Alaska State Senate

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Alaska State Senate
SLP-Infobox Image-Color.png
General Information
Party control:   Republican
Session start:[1]   January 19, 2021
Session end:[1]   May 19, 2021
Term length:   4 years
Term limits:   None
Redistricting:  Commission
Salary:   $50,400/year + per diem
Members
Total:  20
Democrats:  7
Republicans:  13
Other:  0
Vacancies:  0
Leadership
President:   Peter Micciche (R)
Maj. Leader:   Shelley Hughes (R)
Min. Leader:   Tom Begich (D)
Elections
Last election:  November 3, 2020
Next election:  November 8, 2022

The Alaska State Senate is the upper chamber of the Alaska State Legislature. Alongside the Alaska House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Alaska state government and works alongside the governor of Alaska to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Alaska State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The Alaska State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Juneau, Alaska.

  • A total of 10 of 20 Alaska Senate seats were up for election in 2020. Republicans maintained their 13-7 numerical majority. Click to read more »
  • Alaska has a divided government, and no political party holds a state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers. As of July 7, 2021, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 12 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control. In the 2020 election, Republicans had a net gain of two trifectas and two states under divided government became trifectas. Prior to that election, Alaska had a divided government. There were 21 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 14 divided governments.
  • This page contains the following information on the Alaska State Senate.

    Party control

    Current partisan control

    The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Alaska State Senate as of July 2021:

    Party As of July 2021
         Democratic Party 7
         Republican Party 13
         Vacancies 0
    Total 20

    Members

    Leadership

    The Senate president is the presiding officer of the Senate.[2]

    Current leadership and members


    Office Name Party Date assumed office
    Alaska State Senate District A Scott Kawasaki Democratic January 16, 2019
    Alaska State Senate District B Robert Myers Jr. Republican January 11, 2021
    Alaska State Senate District C Click Bishop Republican January 20, 2015
    Alaska State Senate District D David S. Wilson Republican 2017
    Alaska State Senate District E Mike Shower Republican February 26, 2018
    Alaska State Senate District F Shelley Hughes Republican 2017
    Alaska State Senate District G Lora Reinbold Republican January 16, 2019
    Alaska State Senate District H Bill Wielechowski Democratic 2007
    Alaska State Senate District I Elvi Gray-Jackson Democratic January 16, 2019
    Alaska State Senate District J Tom Begich Democratic 2017
    Alaska State Senate District K Mia Costello Republican January 26, 2015
    Alaska State Senate District L Natasha A. Von Imhof Republican 2017
    Alaska State Senate District M Josh Revak Republican November 2, 2019
    Alaska State Senate District N Roger Holland Republican January 11, 2021
    Alaska State Senate District O Peter Micciche Republican January 28, 2013
    Alaska State Senate District P Gary Stevens Republican 2003
    Alaska State Senate District Q Jesse Kiehl Democratic January 16, 2019
    Alaska State Senate District R Bert Stedman Republican November 20, 2003
    Alaska State Senate District S Lyman Hoffman Democratic 1995
    Alaska State Senate District T Donald Olson Democratic 2001


    Salaries

    See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
    State legislators
    SalaryPer diem
    $50,400/year$287/day

    Swearing in dates

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

    The terms of Alaska legislators begin on the second Monday in January following a presidential election year and on the third Tuesday in January following a gubernatorial election year.[3]

    Membership qualifications

    See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

    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.

    Historical party control

    Of the 32 Alaska State Senate elections held between 1958 and 2020, 18 left the Democrats and Republicans within four seats of each other. However, control of the chamber was not always determined by the partisan split. For example, from 2007 to 2012, a bipartisan coalition comprised mostly of Democrats controlled the chamber even though either Republicans had the numerical majority or the chamber was split 10-10. Only in the elections after 2012 did Republicans begin holding both numerical and governing majorities. The table below shows the partisan history of the Alaska State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Alaska State Senate Party Control: 1992-2020

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20
    Democrats 9 8 7 5 6 8 8 9* 10* 10* 7 6 6 7 7
    Republicans 10 12 13 15 14 11 12 11 10 10 13 14 14 13 13
    Independents 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

