Alaska Legislature

Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, left, and Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, listen to Suzanne DiPietro, Executive Director of the Alaska Judicial Council, as the House Finance Committee meets on how to pay for SB54, a criminal justice bill, at the Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Cost of criminal justice rollback is big unknown

As the Alaska House of Representatives advances toward a vote on Senate Bill 54, lawmakers are missing one critical piece of information: the price tag.… Continue reading

Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, left, and Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, listen to Suzanne DiPietro, Executive Director of the Alaska Judicial Council, as the House Finance Committee meets on how to pay for SB54, a criminal justice bill, at the Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Senate President Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, speaks to the media after Gov. Bill Walker announced his Public Safety Action Plan during a press conference at the Capitol on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Walker asks for balanced budget as tool to fight crime

Gov. Bill Walker called the Alaska Legislature into its fourth special session of the year and put taxes and criminal justice on the agenda. While… Continue reading

Senate President Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, speaks to the media after Gov. Bill Walker announced his Public Safety Action Plan during a press conference at the Capitol on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crime stays atop agenda as Legislature enters second week of special session

As the Alaska Legislature begins its second week of special session, all eyes will remain on the criminal justice measure known as Senate Bill 54.… Continue reading

In this February 2016 photo, Angela Rodell speaks to the Senate State Affairs Committee about SB 114 at the Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

A shaken titan: How the Alaska Legislature is harming the Alaska Permanent Fund

The Alaska Permanent Fund is a $62 billion titan. It spans the world. It owns half of the largest shopping mall in northern Virginia. It… Continue reading

In this February 2016 photo, Angela Rodell speaks to the Senate State Affairs Committee about SB 114 at the Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

House Judiciary Committee calls for tougher jail sentences, but costs will rise

Senate Bill 54 is advancing in the Alaska House of Representatives. Late Thursday night, the House Judiciary Committee moved the bill to the House Finance… Continue reading

Rep. Daniel Ortiz, NA-Ketchikan, left, Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, center, and Rep. Dean Westlake, D-Kotzebue, greet each other on the first day of the fourth Special Session of the 30th Alaska Legisture on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017.

From across Alaska, residents try to sway Legislature on SB 54

The calls came from Bethel, Nome and Fairbanks. There were plenty from Anchorage and the Mat-Su, and some from Southeast. On Tuesday night, members of… Continue reading

Rep. Daniel Ortiz, NA-Ketchikan, left, Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, center, and Rep. Dean Westlake, D-Kotzebue, greet each other on the first day of the fourth Special Session of the 30th Alaska Legisture on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017.
House Finance Committee members Rep. Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, left, Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks, center, and Rep. Jason Grenn, NA-Anchorage, listen to Ed King, Legislative Liaison for the Department of Natural Resources, give the Preliminary 2017 Fall Production Forecast at the Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Analysis shows state will exhaust main savings account within two years

Unless legislators act, the state of Alaska will run out of money sometime in late 2018 or early 2019. In a pair of presentations Tuesday… Continue reading

House Finance Committee members Rep. Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, left, Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks, center, and Rep. Jason Grenn, NA-Anchorage, listen to Ed King, Legislative Liaison for the Department of Natural Resources, give the Preliminary 2017 Fall Production Forecast at the Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, left, Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, center, and Sen. Click Bishop, Fairbanks, question Commissioner of the Department of Corrections Dean Williams in Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Analysis: Why there’s ‘0 percent’ chance the Legislature addresses deficit this year

On taxes, the gap between the coalition majority that runs the Alaska House of Representatives and the predominantly Republican Senate Majority can literally be measured… Continue reading

Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, left, Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, center, and Sen. Click Bishop, Fairbanks, question Commissioner of the Department of Corrections Dean Williams in Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Senate President Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, left, and Senate Majority Leader Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, speak before gaveling in on the first day of the fourth Special Session of the 30th Alaska Legisture on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

As special session starts, House puts criminal justice bill on fast track

It started slowly, but the fourth special session of the 30th Alaska Legislature appeared to be on a fast track by the end of its… Continue reading

