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March 22, 2024

Education Remains in the Spotlight After Legislators Could Not Produce Votes Necessary to Override Governor’s Education Package Veto  

The Capitol has, at times, felt tense this week after lawmakers narrowly voted to uphold Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto of an omnibus education bill. The vote to override the veto, requiring two-thirds legislative support, fell one vote short on Monday evening. That means that school districts may not see requested per-student funding increases. As several school districts face large budget deficits, education funding remains a hot topic in the Capitol. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House Finance Committee are preparing to consider budget amendments before passing the operating budget to a vote of the full House.

Budget

The House Finance Committee was scheduled to take up amendments to the state operating budget this week. However, marathon floor sessions have delayed hearings, and the amendments will likely be considered next week instead. Both houses have agreed to a tentative date of April 12 to transmit the budget from the House to the Senate. To do so, the House will need to first finalize amendments in the House Finance Committee before sending it to the House Floor, where the body will hear the bill and consider further amendments before taking up a final vote. Based on the current trajectory, a House floor vote on the budget will likely happen the first or second week of April.

UA in the Capitol

Last year, Governor Dunleavy appointed two new members to the University of Alaska Board of Regents. Regent-appointees Stephen Colligan and  Seth Church are both subject to the regular legislative confirmation process. Typically, appointees present their credentials to related House and Senate committees before being considered for a joint-body vote. Both appointees Colligan and Church spoke before the House and Senate Education committees this week. The hearings were straightforward, and the committees each voted to forward both names for a joint confirmation vote. The joint vote will likely occur at the end of April or early May.

House Bill 144, which concerns education tax credits, was considered in the House Finance Committee. Representative Justin Ruffridge and his staff presented the bill and provided an overview of the benefits of tax credits to private-sector businesses and the university. The committee held the bill for amendments. The bill is scheduled to be heard again next week.

House Bill 55, the Technical Vocational Education Program reauthorization bill, was referred to the House Labor & Commerce Committee earlier this week. The committee will hear the bill for the first time this afternoon and again next Monday.

What We’re Watching

Monday, March 25

  • 3:15 p.m. - House Labor & Commerce: HB 55: “Extend Workforce Invest Board Allocations”

Wednesday, [Date]

  • 8:30 a.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”
  • 1:30 p.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”

Thursday, March 28

  • 8:30 a.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”
  • 1:30 p.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”

Friday, March 29

  • 8:30 a.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”
  • 1:30 p.m. - House Finance: HB 268: “Appropriations: Operating Budget, Capital, Supplemental, Amendment”

 


For more information, contact Director of State Relations for the University of Alaska System Chad Hutchison, cell 907-378-3946, email clhutchison@alaska.edu. You can also follow the University of Alaska Government Relations on our Twitter page.

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