    *Chamber controlled by bipartisan governing coalition

    From 1992 to 2020, Republicans had numerical majorities in the Alaska Senate after all but two elections that split the chamber 10-10, but they did not necessarily control the chamber whenever they had a numerical majority. Going into the 1990s, Democrats had not held a numerical majority since the 1980 elections. Republicans continued to maintain majorities, with their high point being a 15-5 advantage following the 1998 elections. Their control weakened after that as they saw their majority reduce to 11-9 after the 2006 elections. It was in the aftermath of that election that Republican Lyda Green assembled a bipartisan coalition that included all nine Senate Democrats and six Republicans. The coalition elected Green as president. She did not run for re-election in 2008, in which year the chamber reached a 10-10 split. However, the bipartisan group maintained control of the chamber, sometimes working against the priorities of Republican Gov. Sean Parnell.[4]

    In 2012, Republicans retook control of the Alaska Senate with a 13-7 majority, effectively ending the bipartisan group that Green had established. Although some rural Democrats joined with the new Republican majority, they did not have the same influence over the agenda that Democrats previously had.[5] Republicans expanded their majority in 2014 and 2016 by winning a 14-6 majority, just one seat away from their 1998 high point. In 2018, Democrats regained control of one seat, and the partisan breakdown remained at 13-7 following the 2020 election.[6]

    Trifecta history

    A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2020, Alaska was under the following types of trifecta control:

    • Democratic trifecta: None
    • Republican trifecta: 2003-2006, 2013-2014
    • Divided government: 1992-2002, 2007-2012, 2015-2020

    Alaska Party Control: 1992-2021
    No Democratic trifectas  •  Six years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
    Governor I I R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R I I I I R R R
    Senate S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D S S S

    Elections

    Elections by year

    Alaska state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Alaska holds elections for its legislature in even years.

    2022

    See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2022

    Elections for the Alaska State Senate will take place in 2022. The general election is on November 8, 2022.

    2020

    See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2020

    Elections for the office of Alaska State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 18, 2020. The filing deadline was June 1, 2020.

    In the 2020 elections, there was no change in the partisan balance of the Alaska State Senate.

    Alaska State Senate
    Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
         Democratic Party 7 7
         Republican Party 13 13
    Total 20 20

    2018

    See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2018

    Elections for the Alaska State Senate took place in 2018. A hybrid primary election took place on August 21, 2018.[7] The general election was held on November 6, 2018.[8] The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2018. The deadline for independent and minor party candidates to submit signatures was August 21, 2018.[9]

    In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Alaska State Senate decreased from 14-6 to 13-7.

    Alaska State Senate
    Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
         Democratic Party 6 7
         Republican Party 14 13
    Total 20 20

    2016

    See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2016

    Elections for the Alaska State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2016. A total of 10 seats out of the 20 seats in the Alaska State Senate were up for election in 2016. No changes occurred to the partisan balance of the chamber.

    Alaska State Senate
    Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
         Democratic Party 6 6
         Republican Party 14 14
    Total 20 20

    Vacancies

    See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

    If there is a vacancy in the Alaska State Legislature, the governor is responsible for selecting a replacement. The governor must select the replacement within 30 days after the vacancy happens. The governor cannot appoint a replacement if the vacancy happens before a new legislative session is scheduled to convene.[17]

    DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Alaska Stat. §15.40.320

    District map

    See also: Alaska state legislative districts

    The state of Alaska has 20 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.

    Use the interactive map below to find your district.

    Redistricting

    See also: Redistricting in Alaska

    Because Alaska has only one congressional district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. A non-politician commission draws state legislative district lines. In place since 1998, Alaska's redistricting commission comprises five members. Two commissioners are appointed by the governor, one by the state Senate majority leader, one by the state House majority leader, and one by the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. State law mandates that commissioners "be chosen without regard to party affiliation." One commissioner must be selected from each of the state's judicial districts.[18]

    The Alaska Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous and compact. Furthermore, every state legislative district must contain a "relatively integrated socio-economic area." Each state legislative district is served by one state senator and two state representatives.[18]

    2020

    See also: Redistricting in Alaska after the 2020 census

    Upon completion of the 2020 census, Alaska will draft and enact new district maps. Redistricting authorities in Alaska have not established a timeline for the 2020 redistricting cycle.

