The Alaska House and Senate met Tuesday in Juneau but adjourned in less than a minute.
A total of five lawmakers showed up for the floor sessions and took no action. They needed to meet to prevent Gov. Mike Dunleavy from calling lawmakers back for another special session.
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said on Tuesday that lawmakers already achieved everything they sought during the special session. He said there’s no reason to bring more lawmakers down to Juneau than necessary.
“We didn't accomplish anything today other than following the legal issues of calling ourselves back in doing a technical session,” he said.
Dunleavy called the special session earlier this summer for lawmakers to consider his education reform policies and to create a new state Agriculture Department.
But instead, within hours of convening, lawmakers overrode two of his vetoes. They restored more than $50 million in state funding for public schools that Dunleavy cut when he signed the budget. They also strengthened the authority of the legislative auditor.
The governor can call another special session once members gavel out on Aug. 31. But, Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, said he hopes to avoid that. He said doing so wouldn’t accomplish much.
“If he calls us back in, the results are going to likely be the same as where we're at now,” he said
Both Stevens and Edgmon said they have had no communication with Dunleavy or his staff since lawmakers last convened.
The governor’s communications director, Jeff Turner, in a statement on Tuesday, said a public announcement will be made if the governor plans to call another special session. He said the Legislature’s actions were disappointing.
“The longer the Legislature waits to pass meaningful education reform, the more Alaskan children will pass through an education system in which too many Alaskan students are not learning the skills necessary for future success in school and life beyond the classroom,” he said.
A group of state lawmakers are expected to meet Aug. 25 to kick off a Task Force on Education Funding. The aim is to discuss ways to improve Alaska’s public schools and examine state funding as student performance continues to wane. The task force will also look at Dunleavy’s proposed policies.