Latest news with #HouseBill69
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska's Legislature was in session for four months: Here's what they did with their time.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, gets a chit sheet signature from Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, for an upcoming bill. To bring a bill to a vote, a lawmaker has to get a majority of lawmakers to sign a sheet signifying that there is enough support for the bill to pass the body. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) Before adjourning their regular session for the year, Alaska legislators passed 33 bills through both the House and Senate. Two were vetoed before lawmakers left the Capitol. One of those became the subject of the first successful veto override since 2009. Here's a look at what's passed and is headed to Gov. Mike Dunleavy for final approval or rejection. Except for the budget, no subject took more of the Legislature's attention than education. In April, lawmakers passed House Bill 69, which would have increased the base student allocation — core of the state's per-student funding formula for public schools — by $1,000 per student. Dunleavy vetoed that bill days later, which caused legislators to switch their attention to House Bill 57, an alternative proposal that had a $700 BSA increase and some policy measures proposed by the governor. The House and Senate passed that in late April, but Dunleavy vetoed that bill, too. On Monday, legislators overrode that veto by six votes, marking the first time since 2009 that the Legislature has overridden a governor's veto and the first time since 2002 that it did so to a sitting governor. Legislators also passed Senate Bill 95 and Senate Bill 96, which would create a tax credit program that rewards companies that invest in child care programs for their workers. It also offers a new grant program for child care and expands the number of families eligible for child care assistance from the state. The Legislature passed both of those bills last year but had to redo them this year because of a legal challenge. These new versions have yet to be considered by the governor. The veto override for HB 57 likely won't be the last word on education. The new education formula in HB 57 is subject to funding through the state operating budget, House Bill 53. Dunleavy has the ability to veto line items from the budget, and overriding his decisions on that document would take 45 votes, not the 40 it took to override him on HB 57. In addition, a part of the education bill is contingent upon the enactment of Senate Bill 113, which changes the way the state handles corporate income taxes assessed on internet businesses. It doesn't increase taxes, but it does divert revenue from other states to Alaska's treasury, and Dunleavy implied on Monday that he would veto that bill because he doesn't view it as a stable way to pay for part of the education bill. In addition to HB 53, the operating budget, lawmakers also passed House Bill 55, the state's comprehensive mental health budget, and Senate Bill 57, the state's capital budget, which is used to pay for construction and renovation projects across the state. Because of low oil prices and the Legislature's reluctance to pass new revenue measures, all three budget bills were smaller this year than last year. Few services will see budget increases, and this year's Permanent Fund dividend is $1,000, down from $1,403 last year. Alaskans received another $298 last year as a one-time bonus atop the regular dividend. Early in the legislative session, lawmakers approved a bill that allows the state-owned Alaska Railroad to borrow money for a new cruise ship dock in Seward. The Legislature passed an identical bill last year, but it was one of five that Dunleavy vetoed, citing the fact that the House voted on it after the legal end of the legislative session. This time around, the governor had no problem signing the bill into law. The governor also signed SB 15, another after-midnight bill that was redone by the Legislature. That law allows teens as young as 18 to serve alcohol in restaurants, breweries and distilleries, but not package stores or bars. Teens as young as 16 may work in those places but not serve alcohol. The measure was intended to increase the labor force during the summer tourism season. Legislators also cleared up a long-running tax dispute involving the car-sharing company Turo by passing a bill that requires Turo to collect and remit the state's car rental tax. Turo rentals are a common feature of the summer tourist season. Previously, individual car owners who rented out their cars through Turo were required to independently account for and send in their taxes. State records show few people followed that procedure. The Legislature passed a different version of the bill last year, and Dunleavy vetoed it. The new version cuts the state's car rental tax and institutes an even lower tax for Turo users. This version has not yet been examined by the governor. Following some of the recommendations of the state's seafood task force, legislators passed three bills dealing with commercial fishing. Commercial fishers who form cooperatives to collectively pay liability and damage claims would see these payments be exempted from being regulated as insurance if House Bill 116 becomes law. At least three co-ops are already operating in the state, but under Washington state law. House Bill 31 would exempt many commercial fishing boats from the requirement that they register with the state Division of Motor Vehicles. The exemption applies only to Coast Guard-documented boats with a current license from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. Alaska's Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank would receive a small grant from a defunct state loan fund, allowing the bank