JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The state legislative session continued into overtime after a vote was delayed on a state spending plan.
Senate President Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, said Sunday that Senate minority leader Berta Gardner wanted to wait to take up the budget. Under legislative rules, a conference committee report on a budget is to sit for at least 24 hours before being voted on, unless two-thirds of each the House and Senate support waiving that rule. Meyer said he wasn’t going to fight the minority on that point.
Gardner, D-Anchorage, called it a courtesy to Alaskans to have time to review the budget proposal, which advanced from a conference committee late Saturday.
Also Sunday, House minority leader Chris Tuck, D-Anchorage, said negotiations were ongoing for what it would take for members of the Democratic-led minority to support authorizing a draw from savings to cover the costs of government.
The Senate adjourned until Monday, after earlier passing an Interior energy bill the governor considered a must-have. The House canceled its Sunday floor session.
Failure to reach a budget agreement sent the Legislature into overtime. The Legislature had been scheduled to adjourn April 19.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.