Senate President Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, left, and Senate Majority Leader Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, speak before gaveling in on the first day of the fourth Special Session of the 30th Alaska Legisture on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Fourth special session starts today, but no new hope for fiscal fix

Gov. Bill Walker called a fourth special session of the Alaska Legislature to address the state’s fiscal crisis. The crisis may be one of the… Continue reading

Lawmakers hold hearings Monday on pipeline, SB 91 rollback

In a pair of hearings Monday, the Alaska Legislature will consider the past and the future. At 10 a.m., the House Judiciary Committee will hear… Continue reading

In this July 2015 photo, Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Juneau International Airport. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Juneau’s legislators will hold a town hall before special session

If you’re concerned about crime or the state’s fiscal health, Juneau lawmakers want to hear from you. Juneau’s three delegates to the Alaska Legislature will… Continue reading

In this July 2015 photo, Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce at the Juneau International Airport. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Alaska mayors again plead for Legislature to fix deficit

For the past two years, mayors across Alaska have pleaded for the Alaska Legislature to do something — anything — to solve the state’s multibillion-dollar… Continue reading

Sen. Mia Costello speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce in 2012. (Juneau Empire file)

Former backer of SB 91 now seeks its repeal in Legislature

Sen. Mia Costello has heard enough. Seventeen months ago, the Anchorage Republican was among the co-sponsors of Senate Bill 91, a sweeping reform of Alaska’s… Continue reading

Sen. Mia Costello speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce in 2012. (Juneau Empire file)
In this Dec. 2015 photo, Gov. Bill Walker speaks in an interview at the Juneau Empire. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Walker proposes payroll tax to fix (part of) the state deficit

To help solve Alaska’s multibillion-dollar annual deficit, Gov. Bill Walker is calling for a 1.5 percent payroll tax on everyone working in Alaska. The proposal,… Continue reading

In this Dec. 2015 photo, Gov. Bill Walker speaks in an interview at the Juneau Empire. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Gov. Bill Walker speaks to reporters during a Friday press conference in Anchorage. At left are Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth and Col. Hans Brinke, director of the Alaska State Troopers. To the right is Col. Steve Hall, director of Wildlife Troopers. (Alaska Journal of Commerce Photo)

Walker backs rollback of criminal justice reform

Gov. Bill Walker will ask legislators to toughen the state’s penalties for some minor crimes when the Alaska Legislature convenes for a special session next… Continue reading

Gov. Bill Walker speaks to reporters during a Friday press conference in Anchorage. At left are Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth and Col. Hans Brinke, director of the Alaska State Troopers. To the right is Col. Steve Hall, director of Wildlife Troopers. (Alaska Journal of Commerce Photo)

Walker to call fourth special session

The Alaska Legislature will try to find a new hope in the fourth special session of the year. On Thursday morning, lawmakers were informed by… Continue reading

Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 at the Juneau Moose Lodge. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)

Egan: Fourth special session possible in October

The Alaska Legislature is likely to meet for a fourth special session starting in late October. That was the word from Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau,… Continue reading

Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, speaks to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 at the Juneau Moose Lodge. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire)
Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, right, speaks in a 2015 Senate Majority press conference. Stevens, who has served in the Legislature for 19 years, is the first person to file for the 2018 lieutenant governor’s race. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)

Kodiak senator is first to seek lieutenant governor’s office

A two-time Alaska Senate President with 19 years of experience in the Alaska Legislature has become the first person to seek the lieutenant governor’s office… Continue reading

Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, right, speaks in a 2015 Senate Majority press conference. Stevens, who has served in the Legislature for 19 years, is the first person to file for the 2018 lieutenant governor’s race. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire file)
Gov. Bill Walker speaks during a 2014 interview in the Capitol. Walker signed the state’s $1.4 billion capital construction budget on Thursday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Walker OKs capital budget

Gov. Bill Walker signed Alaska’s capital construction budget without ceremony or vetoes Monday in the Capitol, fulfilling a promise to approve it before Aug. 1.… Continue reading

Gov. Bill Walker speaks during a 2014 interview in the Capitol. Walker signed the state’s $1.4 billion capital construction budget on Thursday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)