to issue low-interest loans to fishers. The Legislature passed the change, recommended by the seafood task force, in Senate Bill 156. All three bills have yet to cross the governor's desk for final review. Alaska is one of the last states to forbid prison inmates from regularly using tablet computers. House Bill 35, passed by the Legislature, would change that by instituting rules for tablet use. The bill was encouraged as a means of rehabilitation and education for people in Alaska's prisons but the 33rd Legislature failed to pass it. Reintroduced this year, the idea moved quickly. After failing to pass a ban on high-interest, short-term loans during the 33rd Legislature, lawmakers in the first year of the 34th Legislature rapidly passed and advanced Senate Bill 39, which eliminates an exemption from the state's normal lending laws. If enacted, SB 39 would restrict loans to a maximum 36% annual percentage rate. Many payday loans have annual interest rates that amount to several hundred percent. The bill has not yet been sent to the governor. Alaska's insurance laws are in line to receive significant updates under two bills that the House and Senate passed this year. Senate Bill 133 regulates the prior authorization process used by doctors and other medical specialists when getting permission from an insurance company before undertaking a procedure on a patient. If enacted, it's designed to speed up the medical treatment process, and the state's division of insurance is required to keep statistics on how well the changes are working. The House and Senate also passed a broader insurance bill, Senate Bill 132, that includes a series of minor changes to the state's insurance laws. It was amended late in the process to include components of a separate bill regulating pharmacy benefit managers. Accountants also got some attention from the Legislature this year with the passage of House Bill 121, which eases the work requirements for new accountants to become certified to work in Alaska. None of the three bills have yet been considered by the governor. The Legislature voted to encourage local governments to make long-term housing plans by passing Senate Bill 50, which amends state law to say that boroughs' comprehensive plans may include housing development. Comprehensive plans are long-term planning documents that set expectations for a borough's growth and future. The bill hasn't yet reached the governor's desk. After more than a decade of work, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 97, which changes the way the state regulates big game hunting guides. If enacted, SB 97 would permit the state to limit the number of hunting guides in a specific area by selling hunting concessions, much like the federal government already does on federal land in Alaska. SB 97 was the result of a yearlong process in 2023 by the state's Big Game Commercial Services Board, which formed a task force to make recommendations and conclusions. The bill has not yet been sent to the governor for final approval. Amid a long-running dispute with the executive branch, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 183, which would require state officials to turn over data in the format requested by the legislative auditor. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Legislators say that since 2019, they have been unable to properly audit the part of the Alaska Department of Revenue that audits tax payments by oil and gas companies. The executive branch, legislators and audit officials say, has refused to compile reports that it previously provided without difficulty. As a result, legislators don't know whether the Department of Revenue is cheaply settling tax disputes with oil companies. Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, each sent a letter to Dunleavy, asking him to not veto the bill because of its importance. The governor has yet to take final action. Early in the session, the Legislature voted unanimously to reject a recommendation that the pay of legislators and other top state officials be automatically adjusted for inflation each year. Dunleavy signed that bill into law on March 6. The House and Senate passed a handful of bills that make relatively small changes to state laws. In each case, these changes were requested by Alaskans who ran into trouble and asked for help from their legislators. House Bill 70, for example, would allow ambulance crews to help some police and rescue dogs who are injured on the job and need to be taken to a veterinarian. Existing law allows bystanders to help, but not certified medical technicians. Some laws pertaining to the Permanent Fund dividend division, which handles the annual distribution of PFDs, would be updated if House Bill 75 becomes law. The state's rural school fund would be able to pay for teacher housing and Mount Edgecumbe High School in Sitka if House Bill 174 becomes law. Currently, MEHS isn't eligible for grants from the rural school fund under the process used by other rural schools. Senate Bill 47 clears the way for the Municipality of Anchorage to use local money to pay for pothole repairs on Canyon Road, within Chugach State Park. Those repairs are currently blocked by state law. All four bills have yet to receive consideration by Dunleavy, who may veto them, allow them to become law without his signature, or sign them into law. Alaska has dozens of boards and commissions that regulate various professions and industries, and each of those boards needs to be regularly reauthorized by the Legislature. This year, because of a lawsuit filed by a former legislator, the House and Senate had to redo a boards bill that passed through the Capitol last year, as well as pass their regular bill. In addition to those two bills, legislators passed a bill that would allow the regulation of some interior designers, affecting the Board of Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors. All three bills have yet to be considered by the governor. Every year the Capitol sees at least one bill ceremonially renaming a state-owned landmark or establishing a ceremonial holiday. This year was no different. Legislators voted to rename the airport in Ruby after Harold Esmailka, a well-known Interior pilot who operated air services, including medevac service, for decades. They also added two ceremonial marks on the calendar, passing bills that made May 12 the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day of Recognition and March as Women's History Month. Dunleavy signed Women's History Month into law in April; he has not considered the other two bills yet. In addition to the bills they passed, the House and Senate also approved 15 resolutions — official letters from the House and Senate that stated their positions on specific issues. Among the approved resolutions were ones opposing cuts to Medicaid, praising the sovereignty of Canada and Taiwan, asking for more international immigration for teachers and Afghans, and celebrating the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday. In addition to those 15 joint resolutions, the Alaska Senate passed a unilateral resolution asking Congress to allow people from American Samoa to vote in federal elections and serve as officers in the U.S. military. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
For Alaska legislators, it's try, try, try again on big public education funding effort
Members of the Alaska House of Representatives look at the voting board for House Bill 57 on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) For the third time in two years, the Alaska Legislature has approved a bill that seeks to increase long-term state funding for the state's K-12 public schools. On Wednesday, the state Senate voted 17-3 and the House voted 31-8 to approve House Bill 57, which would permanently increase the base student allocation, core of the state's per-student funding formula, by $700 per student, or $183 million across the state per year. The bill also makes some policy changes for charter schools, creates a grant program to encourage schools to improve students' reading performance, and establishes an education task force to recommend further changes. 'I can't express how much gratitude that I know all of Alaska is sending with the message that we've sent,' said Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, after the House passed the bill. 'Everybody wants something for children, and to see what we've seen, people working together … I think that was achieved and we found a little something for everyone.' Wednesday's votes send the bill to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who vetoed two previous bills that attempted to increase the BSA. The governor did not have an immediate comment on the Legislature's action. Dunleavy, on a trip to Washington, D.C., was unavailable for questions by phone, a spokesperson said. While the Legislature failed to override the governor's two previous vetoes, the result of a third override could be different, legislators said. 'It's one of the most sweeping sets of policy reforms for education, I think, in state history,' said Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage and the original author of HB 57. 'And I think that's why you see such unity between the chambers and from every caucus. And that kind of unity is unprecedented.' Since the start of April, the governor has urged the Legislature to include policy changes for charter schools, an open enrollment policy between schools and districts, an extra funding boost for homeschooled students, and grants for school districts whose students meet reading standards. In talks over the weekend, the Republican minority caucuses in both House and Senate negotiated some of those provisions into HB 57. That was enough to sway some Republicans who voted against prior school funding measures, such as the recently vetoed House Bill 69. 'That's the process; you do the best that you can, and this is a much better bill than HB 69,' said House Minority Leader Mia Costello, R-Anchorage. She voted against House Bill 69, but in favor of HB 57. 'Vetoing HB 69 set the stage for being listened to by the majority. When we stuck together on that veto, we were basically sending a message that there were other things that needed to happen,' Costello said. 'While nobody is perfectly fine with the outcome of this bill, it makes it a step in the right direction, and we couldn't have gotten there if we hadn't held firm on that.' In an unusual move, the governor's education commissioner sent a letter to school district superintendents on Monday, asking them to lobby the Legislature in favor of the governor's proposals. Within the letter, she said that if the Legislature failed to meet the governor's demands, he could end up vetoing money used to pay for the updated formula. In the end, some of the governor's requests were included, but others — including an extra funding boost for homeschooled students — were not. Last year, lawmakers approved $174 million in one-time bonus funding on top of the BSA, so the formula change would not significantly increase year-over-year funding. Instead, the change's main advantage is that it allows school districts to plan ahead when budgeting, instead of waiting to see what the Legislature approves each year. 'Having the stability of the funding in the formula is critically important,' Fields said. Without the change, school districts have to act as if there will be no funding bonus, a possibility until the state budget is finalized. That means warning teachers of possible layoffs, then rehiring them when money is approved. 