Special session could end soon, says Senate president Crime News

May 13th, 2011 by Caitlin Bartley

Special session could end soon, says Senate president

JUNEAU — After 3 1/2 frustratingly gridlocked weeks, the logjam between Alaska’s House and Senate appeared to splinter Thursday with leaders on both sides talking about possibly adjourning the special session early, perhaps by this weekend.

Nothing was concrete, as few things have been throughout this fits-and-starts session, and there remain two big obstacles. But intense talks between House and Senate leaders throughout the day — coupled with the House Finance Committee taking up the capital budget in the afternoon — spoke to the desire to wrap things up.

What wasn’t clear yet was whether the Senate would force a conference committee on the capital budget or what would happen with the coastal management bill.

“If those two converge tomorrow, we’re in good shape,” said House Majority Leader Alan Austerman, R-Kodiak.

“I’d like to think that we can move ahead and finish things by Friday or Saturday,” Senate President Gary Stevens said.

Senate Finance Committee co-chair Bert Stedman said it would take the night to go through the House’s proposed $3.1 billion spending package. He didn’t expect the Senate’s bipartisan majority bloc, of which he’s a member, to decide whether it would seek a conference committee on the bill until today.

The bill strips language that the Senate used to bind about $400 million wide-ranging energy projects into an as-is, all-or-nothing package. Members of the House’s GOP-led majority considered the language inappropriate, if not an infringement on the governor’s veto authority. The bill, though, retains the Senate’s intent language stating the Legislature believes the projects and appropriations are needed to carry out the state’s energy policy.

The bill also has what would be considered operational items, such as another $1.2 million for the Goose Creek Correctional Center to allow it to ramp up operations; $45,700 to provide for pay increases and benefits for the governor and lieutenant governor, in line with a pay commission’s recommendations; and $14 million for litigation by the Department of Law.

There’s $200 million for an instate natural gas pipeline fund, a priority of House Speaker Mike Chenault that some senators have questioned as premature, and $44 million for a Tanana River bridge, a project requested in public testimony and by the governor in response. But the overall funding and cost for the bridge project have also raised questions in the Senate.

Chenault, a fierce proponent of an instate gas pipeline, said the Legislature is willing to put hundreds of millions into other funds — for an energy assistance endowment, student scholarships and aid. He believes it’s only right to do the same for a pipeline project he considers vital to addressing the energy concerns in south-central Alaska. A report on the project and its viability is expected by July 1.

The House Finance Committee expected to take up budget amendments today and Chenault hoped to have a bill to the floor later in the day.

The overall bill exceeds the $2.8 billion that Gov. Sean Parnell said he’d be willing to let the Legislature spend. The 30-day session is scheduled to end Tuesday.

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