Green Button: Eight winners and some honorable mentions from the 2018 session
From smoking bills to university and from foster care to the wealthy, here’s our winners list for the 2018 legislative session.
berta gardner
Legislature passes bill to protect permanent fund from the Legislature
The bill restructures the permanent fund to pay for government, formalizing what the Legislature was already planning on doing. Some say it’ll act like a spending limit, others worry it’ll be easily ignored.
AKLEG Recap, Day 100: On final vote, the Senate agrees to call Alaska Native language loss an “emergency”
What a difference a few hours can make. The Senate introduces its capital budget, the House stalls out and more details emerge on Rep. Parish. The latest from the Alaska Legislature.
GOP senators once again refuse to call Alaska Native languages loss an ’emergency’ as resolution nears vote
The Senate Rules Committee rejected an amendment to call loss of Alaska Native languages an “emergency” after changing it to “urgent need.”
AKLEG Recap, Day 86: House Majority Coalition down to 21 members
The treatment of the smoke-free workplace bill was a step too far.
Senate Republicans promise Gardner they’ll give her a pro-pot resolution–but do the exact opposite
Senate Democrats wanted to tell the feds to respect Alaska’s marijuana vote. Republicans gave them a watered down resolution that sides with the feds.
That was fast. Walker’s inflammatory appointee for Senate has already withdrawn.
Local Republicans have reportedly advanced Vicki Wallner, the founder of the Facebook group “Stop Valley Thieves,” for consideration.
Child marriage is still legal in Alaska, and Sen. Gardner wants it to end
Between 2006 and 2015, there were four cases of child marriage where the child was under the age of 15 years old.
Senate releases investigation into Sen. Wilson’s behavior with legislative aide
The report raises questions about his behavior in the capitol, but found the incident didn’t meet the legal threshold for sexual harassment.
Senate Democrats announce new press secretary as Devon departs
Devon, who co-authored “The Blood of Patriots,” will be leaving the position to pursue new writing opportunities.