The Alaska Legislature adjourned last night without passing a budget to fund the government for the next fiscal year that begins July 1. The governor immediately called legislators into a special session. It starts at 10 a.m.
House Majority Leader Rep. Dan Saddler speaks with Minority Leader rep. Calvin Schrage on the last day of the regular session on May 17, 2023.
“There’s still tomorrow,” said Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a Democrat from Anchorage who is part of the Senate’s bipartisan majority. The Senate had proposed a $1,300 Permanent Fund dividend and a $174 million boost to education funding. The House proposed a $2,700 dividend and a level of education funding similar to the Senate, but it didn’t have the votes to pay for the deficit it would incur.
Normally, the chamber has 24 hours to look over a budget, but the Senate did not send the bill to the House until the final day of the regular session as they scrambled to come up with a deal late into the night Tuesday at a meeting convened by the governor. House members said there was no deal struck during those negotiations, and they ultimately wanted more time to go over provisions.
The House ultimately adjourned Wednesday night without taking a vote on the Senate’s budget proposal.
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