Gov. Mike Dunleavy has withdrawn the executive order that would have split the state Department of Health and Social Services.
Members of the Alaska House of Representatives had prepared a resolution that would have blocked the order, which would have led to two departments: a Department of Health and a Department of Family Services.
Dunleavy sent a one-sentence letter to Senate President Peter Micciche and House Speaker Louise Stutes on Thursday morning withdrawing the executive order.
Tribal organizations, advocates for foster children and the largest union for state workers had expressed concern about the plan. And a lawyer for the Legislature said portions of the executive order appeared to conflict with state law and faced potential legal challenges.
House members said they needed more information from the administration before the order should have been able to go into effect.
A joint session would have met to consider the executive order, and a simple majority of 31 combined senators and House members would have been able to block it.
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
