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2018 Alaska legislative session

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2018 legislative sessions coverage
Alaska State Legislature

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General information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
Session start:   January 16, 2018
Session end:   May 13, 2018
Website:   Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Pete Kelly (R)
House Speaker:  Bryce E. Edgmon (D)
Majority Leader:   Senate: Peter Micciche (R)
House: Chris S. Tuck (D)
Minority Leader:   Senate: Berta Gardner (D)
House: Charisse E. Millett (R)
Structure
Members:  20 (Senate), 40 (House)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Art II, Alaska Constitution
Salary:   $50,400/year + per diem
Redistricting:  Alaska Redistricting Board
Meeting place:
Alaska capitol.jpg

During 2018, Ballotpedia tracked notable stories from the Alaska State Legislature. The timeline on this page shows the major events that we tracked during 2018, including events in the regular session and in any special sessions that occurred after the regular session adjourned.

If you know of any additional events that should be added to this page, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Overview

In 2018, the Alaska State Legislature was projected to be in session from January 16, 2018, through April 15, 2018. However, the session did not adjourn on April 15 due to unfinished business related to the state budget.[1] The session officially ended on May 13, 2018.[2]

Partisan control

Alaska was one of 16 states under a divided government in 2018, meaning it did not have a state government trifecta. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about divided governments and state government trifectas, click here.

The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Alaska State Legislature in the 2018 legislative session.

Senate

Party As of December 2018
     Democratic Party 6
     Republican Party 14
     Vacancies 0
Total 20

House

Party As of December 2018
     Democratic Party 18[3]
     Republican Party 20
     Independent 2
     Vacancies 0
Total 40

Leadership in 2018

Alaska State Senate

Alaska House of Representatives

Regular session

Bill statistics

House Senate Total
Introduced Passed both chambers Percent Introduced Passed both chambers Percent Introduced Passed both chambers Percent
Bills 413 96 23.2% 215 49 22.8% 628 145 23.1%
Joint resolutions 41 7 17.1% 15 1 6.7% 56 8 14.3%
Concurrent resolutions 38 21 55.3% 40 29 72.5% 78 50 64.1%
Resolutions 11 10 90.9% 10 10 100% 21 20 95.2%

Source: The Alaska State Legislature, "30th Legislature (2017-2018) Bill statistics," accessed July 5, 2018

Status of legislation at the end of the regular session

This table details the status of legislation covered on this page at the end of the regular session.

Status of legislation at the end of the 2018 regular session
Legislation Subject area Actions during the regular session Status at the end of the regular session
HB 339 School funding plan Passed House
 Did not see further action
House Bill 287 School funding plan Passed Senate
Passed House 		Signed into law
HB 286 Operating budget Passed legislature Signed into law

April 14, 2018

Alaska State and House propose differing school funding measures
The Alaska State Senate and the Alaska House of Representatives approved differing school funding plans. The House plan (House Bill 339) would raise state funding by $100 per student, providing about $25 million per year beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. Independent Rep. Dan Ortiz supported the funds, saying they would assist in diminishing class sizes. and Democratic Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky said the funds would stabilize long-term school funding. According to KTOO Public Media, districts said layoffs would occur without the funds. House Republicans opposed the bill. Rep. Jennifer Johnston (R) said that financial pressure would cause schools to change. "You can’t have transformation with a lot of money," she said.[4]

The Senate plan (the Senate's version of House Bill 287) would allocate $30 million in 2020. The investment would depend on Gov. Bill Walker's (I) approval of legislation to use Alaska Permanent Fund revenue to pay for state government operations.[4]

Each plan was sent to the opposing chamber for consideration.[5][6]

Update: HB 339 was sent to the Senate, where it was referred to the Senate Education Committee and did not see further action. The House concurred in the Senate's version of HB 287 on April 18, 2018, and Gov. Bill Walker (I) signed the bill on #May 3, 2018.

