{"id":50883,"date":"2019-07-21T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-21T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/divided-house-leads-to-disappointing-day\/"},"modified":"2019-07-21T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-21T23:00:00","slug":"divided-house-leads-to-disappointing-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/divided-house-leads-to-disappointing-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Divided House leads to ‘disappointing’ day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t

Funding the capital budget and reversing “the sweep” faced an uphill climb Sunday thanks to division and absences, and those factors are why critical aspects of Senate Bill 2002 ultimately failed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Thirty votes were needed to approve portions of SB 2002 and just 33 lawmakers were present to vote on the bill the Senate previously passed unanimously Saturday.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The capital budget itself, which only required a simple majority passed 28-5. Portions of the bill that would fund the capital budget using the Constitutional Budget Reserve and reverse an accounting happening known as “the sweep” failed 25-8 to reach a 30-vote threshold. A re-vote is expected tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\"The<\/a>

The vote for funding the capital budget through the Constitutional Budget Reserve and reversing “the sweep” failed 25-7. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

Voting against the bill were Reps. David Eastman, R-Wasilla; Sharon Jackson, R-Eagle River; DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer; Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage; Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, R-Wasilla; Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla; Sarah Vance, R-Homer; and Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Almost every July for the past 28 years, “the sweep” has emptied state accounts into the Constitutional Budget Reserve. But, every year there has been a sweep, there has been a Legislature-approved reverse sweep to put the money back where it came from.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

[Live coverage of the House floor session<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The Legislature failed to approve a reverse sweep when approving an operating budget, and some lawmakers are particularly concerned about failing to approve a reverse sweep before endowments for things such as college scholarships and rural power subsidization are wiped out. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

“In summation, this is a very silly thing not to vote for,” said Rep. Jennifer Johnston, R-Anchorage, during her closing remarks. “This budget represents an opportunity for us to fund critical life, health and safety projects.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\"Rep.<\/a>

Rep. Jennifer Johnston, R-Anchorage, speaks in favor of Senate Bill 2002 during a House floor session Sunday, July 21, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

Both the outcome of the vote and the vote itself were described by representatives on both sides of the bill as “disappointing.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

I am extremely disappointed on today's vote on the CBR and the reverse sweep. The House has one more chance to vote under reconsideration on Monday. Hope we get to 30 YES votes. #akleg<\/a> #akgov<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/GlzwQsvEew<\/a><\/p>— Rep. Sara Hannan (@RepSaraHannan) July 22, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n