    2010

    See also: Redistricting in Alaska after the 2010 census

    The Alaska Redistricting Board officially began the work of legislative redistricting with a public meeting on March 16, 2011.[19] On April 13, 2011, the preliminary redistricting maps for the Alaska State Legislature were released.[20] The Redistricting Board submitted the state’s redistricting plan to the Department of Justice on August 11, 2011, for pre-clearance as required under the Voting Rights Act.[21] The U.S. Department of Justice approved Alaska's legislative redistricting plan on October 11, 2011.[22] On December 28, 2012, the Alaska Supreme Court ordered the state's redistricting plan be redrawn for the 2014 elections, ruling that the Redistricting Board did not follow the process as instructed by the court.[23] On July 14, 2013, the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted its 2013 Proclamation Plan.[24][25]

    Sessions

    Legislation

    The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Alaska State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

    Dates of legislative sessions in Alaska by year

    2021

    See also: 2021 Alaska legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessions

    In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 19, 2021, and adjourn on May 19, 2021.


    2020

    See also: 2020 Alaska legislative session and Dates of 2020 state legislative sessions

    In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 21, 2020, and adjourn on May 20, 2020.

    Effect of coronavirus pandemic

    See also: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
    Covid vnt.png
    Coronavirus pandemic
    Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.


    Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. On March 29, 2020, the Alaska State Legislature suspended its session, effective immediately and continuing through May 18, 2020. The legislature adjourned on May 20, 2020.[26][27]


    2019

    See also: 2019 Alaska legislative session and Dates of 2019 state legislative sessions

    In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 15, 2019, through May 14, 2019.

    2018

    See also: 2018 Alaska legislative session and Dates of 2018 state legislative sessions

    In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 16, 2018, through May 13, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here.


    About legislative sessions in Alaska

    The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[38] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

    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 Senate 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.

    Legislative roles and procedures

    Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

    Veto overrides

    Veto Override Graphic-No party.png

    See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

    State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Alaska are listed below.

    How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in a joint session.

    Two-thirds of all legislators in a joint session must vote to override a veto, which is 40 of the 60 members in both chambers of the Alaska State Legislature. Alaska is the only state that requires a two-thirds vote from its combined legislative chambers to override a veto.

    How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?

    According to Article II, Section 16 of the Alaska Constitution, bills vetoed following the first year of the legislative session can be overridden during a special session or in the regular session the following year. Bills vetoed following the second regular session can only be overridden in a special session, which can be called by two-thirds of legislators.[39]

    Are there other special rules?

    If the governor vetoes a revenue or appropriation bill, a three-fourths vote by the legislature is required to override the veto, which is 45 of 60 legislators.[40]

    Authority: Article II, Section 16 of the Alaska Constitution.

    "Upon receipt of a veto message during a regular session of the legislature, the legislature shall meet immediately in joint session and reconsider passage of the vetoed bill or item. Bills to raise revenue and appropriation bills or items, although vetoed, become law by affirmative vote of three-fourths of the membership of the legislature. Other vetoed bills become law by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the membership of the legislature."

    Role in state budget

    See also: Alaska state budget and finances
    Alaska on Public Policy Logo-one line-on Ballotpedia.png
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    BudgetsCivil libertiesEducationElectionsEnergyEnvironmentHealthcarePensions

    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:[41]

    1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in July.
    2. Agencies submit their budget requests to the governor in October.
    3. Agency budget hearings are held in September.
    4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature by December 15.
    5. 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.[41]

    Alaska is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[41]

    Committees

    See also: List of committees in Alaska state government

    Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

    • Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
    • Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
    • Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

    Ballotpedia covers standing and special committees in Alaska. The Alaska State Senate has 10 standing committees:


    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 in 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 can be amended in the following two ways:

    • The state legislators may propose a constitutional amendment. If the amendment is approved by a two-thirds (66.67 percent) supermajority vote in each branch of the legislature, the amendment is placed on the next statewide general election ballot, where an affirmative vote from a simple majority of voters is needed for final approval.
    • A constitutional convention can be called to review and suggest changes to the state's constitution, which must then be ratified by a public vote. State legislators can call for a constitutional convention at any time. Moreover, a statewide ballot question asking whether voters want a constitutional convention or not is automatically put on the ballot at the end of every decade in which a constitutional convention did not already take place.

    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.

    Article 13 of the Alaska Constitution defines the methods to amend the state constitution in the following way:

    Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature. The lieutenant governor shall prepare a ballot title and proposition summarizing each proposed amendment, and shall place them on the ballot for the next general election. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition favor the amendment, it shall be adopted. Unless otherwise provided in the amendment, it becomes effective thirty days after the certification of the election returns by the lieutenant governor.

    The legislature may call constitutional conventions at any time.

