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ACEC Alaska Legislative Update
March 10, 2023
Today is the 53rd legislative day of the First Session of the 33rd Alaska State Legislature; regular session ends May 18 unless extended.
The 20-member Senate is organized with 17 in the majority and 3 in the minority. The 40-member House is organized with 23 in the majority, 16 in an organized minority and 1 member outside either caucus. As the session advances, the strength of the House majority caucus will be tested, in part due to the make of the majority (19 Republican + 4 rural non-Republican members); there are 17 freshman members in the House and the likely need for a ¾ vote to access the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund in order to deliver a balanced budget before adjournment.
Following the December release of the proposed FY2024 budgets , Governor Dunleavy has submitted 3 requests to amend his proposed FY2024 budget and 3 requests to supplement the current FY2023 authorized budget. At this point, before legislative action, the FY2023 budget supplemental requests an additional $114m in general funds and the FY2024 proposed budget is underwater $433m in general fund spend. While these are significant figures, it is important to consider that the governor’s budget proposes FY2024 dividend of $3,860, or approximately $2.4b. Suffice it to say the legislature will be taking a close look at spending priorities, in addition to addressing concerns over the limited proposed spending on deferred maintenance and statewide capital needs.
To date there have been 106 bills introduced in the House; 99 in the Senate and 2 bills have passed both bodies.
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