There is one week left until the constitutional session limit on May 20. And a big deal for an adjournment package could be coming together.
Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska) has one major priority – the gasline bill he introduced on March 20. Legislative leadership have many priorities, but many of them have a big one – the bill that brings back a pension for public employees.
Today, the Landmine learned these two bills could be part of a deal to get out of town and avoid a special session immediately after session or later this summer.
Earlier today, a long meeting took place in Senator Bill Wielechowski’s (D – Anchorage) office. Wielechowski chairs the rules committee and decides when and if a bill go to the floor. The Landmine was posted up outside Wielechowski’s office. Senator Cathy Giessel (R – Anchorage) and Representative Chuck Kopp (R – Anchorage), both big pension supporters, were seen walking out. So were Senator Forrest Dunbar (D – Anchorage) and Representative Zack Fields (D – Anchorage).
The gasline bill has been stuck in House and Senate committees, and has been amended by each body to include provisions disagreeable to Dunleavy and Glenfarne (the developer). Glenfarne executives and Mark Begich, who is working for Dunleavy to promote the bill, have been busy presenting to various committees and meeting with legislators.
The pension bill passed the House by a vote of 21-19 on caucus lines last May. The Senate passed a slightly different version by a vote of 12-8 on April 28. The House concurred the next day by the same 21-19 vote from May. It was transmitted to Dunleavy on April 30. He has until May 18 to act – just five days away. If he does not sign or veto the bill by midnight on May 18, the bill becomes law. So the clock is ticking.
Neither version of the gasline bill Dunleavy introduced (one in the House and one in the Senate) have passed. So using one of those bills would be difficult with limited time. But there is another option. Bills can be stuffed into other bills that have a similar title. Senate Bill 180, a bill that affirms the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) jurisdiction over LNG import facilities, is sitting in the House Labor & Commerce Committee. It has no other committee referrals. It passed the Senate by a vote 20-0 on March 31.
The House Labor & Commerce Committee recessed today to 8 am tomorrow morning. It was added to the committee’s calendar early this evening.
The Landmine is aware of a committee substitute that has been drafted but not yet introduced. It essentially lowers the volumetric tax to an amount agreeable to Dunleavy and Glenfarne, eliminates the property tax for the gasline, provides some money to affected communities, removes the equity option for municipalities, and weakens the commitment to build a Fairbanks spur line.
If the committee substitute is stuffed into SB 180 and passed out of the House Labor & Commerce Committee tomorrow morning, the House could pass the bill as soon as Saturday if everything goes smoothly. Because it’s a Senate bill, the Senate would only have the option of concurring or rejecting the House’s changes. That could happen by Monday.
If the Senate concurs, the bill would be transmitted to Dunleavy. That could all happen by Monday in ideal circumstances – which can happen when there is agreement between the two majorities.
But the Republicans in the two minorities, as well as Senator Bert Stedman (R – Sitka), voted against the pension bill. And many of them hate it. So a lot of people will be trying to kill this deal.
Today, the House adopted a floor amendment that restored half of the money for the West Susitna Access Road – which was fully removed by the House Finance Committee. This is a priority for Dunleavy, so that could signal some good will for this deal.
The Legislature will hold a joint session tomorrow morning to vote on Dunleavy’s department heads and appointees to boards and commissions. Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox likely lacks the 31 votes needed to be confirmed, though it is close. If Cox is confirmed, that will be another indication that the deal is materializing. But if he’s rejected, that could spell trouble.
The bottom line is this deal is fragile and time is running out. Everything has to be perfect for this deal to come together. And there is not much trust between legislative leadership and Dunleavy.
What happens tomorrow in the Capitol will reveal if this is deal is real or just misplaced hope.
The Landmine will be in the Capitol watching everything closely. Make sure to follow us on X for live updates!
Wish the legislature got around to passing the TitleTransfer Upon Death of Owner bills for vehicles and boats (SB 104 and HB 18). It would have allowed owners to designate one or two beneficiaries who will automatically receive the title to their boat or vehicle upon the owner’s death, without going through probate.