April 18, 2018

Legislature passes $1.2 billion public schools budget bill
The Alaska State Legislature passed a $1.2 billion two-year budget for public schools. The bill, House Bill 287, was sent to Gov. Bill Walker (I) for approval.[7]

HB 287 left education funding measures unchanged from fiscal year 2018. Public school officials warned the lack of increase could still result in cuts resulting from rising inflation. HB 287 included a one-time $30 million investment that schools would receive more funding in fiscal year 2020 if lawmakers agreed on Senate Bill 26, which would limit the legislature's ability to use money in the Alaska Permanent Fund.[7][8] Read more here.

Update: Gov. Bill Walker (I) signed the bill on May 3, 2018. Senate Bill 26 also became law on June 27, 2018.

May 3, 2018

Gov. Walker signs education funding bill
Gov. Bill Walker (I) signed House Bill 287. HB 287 was approved by the state Legislature on April 18, 2018. The governor said in a statement, "The diverse group of policymakers that threw support behind this legislation represent our values as Alaskans."[9] Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller said the budget would allow districts to better plan for the upcoming year and prevent layoffs.[10] HB 287 invested $1.2 billion over two years.[7]

Budget

2018

Gov. Bill Walker (I) signed the state's $10.4 billion operating budget on June 13, 2018.[11] Walker used his line-item veto authority to veto a $500,000 vitamin D study supported by Rep. Paul Seaton (R). Seaton argued the study could benefit Alaskans, who do not receive much sunlight. Budget Director Pat Pitney said the study might be redundant due to a similar study underway in the Yukon-Kuskokwim area.[12]

After a disagreement on the state's operating budget resulted in an extended legislative session, Alaska legislators approved the $10.4 billion operating budget on May 12, 2018. The bill did not include a provision to raise income taxes, something on which the Senate and House had disagreed (the House wanted to include an income tax, the Senate did not). The budget bill also proposed increasing Medicaid funding by $66 million and raising investments for the University of Alaska by $327 million.[13][14]

Process

See also: Alaska state budget and finances
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Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:
Budgets • Civil liberties • Education • Elections • Energy • Environment • Healthcare • Pensions

The state operates on an annual budget cycle, with the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[15]

  1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in July.
  2. Agencies submit their budget requests to the governor in October.
  3. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature by December 15.
  4. The legislature adopts a budget by a simple majority in April.

The governor is required by statute to submit a balanced budget. Likewise, the legislature is required by statute to pass a balanced budget.[15]

Alaska is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[15][16]

Noteworthy events

Rep. Sam Kito leaves governing majority

According to Juneau Empire, Rep. Sam Kito (D-District 33) walked out of a rules committee meeting on April 10 to protest a lack of unity in the governing process. Kito left the governing majority caucus following disagreements about Senate Bill 63, which would prohibit smoking in businesses and public spaces. House Speaker Bryce E. Edgmon told The Empire that the previously 22-member governing majority caucus had 21 members (two independents, three Republicans, and 16 Democrats). Juneau Empire reported, "The implications of Kito’s decision to quit the caucus are broad. The coalition majority can no longer afford even a single member’s opposition to a piece of legislation if Kito and the 18-member Republican House Minority vote in opposition." Kito did not run for re-election in 2018.[17]