    If during any ten-year period a constitutional convention has not been held, the lieutenant governor shall place on the ballot for the next general election the question: "Shall there be a Constitutional Convention?" If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in the negative, the question need not be placed on the ballot until the end of the next ten-year period. If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in the affirmative, delegates to the convention shall be chosen at the next regular statewide election, unless the legislature provides for the election of the delegates at a special election.[42]



    2021 measures:

    Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2021 ballot by the legislature.

    See also: 2021 ballot measures

    Certified:

    The following measures were certified for the ballot.

    No measures to list



    See also

    Elections Alaska State Government State Legislatures State Politics
    Ballotpedia Elections Badge-VOTE-no shadow-Square.jpg
    Alaska State Flag-Close Up.jpg
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    State Courts-Tile image.png

    Footnotes

    1. 1.0 1.1 This date reflects the regularly-scheduled date and does not reflect any change made as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. For more information on changes to state legislative sessions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, click here.
    2. Alaska House of Representatives, "Glossary of Legislative Terms," accessed February 8, 2021
    3. Office of Lt. Governor Kevin Meyer, "The Constitution of the State of Alaska, Article II § 3. Election and Terms," accessed February 8, 2021
    4. McClatchy DC, "Tea party goes after Alaska's bipartisan Senate coalition," July 9, 2012
    5. Alaska Commons, "Day 98: Or, Why I Miss the Bipartisan Working Group," April 26, 2016
    6. Alaska Dispatch News, "Alaska House will be run by coalition while Senate remains under Republican control," November 10, 2016
    7. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Systems," accessed March 23, 2017
    8. Alaska Division of Elections, "Primary Election Information," accessed May 31, 2017
    9. Alaska Division of Elections, "Candidate Filing Forms and Information," accessed May 31, 2017
    10. Anchorage Daily News, "New legislative map forces early elections for senators," June 13, 2011
    11. Follow the Money, "Alaska State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed April 23, 2015
    12. Follow the Money, "Alaska 2008 Candidates," accessed April 10, 2013
    13. Follow the Money, "Alaska 2006 Candidates," accessed April 10, 2013
    14. Follow the Money, "Alaska 2004 Candidates," accessed April 10, 2013
    15. Follow the Money, "Alaska 2002 Candidates," accessed April 10, 2013
    16. Follow the Money, "Alaska 2000 Candidates," accessed April 10, 2013
    17. Alaska Legal Resource Center, "Alaska Election Law," accessed February 8, 2021 (Statute 15.40.320)
    18. 18.0 18.1 All About Redistricting, "Alaska," accessed April 17, 2015
    19. Alaska Dispatch, "Alaska redistricting board gets to work, " March 16, 2011
    20. Alaska Dispatch, "Alaska redistricting plan offers 2 regional alternatives," April 13, 2011
    21. The Arctic Sounder, "Final Alaska redistricting plan goes to Justice Department," August 11, 2011
    22. Alaska Public Radio, "Redistricting Plan Approved by Justice Department," October 12, 2011
    23. Anchorage Daily News, "High court orders redistricting plan be redrawn," December 28, 2012
    24. alaskadispatch.com, "Alaska Redistricting Board adopts revised voting district map," July 14, 2013
    25. Alaska Redistricting Board, "2013 Proclamation Plan," July 14, 2013
    26. Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska Legislature approves $4.5 billion budget plus $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend, then departs Juneau," March 29, 2020
    27. Multistate, "2020 Legislative Session Dates," last updated May 20, 2020
    28. newsminer.com, "Alaska legislators begin what's shaping up to be long, tough session," January 20, 2016
    29. KTUU, "Alaska Legislature to get underway; budget a big issue," January 20, 2015
    30. www.newsminer.com/, "Alaska lawmakers prepare for first legislative session of 2014," accessed January 22, 2014
    31. juneauempire.com, "Oil taxes to top agenda for next Legislature," accessed April 22, 2015
    32. ktuu.com, "Alaska Legislative Session Adjourns," April 15, 2013
    33. ncsl.org, "2012 Legislative Session Calendar," accessed April 21, 2015
    34. Anchorage Daily News, "Lingering issues to test Legislature," January 16, 2012
    35. Juneau Empire, "Operating budget agreement helps clear way to end of session," May 4, 2011
    36. ncsl.org, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed April 21, 2015
    37. Anchorage Daily News, "House votes down bill to save coastal management program," June 28, 2011
    38. Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
    39. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Special Sessions," accessed June 28, 2017
    40. National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Veto Process," accessed June 22, 2017
    41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2015," accessed February 5, 2021
    42. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.