'Having (the BSA increase) in policy avoids this destructive policy of pink slips and replacement,' Fields said. At the start of the year, school districts said they needed a BSA increase of more than $1,800 to keep up with inflation since 2011. The final version of HB 57 is a little over a third of that figure, and some lawmakers called it a good first step. 'Fairbanks schools are suffering right now. Our schools have been starving for well over a decade. It's absolutely critical that we invest right now. This funding is stabilizing our school district and districts across the state, and it was a no-brainer,' said Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks. But not everyone was pleased with the final result — of the Legislature's 60 members, 11 Republicans voted against the bill, and one, Rep. David Nelson, R-Anchorage, was excused absent. Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, said she was unhappy with the final versions of policy proposals inserted into the bill. The reading grants won't become effective unless a bill updating corporate taxes becomes law. Open-enrollment provisions, which would allow students to transfer between schools and districts, were referred to a task force and not included in the bill. 'I just felt like the policy positions that were taken in the bill were not strong policy positions,' she said. Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, also voted against the bill. 'I don't think it's enough. I think we need to focus on our kids,' he said. Electoral factors may have been in play for Wednesday's vote. In a column published by the conservative website Must Read Alaska, Bob Griffin of the Alaska Policy Forum opined that if the legislative session were to end without an education bill, the 'outcome wouldn't just harm our kids, it would also complicate Republican messaging in the next election, particularly with swing voters drawn to simplistic narratives.' Before Wednesday's House vote, the Alaska Senate needed to fix errors revealed after it approved HB 57 on Monday. There were two errors, lawmakers said. One involved the use of 'shall' instead of 'may' in a funding clause, raising concerns that it could run afoul of the Alaska Constitution's prohibition on budget accounts for particular programs. The second involved a mistake on the effective date of a program that distributes grants to schools whose students reach certain benchmarks for reading skills. Those grants would begin with the 2026-2027 school year, not in January, halfway through the 2025-2026 school year. The Senate had voted 19-1 in favor of HB 57, but its vote on Wednesday was 17-3. The change was largely due to the way the new reading grant program is linked to passage of Senate Bill 113, a bill that updates corporate tax law pertaining to internet sales. That change is expected to raise as much as $65 million per year, and proceeds would be directed toward the reading grant program. If there's more than enough money to fund that program, the extra cash would be available for career and technical education programs in high schools. 'That's going to be huge, I think,' said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka. Amid a state budget crunch, education 'is the only area in the state where we're increasing spending,' he said. But some senators noted that if SB 113 doesn't become law, the reading grants won't just be defunded — they'll be eliminated entirely. 'We are conditioning not only the funding of the reading grants … but the existence of the reading grants on another bill or policy,' said Sen. Robert Myers, R-North Pole. For that reason, he said, he was unable to vote for the bill. 'I do find it a little odd that we guarantee a ride to school, but we don't have that guarantee that we're going to incentivize the growth of reading,' he said. Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, voted in favor of the bill on Monday but changed his vote on Wednesday, saying he wasn't aware that the reading grants were contingent on the revenue bill. 'I'm kind of on a hope and a prayer that those things happen. … That makes it problematic for me,' he said. Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, also voted in favor of the bill on Monday and against it on Wednesday for the same reason. After Wednesday afternoon's final vote, a House majority spokesperson said he expects HB 57 to be transmitted to Dunleavy on Thursday. When the bill is sent, the governor will have until May 17 to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature. If he vetoes it, the Alaska Constitution calls for the Legislature to meet 'immediately' for a vote to override or sustain the governor's decision. Forty of 60 legislators, meeting in joint session, would have to vote for the bill in order to override a veto. Legislators have not overridden a veto since 2009. Alaska Beacon reporter Corinne Smith contributed to this article from Juneau. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Undermining well-funded public education undermines Alaska
The final vote tally for members of the House and Senate totaled 33-27, to sustain Gov. Dunleavy's veto of House Bill 69, to increase school funding, on April 22, 2024 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) On April 22, 2025, the Alaska Legislature had the opportunity and responsibility to secure stable and meaningful investment in our children's education. With the override vote on House Bill 69, lawmakers were given a chance to rise above political posturing and provide the first real increase to the base student allocation, or BSA, in nearly a decade. They failed. Seven no votes. That's all it took to deny our public schools the $1,000 per-student increase so many have been fighting for, not for political gain, but for survival. Our students, educators and families are not abstract line items in a budget. We are not 'special interests.' We are the very people who hold up the future of this state. And