Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced his policy priorities for the Legislature's special session scheduled to start on Saturday.
On Monday, the governor called for legislators to address what he described as “Alaska’s chronic education outcome crisis” and to reconsider his executive order they had previously voted down, creating a new Department of Agriculture that he said would strengthen food security in Alaska.
Separately, the Alaska State Legislature released a joint statement on Monday from leaders of the House and Senate majorities announcing their focus for the special session: two override votes. One would override Dunleavy’s budget veto of more than $50 million for Alaska schools, and the second vote would be on a bill to boost legislative oversight of oil and gas revenues. After the votes, they said, they intend to adjourn.
Dunleavy called the session last month, then asked the 19 Republican members of the House minority caucus to stay away from the session for the first five days to boycott the override votes. This drew outrage and criticism from some members of the House and Senate majorities as they rally support for the overrides, particularly to restore funding for K-12 schools.
The Legislature is required to take up veto override votes within the first five days of the next session, and 45 votes of 60 members are needed to override the governor’s budget veto of school funding. A lower bar, of 40 votes, is needed to override non-budget bills.
Dunleavy’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Monday about whether he is still asking Republicans to stay away. In a statement posted on social media, Dunleavy said he would be in Juneau when the special session begins. “I invite all legislators to be there to focus on solutions that deliver real results for Alaskans,” he said.
Dunleavy released an agenda with eight items, including an executive order creating a Department of Agriculture to focus on food security for Alaska and growing the state’s agricultural sector.
The other seven items were focused on education policy:
- tribal compacting between the state Department of Education and Early Development and select tribes to create better performing schools;
- expand the corporate tax credit program for education;
- authorize the Department of Education as a charter school authorizer in addition to local districts;
- allow public school students to enroll in any public school that has room, including outside of a student’s resident district;
- support grants for reading improvement and for a new after school reading tutoring program;
- pass recruitment retention payments to classroom teachers to reduce turnover, especially in areas of the state that suffer from chronic teacher turnover; and
- establish long-term certainty in funding for K-12 schools if agreement is reached on policy.
“This is an opportunity to address Alaska’s performance issues and funding issues in K-12 education well into the future,” Dunleavy said in a statement released with the announcement. “By addressing this now, school districts, students, parents, teachers, and policymakers will have certainty and will not have to debate this issue during the regular session that begins in January.”
The Alaska House and Senate majorities have very different priorities for Saturday.
A statement from House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, and Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, on Monday said legislators will immediately go into a joint session at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday to take up two override votes: “restoring $51 million in public education funding and overriding the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 183, which affirms the Legislature’s oversight of oil and gas tax revenues.”
“After which, the Legislature intends to adjourn later that day, having completed its work,” the statement said.
Stevens questioned the timing of the session, which is being held when legislators had previous commitments and plans. He emphasized both measures passed with broad bipartisan support.
“This special session was called under circumstances that raise serious concerns, not only about its timing but also its clear aim to complicate legislative participation. Nevertheless, I urge every lawmaker not formally excused to be present in Juneau to fulfill our constitutional duty,” Stevens said.
“These override votes are not just symbolic. They are about preparing Alaska’s students, restoring public trust in how we manage billions in state revenues, and maintaining the Legislature’s role as a co-equal branch of government. We owe it to our constituents and the future of this state to show up and do our jobs,” he said.
Edgmon also called on every legislator to appear in Juneau to participate in the override votes.
“Alaskans expect us to lead, not walk away from our responsibilities. Families, students, and teachers are counting on us to follow through on the commitments we made during the regular session,” Edgmon said. “This special session is not about partisanship, but about standing up for our students and preserving the checks and balances that keep government accountable. Every elected state lawmaker needs to uphold their constitutional duty, come to Juneau, and vote their conscience.”