Sexual misconduct in the state capitol

See also: Sexual misconduct in state capitols (2017-2018)
  • State Sen. David S. Wilson (R): On November 9, 2017, Juneau Empire reported that Wilson had put his cellphone between the legs of a female staffer while she was wearing a skirt. The report of the incident came firsthand from an Empire reporter. The staffer did not bring a formal accusation and Wilson denied that he engaged in misconduct.[18]
On December 7, 2017, Wilson held a press conference where he said that an unreleased video of the alleged incident showed that he did not engage in misconduct. He said that he wanted an on-air apology from KTVA after one of its reporters, Liz Raines, reported the incident. He also called on House Speaker Bryce Edgmon (D) and House Rules Chairwoman Gabrielle LeDoux (R) to step down from their leadership positions for allowing the allegations to continue. Edgmon said in a statement, "Sen. Wilson crossed the line of appropriate behavior by using a press conference to chastise individuals who came forward as witnesses to an alleged incident of harassment."[19]
On December 12, 2017, a report from the Legislative Affairs Agency cleared Wilson of wrongdoing in the alleged incident, finding that he did not place his phone between the legs of a female staffer, as had originally been reported.[20]
On January 31, 2018, state Senate leaders disciplined Wilson for the press conference he held in December 2017 where he denied the sexual misconduct allegations against him and said the video proved that he was innocent. The disciplinary actions included restrictions on Wilson's travel, a probationary period, and an individual training course on retaliation.[21]
  • State Rep. Justin Parish (D): On April 24, 2018, the Juneau Empire reported that a sexual harassment complaint was filed against Parish in February 2018. The complaint accused Parish of unwanted attention, flirting, phone calls, and touching on the arms and torso, and said the misconduct began in November 2016 and lasted a year and a half. House Speaker Bryce Edgmon (D) ordered Parish to complete additional sexual harassment training, which he did. Parish did not comment on the complaint except to say that it did not play a role in his decision not to seek re-election.[22]

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods by which the Alaska Constitution can be amended:

See also: Article XIII of the Alaska Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Alaska

The Alaska Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Alaska requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments. Alaskans do not have the power to use a citizen initiative to amend the state's constitution. The power of initiative in Alaska is restricted to proposing state statutes.

Legislature

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber of the Alaska State Legislature during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 27 votes in the Alaska House of Representatives and 14 votes in the Alaska State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Convention

See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

According to Section 3 of Article 13 of the Alaska Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 10 years starting in 1970. Alaska is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.

The table below shows the last and next constitutional convention question election years:

State Interval Last question on the ballot Next question on the ballot
Alaska 10 years 2022 2032


See also

Elections Alaska State Government State Legislatures State Politics
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska lawmakers breeze through 90-day deadline but say they’re not stalled," April 16, 2018
  2. ↑ Miami Herald, "The Latest: Alaska gov: No plans to call a special session," May 13, 2018
  3. ↑ A coalition between House Democrats, three Republican representatives, and two independent representatives gave effective control of the chamber to Democrats.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 KTOO, "Alaska House and Senate pass dueling school funding plans," April 14, 2018
  5. ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Alaska House, Senate Pass Differing School Funding Bills," April 16, 2018
  6. ↑ KTOO, "Alaska House and Senate pass dueling school funding plans," April 14, 2018
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Juneau Empire, "Legislature approves flat schools budget, but no increases may force cuts," April 18, 2018
  8. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska Legislature won’t cut schools budget this year, but spending boost remains uncertain," April 18, 2018
  9. ↑ Office of the governor, "Governor signs school funding bill into law alongside students and lawmakers," May 3, 2018
  10. ↑ KTVA, "Walker puts signature on education funding bill," May 3, 2018
  11. ↑ Juneau Empire, "Analysis: Alaska Gov. Bill Walker signs deficit-slashing budget, but ‘shadow deficit’ remains," June 13, 2018
  12. ↑ KTUU, "Walker signs Alaska state budget into law, but vetoes Knik Arm Crossing money," June 13, 2018
  13. ↑ Miami Herald, "The Latest: Alaska gov: No plans to call a special session," May 13, 2018
  14. ↑ Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, "Alaska Legislature adjourns after passing $10.4 billion operating budget," May 14, 2018
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
  16. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
  17. ↑ Juneau Empire, "Juneau Rep. Kito splits with Alaska House’s majority coalition," April 11, 2018
  18. ↑ Juneau Empire, "Alaska Senator from Wasilla denies any wrongdoing with staffer," November 9, 2017
  19. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Sen. Wilson says unreleased video shows he didn’t harass Capitol worker," December 8, 2017
  20. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "2 investigations into Sen. Wilson end in his favor," December 13, 2017
  21. ↑ 'U.S. News & World Report, "Alaska Senator Disciplined After Retaliation Finding," January 31, 2018
  22. ↑ Juneau Empire, "Rep. Parish faced sexual harassment complaint," April 24, 2018
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