yet, 27 elected officials chose to turn their backs on us. Their 'No' votes were loud and clear: They do not believe our children, especially those in underfunded, rural, and urban schools deserve a fully resourced, safe, and equitable education. They chose the governor's austerity politics over our students' needs. They chose silence in classrooms over music. Larger class sizes over individualized attention. Closures over community. Let's be honest: This was never just about numbers. This was about priorities. Those who voted against the override would like us to believe Alaska can't afford to fund its public education system. But for the last seven years, they found money for everything but schools for tax credits, bloated bureaucracies, private interests and the Permanent Fund Dividend, which somehow remains sacred while our kids go without updated textbooks, working heat or school counselors. Meanwhile, school districts across the state now brace for catastrophic consequences. Layoffs. School closures. Slashed programs. And most devastatingly, students losing opportunities they may never get back. As a mother of five, a teacher, and the Alaska education chair for the NAACP Tri State Area Conference, I am furious. But I am not surprised. We've seen this coming. We've been warning them. We've testified, rallied and begged. This veto was a betrayal. The failure to override it was a choice. Let me be clear: This is not over. And to be clear this doesn't just impact students and teachers. It affects all of us. When schools suffer, communities suffer. When education is unstable, workforce readiness declines, mental health needs go unmet, and family stress skyrockets. Local businesses lose future workers. Property values drop. Crime and disengagement increase. These outcomes do not stay confined to the walls of a school they ripple through every neighborhood, every economy, every generation. Well-funded public education is a public good. It is the bedrock of a strong democracy, a healthy economy, and a just society. Undermining it undermines us all. To those who stood with us the 33 House and Senate members who voted to override we see you. We thank you. And to the others: we'll be seeing you, too. Because this is not just about a failed vote. It's about a fight for the soul of public education in Alaska and we are not backing down. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alaska Legislature fails to override Dunleavy's school funding veto
Apr. 23—JUNEAU — The Alaska Legislature on Tuesday failed to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a significant funding increase for the state's public schools — a $1,000 increase to the Base Student Allocation, the state's per-student funding formula. Lawmakers voted to sustain Dunleavy's veto in a 33-27 vote on Tuesday afternoon, seven votes shy of the 40-legislator threshold. School administrators across Alaska have said a $1,000 BSA increase is needed after almost a decade of virtually flat state funding. Multiple school districts report that flat funding means hundreds of teachers face losing their jobs; classroom sizes will continue to balloon; and popular programs will be cut. Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 69 last week, saying that the bill contained no policy. Also, with the state facing a dire fiscal outlook, Dunleavy said that a $250 million annual funding increase for schools would be unaffordable. Democratic Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson supported overriding Dunleavy's veto. She said during Tuesday's joint session that parents across Alaska "care deeply about the quality of their children's education," and that flat funding has led to overcrowding of classrooms and teachers leaving Alaska. "The consequences of underfunding are being felt deeply," she said. Some lawmakers said they supported a substantial school-funding increase, but that a $1,000 BSA increase would be unaffordable based on current revenue. Bethel Democratic Sen. Lyman Hoffman, co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said that he would vote to sustain Dunleavy's veto with "great reluctance." He said he supported a $1,000 BSA boost, but only with new revenue measures enacted to address "the state's major budget deficit." After Tuesday's vote failed, Gov. Mike Dunleavy posted to social media, thanking lawmakers for upholding his veto. He said that the vote recognized the state's "fiscal situation and the fact that the bill had zero policy to create a better educational outcome for our students." On Tuesday, Dunleavy introduced an alternative education package he promised shortly after issuing the veto. The measure contains a $560 increase to the BSA, along with roughly $35 million for homeschooled students and in reading incentive grants. The bill also has provisions intended to allow students to enroll in school districts other than the ones in which they reside; plans to limit cellphones in schools; and provisions intended to support charter schools — among other changes. Fairbanks GOP Rep. Frank Tomaszewski, a House minority member, said Dunleavy's new education package represented "a real compromise" and that the Legislature should approve it. "If anyone doesn't want to get on board with that, they're really not interested in funding education," he asserted at a Tuesday media conference. However, some lawmakers have raised concerns about Dunleavy's proposals. Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski said after Tuesday's vote that a first-come, first-served open enrollment policy could see some students miss out on the school of their choice. Additionally, Dunleavy's charter school provisions could reduce the power of local school boards, he said. "I think fundamentally, there are many people in both bodies who are concerned about giving up local control," he said about the House and Senate. An expected result Last week's veto was the third successive year that Dunleavy has used his veto pen to cut school funding. Education advocates and multiple legislators expected this year's override effort to fail. Last year, there was more uncertainty, before the Legislature fell one vote short of overriding Dunleavy's veto of another education package. The state Capitol's hallways were filled last year with education advocates calling on legislators to override the governor. This year, the Capitol was virtually empty ahead of the joint session. Members of the Democrat-dominated House and Senate majorities spoke at length on the House floor during the joint session. Only one Republican minority member — Rep. Mike Prax — spoke in opposition to a veto override. Overriding Dunleavy's veto required support from 40 of 60 legislators, or two-thirds of the Alaska Legislature. However, just 32 lawmakers voted to approve the $1,000 BSA boost on April 11. Thirty-three legislators on Tuesday supported the veto override — all from the bipartisan House and Senate majorities. Golovin Democratic Sen. Donny Olson initially voted against the measure, but he supported the override. HB 69 had contained policies intended to appeal to Dunleavy and Republican lawmakers. As the bill advanced through the legislative process, Dunleavy said he opposed it. Dunleavy said provisions requiring greater oversight of homeschool spending would be "inequitable." Earlier in the month, the Senate Finance Committee stripped out all the policy provisions from the bill, except for the $1,000 BSA boost, triggering Dunleavy's veto threat. Wrestling with what's next Lawmakers last year ultimately approved a one-time $175 million increase in school funding. That was equal to a $680 BSA boost, but only temporarily. Across the Capitol, lawmakers have said that a stable and reliable school funding increase should be approved this year. Many legislators have signaled support again for a $175 million funding increase for schools. But there are sharp divides between the bipartisan House and Senate majorities on how to address the state's fiscal situation, which has framed this year's education debates. Fairbanks GOP Rep. Will Stapp voted last year to override Dunleavy's education veto. He opposed the override vote this year. He said the $560 boost proposed by Dunleavy would likely not be sufficient for many school districts. But he stressed that the House majority, in particular, had not proposed a way to pay for a $1,000 per-student funding increase. "If you want to prioritize education, prioritize it in the budget and fund it," he said on Tuesday. However, some lawmakers said a funding increase of that size would be critical and that it was reasonable. Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, a Nikiski Republican, supported the $1,000 BSA boost. He said that it would amount to a $78 million increase on school funding approved last year. Bjorkman, a former teacher, said that class sizes are increasing as opportunities are being eliminated in areas like career and technical education. "Our schools are unable to meet their mission effectively, because they don't have the budget to deliver on the requirements that we expect," he said. With one month left in the legislative session, several lawmakers have said it would be difficult to craft a consensus education agreement that is supported by a majority of lawmakers and Dunleavy. Kodiak Republican Senate President Gary Stevens said after Tuesday's vote that discussions had not started yet with the governor's office on a new education package. But he said that lawmakers would try to find common ground. "We'll see where it goes," he said. Voting yes Reps. Robyn Niayuq Burke, D-Utqiagvik; Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks; Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks; Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham; Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage; Zack Fields, D-Anchorage; Neal Foster, D-Nome; Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage; Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage; Carolyn Hall, D-Anchorage; Sara Hannan, D-Juneau; Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka; Ky Holland, I-Anchorage; Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay; Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage; Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage; Donna Mears, D-Anchorage; Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage; Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage; Andi Story, D-Juneau; Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak; Sens. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau; Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski; Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage; Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage; Matt Claman, D-Anchorage; Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage; Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage; Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage; Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River; Donny Olson, D-Golovin; and Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks; Voting no Reps. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River; Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan; Mia Costello, R-Anchorage; Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage; Bill Elam, R-Nikiski; DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer; Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake; Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla; David Nelson, R-Anchorage; Mike Prax, R-North Pole; George Rauscher, R-Sutton; Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna; Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River; Rebecca Schwanke, R-Glennallen; Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks; Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla; Frank Tomaszewski, R-Fairbanks; Jubilee Underwood, R-Wasilla; Sarah Vance, R-Homer; Sens. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka; James Kaufman, R-Anchorage; Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer; Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla; Mike Shower, R-Wasilla; Robert Myers, R-North Pole; Mike Cronk, R-Tok; and Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alaska Legislature votes to uphold governor's veto of significant education funding boost
