Rep. Kerttula’s Juneau Newsletter: Special Session Adjourned

On Saturday, May 14, the special session was adjourned, three days short of the constitutionally mandated 30-day time limit on special sessions. Two final issues were addressed in the last day – the capital budget and the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP). A final version of the capital budget was passed, but legislation to extend ACMP failed. I’m disappointed and admittedly still angry at losing ACMP because I am worried about the affect it will have on coastal communities and the State in dealing with permitting on federal lands and federal waters. Thank you for reading my newsletter. I enjoy hearing from you, so please stop by the office, call, write or email.
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Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL WE’RE DONE! WE’RE DONE! (SORT OF) EDITION

My most recent e-news was last Friday. Saturday, we pulled the plug on the special session. It’s like I’ve always heard: In comedy, timing is everything. What did we do in 117 days of sessions – 90 days of regular and 27 of special? We introduced 477 bills and resolutions. (Some were duplicates, introduced in both houses.) We passed 40 bills and an equal number of resolutions. Only the bills really count. (Resolutions are notes we send to the Congress, the federal government and, all too often, to ourselves.) Some, like the capital budget (SB 46), are important. Others, like Alaska Public Gardens Day, less so.
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Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: Special Session Wrap Up

Final Wrap Up After going 27 days out of 30 days, the Special Session came to an end on Saturday night with a crack of the gavel. The dust is just settling on the 1st Session of the 27th Alaska State Legislature, so it may be too early to tell the impacts of our deliberations over the last four months. During the summer and into the fall, I hope to meet with you about the legislature and how I can make it more efficient, effective and citizen-friendly.
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Rep. Kerttula’s Juneau News: Special Session Wrapping Up

This week, the Legislature has been working on the final two items on the call for the special session – the capital budget and the extension of the Alaska Coastal Management Program. It looks like we’ll be done with special session tomorrow evening. Thank you for reading my newsletter. I enjoy hearing from you, so please stop by the office, call, write or email.
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Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL THIS IS (MAYBE) THE END EDITION; Deep Pockets and Little Shame

There’s some chance that this will be the final e-news for awhile. That sound you hear is me cheering. I’m more than ready to go home. We have spent most of the past month engaged in spectacularly unproductive politicking. There are lots of reasons. You can argue about them if you have the time and energy. What do I think? Let’s just say that the people with the most political power have earned the most blame and leave it at that.
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