NEWS: Much Good and Some Bad in Governor Walker’s Line Item Budget Vetoes
Anchorage – Earlier today, Alaska Governor Bill Walker used his line-item veto power to cut $1.29 billion from the FY 2017 budgets. The veto includes $430 million in tax credit and other payments to the oil and gas industry down to the statutory minimum requirement of $30 million. The veto of the oil tax credit money is supported by members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) in the Alaska House of Representatives.
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NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Supports Long Overdue Decision to Drop Failed Lawsuit to Stop Medicaid Expansion in Alaska
Anchorage – Earlier today, a majority of the members of the Alaska Legislative Council voted to stop the lawsuit challenging Medicaid expansion in Alaska. The lawsuit was dismissed in March by a Superior Court Judge after finding that the Social Security Act allowed the Governor to initiate Medicaid expansion and that existing state law required Governor Walker to provide Medicaid to the group of Alaskans eligible for expansion. The Alaska Legislative Council is made up of members of both the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska Senate and it represents the Alaska Legislature in some instances when the Legislature is not in session. Today’s action by the Legislative Council stops an appeal of the lawsuit to the Alaska Supreme Court.
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NEWS: Legislative Session Ends Without a Budget as Special Session Looms
Juneau – Tonight, the Second Session of the 29th Alaska Legislature came to a close without any significant action to address the ongoing fiscal crisis brought on by the sudden drop in oil prices and the broken promises of increased oil production. The House and Senate Majorities both failed to pass the FY 2017 Operating Budget.
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NEWS: Independent and Democratic Lawmakers Call for a Halt to Illegal Lawsuit Challenging Medicaid Expansion in Alaska
Juneau – Today, the members of Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition sent a letter to the high-priced Washington D.C. law firm of Bancroft, PLLC asking them to not move forward on an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court of a lawsuit challenging the expansion of Medicaid in Alaska. The authority to move forward with an appeal has not been granted by the full membership of the Alaska House of Representatives as is required by law. Last week, a notice of appeal was illegally filed with the Alaska Supreme Court on behalf of the Alaska Legislative Council and the Alaska House of Representatives. This is despite a clear legal opinion from the Alaska Division of Legal and Research Services that such an appeal must be authorized by a vote of the full Alaska Legislature, which it was not.
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VIDEO: Joint AIDC Senate Dems Press Availability
Juneau – The Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) and Alaska Senate Democrats joint press availability from April 19th at 10:00 a.m. Participants include AIDC Leader Rep. Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage), Senate Minority Leader Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage), Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), and House Minority Whip Rep. Sam Kito (D-Juneau).
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