kurt Olson Ends.png Republican 2005
30 Paul Seaton Ends.png Republican 2003
31 Cathy Munoz Ends.png Republican 2009
32 Beth Kerttula Electiondot.png Democratic 1999
33 Peggy Wilson Ends.png Republican 2001
34 Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
35 Alan Austerman Ends.png Republican 2009
36 Bryce Edgmon Electiondot.png Democratic 2007
37 Bob Herron Electiondot.png Democratic 2009
38 David Guttenberg Electiondot.png Democratic 2003
39 Neal Foster Electiondot.png Democratic 2009
40 Benjamin Nageak Electiondot.png Democratic 2013

Committees

The Alaska House of Representatives has 10 Standing Committees:

There are also four special committees:

History

Partisan balance 1992-2013

Who Runs the States Project
See also: Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States and Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States, Alaska
Partisan breakdown of the Alaska legislature from 1992-2013

From 1992-2013, the Republican Party was the majority in the Alaska State House of Representatives for 19 years while the Democrats were the majority for three years. The Alaska State House is one of nine state Houses that was Republican for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. In the final year of the study (2013), the Alaska House became a Republican trifecta.

Across the country, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states have divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.

The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Alaska, the Alaska State Senate and the Alaska House of Representatives from 1992-2013. Partisan composition of Alaska state government(1992-2013).PNG

External links

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References

  1. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  2. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  3. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Oil taxes the top agenda for next legislature," January 13, 2013
  4. ↑ ktuu.com, "Alaska Legislative Session Adjourns", April 15, 2013
  5. ↑ StateScape, Session schedules, accessed April 30, 2012
  6. ↑ StateScape.com, Session Updates, accessed June 28, 2011
  7. ↑ Sunlight Foundation Ten Principles for Opening Up Government Information, accessed June 16, 2013
  8. ↑ Follow the Money "Alaska House of Representatives 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  9. ↑ Follow the Money, "Alaska 2008 Candidates," Accessed April 10, 2013
  10. ↑ Follow the Money, "Alaska 2006 Candidates," Accessed April 10, 2013
  11. ↑ Follow the Money, "Alaska 2004 Candidates," Accessed April 10, 2013
  12. ↑ Follow the Money, "Alaska 2002 Candidates," Accessed April 10, 2013
  13. ↑ Follow the Money, "Alaska 2000 Candidates," Accessed April 10, 2013
  14. ↑ Alaska Legal Resource Center "Alaska Election Law"(Referenced Statute 15.40.320)
  15. ↑ Alaska State Legislature Archive "1993-1994"
  16. ↑ Alaska House Leadership
  17. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
v • d • e
Republican majority Current members of the Alaska House of Representatives
House Speaker: Mike Chenault (R) • Majority Leader: Lance Pruitt (R) • Minority Leader: Beth Kerttula (D)
Democratic (14) • Republican (26) • Alaska State Senate • Alaska House of Representatives
v • d • e
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