Rep. Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks, speaks in favor of the override of House Bill 69 on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Legislature has voted to uphold Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a bill that would have significantly increased the funding formula for Alaska's K-12 public schools. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski Matt Claman, D-Anchorage Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River Donny Olson, D-Golovin Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage Mike Cronk, R-Tok Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer James Kaufman, R-Anchorage Robert Myers, R-North Pole Mike Shower, R-Wasilla Bert Stedman, R-Sitka Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 69 last week, citing cost concerns and the lack of policy measures he endorsed. With the House and Senate meeting in joint session, the vote to override Dunleavy was 33-27, sustaining the veto. Forty of the Legislature's 60 members were needed for an override. In its final version, HB 69 would have increased the state's base student allocation, core of the K-12 funding formula, by $1,000 per student. That would have resulted in $253 million more per year for public schools, if fully funded. Last year, the Legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor of a smaller, $174 million formula increase. Dunleavy vetoed that bill as well. Lawmakers then failed by a single vote to override the governor's decision. Unlike in 2024, when education supporters packed the Capitol to urge an override, there was no major protest accompanying the override vote. A single pro-override sign-waver stood outside the Capitol for about 30 minutes during lunchtime, then departed amid a light drizzle. As the joint session got underway, Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel and co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, spoke first. 'It is with great reluctance that I stand here today to support the governor's veto,' he said. 'As everyone is well aware we have a major budget deficit. Not only in the current year that we are in, some $150 million, but we also have a substantial amount for the coming fiscal year.' Hoffman said that while he supports a $1,000 BSA increase, lawmakers must address raising new revenues first. The Senate is currently considering revenue measures, including changes to the state's oil tax and corporate taxes. Hoffman said revenue measures could make a $1,000 BSA increase affordable. 'If we truly say that education is our No. 1 priority, we should stand behind it fiscally,' he said. Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, spoke in support of overriding the veto to provide much-needed school funding. Robyn Niayuq Burke, D-Utqiagvik Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage Zack Fields, D-Anchorage Neal Foster, D-Nome Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage Carolyn Hall, D-Anchorage Sara Hannan, D-Juneau Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka Ky Holland, I-Anchorage Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage Donna Mears, D-Anchorage Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage Andi Story, D-Juneau Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan Mia Costello, R-Anchorage Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage Bill Elam, R-Nikiski DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla David Nelson, R-Anchorage Mike Prax, R-North Pole George Rauscher, R-Sutton Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River Rebecca Schwanke, R-Glennallen Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla Frank Tomaszewski, R-Fairbanks Jubilee Underwood, R-Wasilla Sarah Vance, R-Homer 'Year after year of flat funding is resulting in harm to our children. We are punishing them for the mistakes that we as a Legislature have made, and it is not fair,' he said. Many lawmakers spoke of school districts facing severe budget deficits, staff and program cuts, and school closures. 'The consequences of underfunding are being felt deeply. A meaningful increase to the BSA would help prevent the devastating cuts our districts are now being forced to make,' said Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage, who supported the veto override. 'Funding public education is not a game.' Other lawmakers objected to the lack of education policy reforms in the bill, as Dunleavy pressed for during a news conference announcing the veto on Thursday. 'I'm objecting to forcing people to contribute more without any discussion of performance measures,' said Rep. Mike Prax, R-North Pole, who voted to sustain the veto. Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, spoke in support of overriding the veto, protecting the Permanent Fund dividend, and raising new state revenue. 'This bill is expensive, and it still isn't enough. With the frozen funding and grants running dry, the future is uncertain, but we can't build our future on deficit spending either,' she said. 