Legislators who choose to sit in the minority and obstruct instead of working with others should keep their expectations low.
They can give it away to their designated family member before their death. The boomer and GenXer doesn’t have to keep something to enjoy ownership over it up to their own death.
“……… The boomer and GenXer doesn’t have to keep something to enjoy ownership over it up to their own death………”
That’s an opinion. If you give it to your kids before death, you might live long enough to see them fill the yard with boats, atvs, campers, and other useless shit.
Then Sell!
It’s called Transfer of wealth.
Boomers have this thing about letting go and even downsizing instead they upgrade
To make themselves to be like lord over all they have amassed in their little kingdom
“………Boomers have this thing about letting go…….”
You think that’s a generational thing? Transfer Upon Death is an old, simple concept with great value in multiple ways. Imagine a transfer of wealth to government with the trust that you will be taken care of. Nobody is that stupid, even a communist.
Jeff, your next Landmine subject How Boomers ruined everything and GenXers and Millennials are trying to cover the Boomers butts, while GenZers, GenAlphas, and GenBetas got the shaft but also Millennials and GenXers too YouTube video actively getting shadow banned by the GenXers leading YouTube because it is a candid and respectful discussion about boomers and how they ruined the chances to get ahead for GenXers, Millennials, GenZ, GenAlpha, and GenBeta. To which NOW! Alaska GenXers and Millennial want a pension plan!!! A pension plan they might not even get a chance to collect on and a pension plan that… Read more »
Now we got Ak GenXers like Sen Wielechowski who was elected elected before GenAlpha and long before GenBeta was born and I think he wants to stay a legislator as long as Stevens, Stedman, Olson, Geissel, Edgman or Hoffman
What are you on about?
Boy, you’re hateful. I’m a late year so called boomer. I don’t have a pension. 401’s weren’t even around until the late 80’s so many of us got late starts on those when they were finally offered through jobs. It’s crazy how people are so into broad labels and hate. I didn’t blame everything that’s gone right or wrong with life on the generation’s before me. Maybe you should get over yourself. You sound pretty uptight.
“……..It’s crazy how people are so into broad labels and hate………”
Personifying one’s fury is the tool of the age. Mass media has been honing this rage for well over a century now. It’s industrial scale. It has resulted in three world scale wars now with the grand crescendo due any day now.
Hey Grok, is the post above actually written by Reggie Taylor? Grok: “Yes, this passage aligns very well with the writing style, thematic focus, and political outlook of Reggie Taylor, a frequent commenter in the Alaska Landmine comment sections.The excerpt strongly matches his established “commenter persona” for several reasons: Thematic Cynicism Toward Media and Establishments: Reggie Taylor’s commentary frequently targets macro-political issues, the national political apparatus, and systemic institutions. The critique of “mass media” industrializing rage is entirely consistent with the anti-establishment sentiment he frequently expresses. Geopolitical / Global Scope: While many Landmine commenters stick strictly to localized Alaska politics… Read more »
Hey Crock, does Reggie Taylor exist?
Crock:
Absolutely not. The famed, brave, former editor of The Mighty Frontiersman clearly pontificated numerous times that Reggie Taylor does not exist either on voter rolls or property records. This from an experienced newspaperman skilled at investigative journalism who somehow found it necessary to dox the nonexistent Taylor. He exists only in the imagination of ideologues who personify comments that oppose their ideologies.
“……….While many Landmine commenters stick strictly to localized Alaska politics……..”
“Many”? Good choice in adjectives, because it certainly doesn’t apply to those who repeatedly bring in Kevin McCabe’s troubles with political opponents, President Trump’s attempt to open files involving Jeffery Epstein, the Iran War, the Iraq War, etc.
“………The idea that a “grand crescendo” (a catastrophic event or war) is “due any day now” fits perfectly into the cynical, hyper-realistic, or “prepper/doomer” undercurrent used in the Landmine’s active comment section where he participates………….”
Hmmmmm………..it appears that the non-existent Taylor “fits perfectly” with the “active comment section where he participates”. Perhaps Grok (artificial intelligence” knows something that Svan does not (no intelligence at all)?