Juneau – The Democrats in the Alaska House of Representatives will meet as soon as possible to deliberate on Governor Walker’s choice of Ivy Spohnholz to replace the late Representative Max Gruenberg as the Representative for House District 16.
Read More →Juneau – Today, the Alaska House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 23 by a vote of 36-0. The bill, sponsored by Senator Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage), passed the Alaska Senate last year by a vote of 19-1.
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If you are in Anchorage you can testify to the House Finance Committee on the state budget tomorrow 1:00-4:30pm. Yesterday the committee heard from Juneau residents, and they are working their way around the state. Tomorrow is Anchorage’s turn.
Read More →Juneau - Today, Superior Court Judge Frank Pfiffner issued a ruling in the case brought by the Alaska Legislative Council against Alaska Governor Bill Walker over his decision last year to expand Medicaid without legislative approval. Judge Pfiffner found that the Social Security Act requires Medicaid expansion, and that existing state law required Governor Walker to provide Medicaid to the group of Alaskans eligible for expansion. In his 26-page ruling, Judge Pfiffner granted the Governor’s motion for summary judgement and dismissed the case brought by the Alaska Legislative Council, which is made up of ten members of the Alaska Legislature.
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Closeouts?
This is the part of the budget process when the Finance subcommittees finalize their changes to the budget Governor Walker submitted. This process can get a little squirrely, and there is ample opportunity for the chair of the subcommittee to amend the governor’s budget to include pretty sweeping cuts. After the subcommittees meet, they add to and subtract from the governor’s budget, they then amend their recommendations and send them on to the full House Finance Committee. This is the Legislature’s first step in passing a budget, and I am already pretty concerned with what I see.