'We can't take the PFD, which is often a matter of life and death in rural Alaska. When our savings run out of money, Alaska, lights go dark. It is time to stop hoping for high oil prices or more visitors on cruise ships who will save us. We are out of options. It is time to ask without fear, how will we pay for this? And it's time to clearly say, we need to raise new revenues, and we shouldn't be scared of that.' During his speech against the override, Hoffman said that the state's Constitutional Budget Reserve — the largest remaining state savings account — was not intended to pay for recurring expenses. Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage and co-chair of the House Finance Committee, argued against Hoffman's statement a few minutes later. 'There's been esteemed members of the Legislature who've noted that this is an affordability question, and I don't agree with that,' he said. The House's version of the operating budget — including a $1,000 BSA increase — has a deficit of $67 million, Josephson said. In contrast, the CBR has a balance of $2.8 billion. 'That's 2.4%. So I can't go to my constituents and say, this is just unaffordable. Because it's not. It's just a question of will, that's all,' Josephson said, arguing that savings can be used to pay for education. The deficit in the House's draft budget may be larger than Josephson stated, because it contains a cut whose constitutionality has been questioned, and it does not include deficits in the capital budget or the supplemental budget, two separate documents. After more than an hour of speeches, members of the House and Senate voted 33-27 to sustain the governor's veto of House Bill 69. The override vote was almost identical to the votes on the original bill, which passed the House and Senate by a combined vote of 32-25. Reps. Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla; Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks; and Mike Prax, R-North Pole, were absent from the original House vote and acted to sustain the veto. Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin, voted against the original bill but in favor of the override. Afterward, he walked past reporters and did not answer questions about why he changed his vote. The tally fell along caucus lines for members of the House, with members of the House's multipartisan majority — two Republicans, five independents and 14 Democrats — voting to override and all 19 members of the House's all-Republican minority voting to sustain. Among members of the Senate, Sens. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, and Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, voted to sustain the veto alongside all six members of the Senate's minority caucus. The remaining 12 members of the Senate's bipartisan majority voted to override. After the vote, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka, spoke with reporters and expressed her disappointment with the Legislature's failure to override the governor's veto for the second year in a row. 'Previously, when we had the funds, we lacked the political will,' she said. 'I believe that there is great political will at this point to try to do something about how we're funding our schools, or failing to fund our schools, and we lack the funds. So I think this outcome was somewhat predictable, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing.' In a statement on social media, Dunleavy thanked lawmakers for voting to sustain his veto. 'Their action shows a clear understanding of our fiscal situation and the fact that the bill had zero policy to create a better educational outcome for our students,' he wrote. He added that legislators now have 'a clear path' to consider an alternative bill he proposed on Friday. The governor's bill includes a smaller funding increase and policy provisions he prefers. 'We've got 30 days to get the job done. Let's finish it. We can do this,' said Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower, R-Wasilla. Members of the House minority also offered comments in support of the governor's alternative. 'We still have a lot of airstrip left,' said Rep. Bill Elam, R-Nikiski and a vote to sustain the veto. 'We haven't completely landed all of this. We can continue. We have some opportunities.' But Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage and the Senate majority's lead negotiator with the governor, said that at least some of the governor's ideas are nonstarters. Speaking to reporters, he offered an example: a section of the bill that would allow first-come, first-served open enrollment at public schools. That doesn't make sense, Wielechowski said, because it could keep local students from enrolling at the school closest to them. More broadly and significantly, Wielechowski said there appears to be a fundamental disagreement in multiple sections of the bill about the amount of control the executive branch should have over local schools. 'I don't know how we can get over that,' he said. Last week, Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, told reporters that in his view, it's significant that school districts are not requesting the kinds of policy changes that the governor is seeking. 'There are some things in there that we can coalesce around, but we still have a ways to go and be able to reconcile policy differences,' he said. If the failed override does mean no permanent funding increase this year, a one-year funding bonus remains possible. The House's draft operating budget includes a one-time, $253 million funding bonus equivalent to the vetoed formula. That would be $79 million more than last year's budget, which contained a $174 million one-time bonus, but the House's proposed amount is subject to approval by the Senate and Dunleavy, who has line-item veto power. Senate budget leaders have said they plan to pass a budget without a deficit. In a news conference last week, the governor said that if lawmakers present a deficit-free budget with one-time funding, he'd be willing to discuss the issue. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
