Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN - Juneau
agutierrez (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.209.1799 | About Alexandra
Fired Oil Tax Assessor To Run For State House
In January, Gov. Sean Parnell removed Marty McGee from a board that deals with the oil producers' tax bill. Now, McGee wants to take on oil tax policy again – but as a state legislator.
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Oil Tax Referendum Groups Organize For Campaign’s Final Stretch
With three months to go before the primary election, groups with a stake in the oil tax referendum are ramping up their campaigns.
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With Wedding On The Line, Plaintiffs Prep For Same-Sex Marriage Challenge
Five gay couples are behind the lawsuit challenging Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage. The suit was filed Monday in federal court. And in this case, the political is especially personal.
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Group Challenging Alaska’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban
Alaska was the first state in the country to add a ban on same-sex marriage to its Constitution. Now, five gay couples are trying to strike that ban down.
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Libertarian Party Sees Opportunity In GOP Fractures
Republican Senate Candidate Joe Miller did something unusual on Thursday: He spoke out in support of party that was not his own. The comments concerned the Libertarian Party, which could be in a position to gain converts from some dissent within the state GOP.
Parnell Signs Gasline Legislation
Parnell's gasline bill sets the state up as a partial owner of a major LNG project. The proposed natural gas project is seen as a lifeline for the state, as North Slope oil production declines and state revenue dwindles.
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Alaska GOP Aims To Block Party Coups
The Alaska Republican Party has taken measures to prevent a takeover by libertarian and Tea Party activists.
Lindsey Holmes Not Seeking Reelection To House Seat
Holmes has served eight years in the Legislature, six of them as a Democrat. She switched parties after her last election, and then became the target of a recall campaign. She says that while the criticism was difficult, that's not her primary motive for leaving office.
Miller Rejects Unity Pledge At Republican Convention
At the Republican convention, Senate hopefuls mostly avoided personal attacks and stuck to their message of beating Democratic incumbent Mark Begich. But dark horse candidate Joe Miller broke the calm when he said he would not support the Republican nominee if he didn't win.
Ballot Initiatives Could Boost Younger, Liberal Voter Turnout
When the Republican-led Legislature went into overtime last week, they knocked a set of citizen’s initiatives onto an already packed November ballot. In the process, they changed the playing field in a fight for a U.S. Senate seat that their party needs to pick up if they want to take control of Congress. But the shift might not be in their favor.
Alaska Legislature Gavels Out
Friday, the Alaska State Legislature gaveled out, five days after they were supposed to. It’s the end to a grueling session that involved legislation on education and a major gasline project.
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As Legislature Make Progress On Adjourning, KABATA Bill Falls Apart
Less than two hours after the combative House and Senate seemed to reach a truce on education, a bill dealing with the proposed Knik Arm Bridge blew up on the House floor.
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Lawmakers Make Tentative Deal On Education Bill
Negotiators from the State House and Senate have reached a deal on the governor’s education bill, and it includes a mix of permanent and one-time funding increases.
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Legislature Still Working To Make Deal On Education Bill
Having missed it's adjournment deadline, the Alaska State Legislature is still at an impasse over the Governor’s education bill.
Lawmakers Search For Education Bill Solution
Last night, the Alaska State Legislature failed to meet their 90-day deadline after the House and Senate couldn’t reach an agreement on a major education bill. Lawmakers stayed on the floor until 4am trying to wrap up their work, but it was not enough. Now, they’re back at the Capitol for a 91st day of session trying to hammer out a deal.
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Missed Deadline Pushes Initiatives To General Election
Because the Legislature did not meet its midnight deadline, three citizen’s initiatives are expected to be moved from the August primary to the November general election.
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With Education Standoff, Legislature Misses Deadline
All session, legislative leadership has promised to gavel out early, to be home in time for the Easter holiday. That didn’t happen. In fact, the Legislature did not gavel out at all. With the House and Senate struggling to make a deal on education, lawmakers are forced into extra innings.
Senate Passes Bill Transferring $3 Billion To Retirement System
After wrestling with how to approach the state’s massive unfunded liability for months, the Alaska Senate unanimously agreed to put $3 billion toward the public employee pension system just hours after their plan was released.
Effort To Revive Parts Of Controversial Permitting Bill Scrapped
An effort to resurrect parts of House Bill 77 was abandoned on Friday night.
Legislators Enter Session’s Home Stretch
Education isn’t the only thing left on the Legislature’s plate. APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez is our Capitol correspondent, and she’s joining us today to walk us through what lawmakers need to do in the 60 hours before they gavel out.
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