NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Ready for the Gasline Special Session
ANCHORAGE – The third Special Session of the 29th Alaska Legislature is scheduled to start Saturday morning with House and Senate floor sessions. Governor Bill Walker has scheduled a briefing for all lawmakers Saturday afternoon to outline the details of the three pieces of legislation that will be under consideration. The members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) are looking forward to the Governor’s detailed briefing but are dismayed by today’s announcement from the Senate President and the Speaker of the House that members of the House Finance and Senate Resources Committee’s will be encouraged to skip the briefing in favor of committee hearings on the same subjects at the same exact time as the Governor’s briefing.
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Rep. Kawasaki’s Newsletter: Winter is Coming… Brace Yourselves. Special Session and Local Elections
Last week, Governor Walker issued a proclamation calling the legislature into a special session to address gasline issues. On October 24, we will head down to Juneau to address some key issues: To reinstate a reserve tax on North Slope resources in the ground that are not developed and a proposal to buy TransCanada’s share of the gas pipeline and gas treatment facility. I am excited to work on these issues and hope that others can make the necessary steps to come together and move forward for Alaska.
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NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Disappointed Legislative Council Fails to Withdraw Medicaid Expansion Lawsuit
ANCHORAGE – Earlier today, the Alaska State Legislature’s Republican-controlled Legislative Council failed to withdraw its ill-advised lawsuit against Governor Bill Walker over his decision to accept federal funds to expand eligibility for the Medicaid program in Alaska. The Legislative Council, which only includes one member of the minority in the House and Senate, met behind closed doors in Anchorage to discuss the Council’s lawsuit. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council took no action. The result of this inaction is that the lawsuit will continue.
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NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Welcomes Special Session Focused on Natural Gas Pipeline Issues
ANCHORAGE – On Thursday, Alaska Governor Bill Walker issued a proclamation calling the Alaska Legislature into a special session next month. The governor is asking the Legislature to consider legislation to move a project forward to get the natural gas on the North Slope to market.
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NEWS: Rep. Kawasaki Working to Build Better Relationships with Political and Business Leaders in Japan
FAIRBANKS – Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) is in Japan as part of the 2015 Asian American Leadership Delegation (AALD) program. From September 25 to October 3, the Delegation will travel to Tokyo and Kyoto to meet with Japanese political, government, business, and non-profit leaders. AALD is funded by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and implemented by the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC), in collaboration with the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators.
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