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Legislators override vetoes on two bills, race the clock to pass gasline bill on final day of special session
- Mark Sabbatini
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Governor introduces proclamation for second special session beginning Saturday if lawmakers don’t pass bill to aid Alaska LNG Project by the end of Friday
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
This is a developing story that will be updated throughout the day.
State lawmakers are racing Friday to potentially pass a bill advancing a natural gas pipeline, after holding override votes on bills vetoed Thursday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, before the 11:59 p.m. adjournment deadline of a 30-day special session.
Dunleavy on Friday issued a proclamation for a second special session beginning Saturday if the Legislature fails to pass the gasline bill.
Some legislators stated his veto of nine bills on Thursday will deter that goal. The House and Senate met for a joint session lasting about an hour to consider overrides on five of the bills, two of which got at least the 40 votes necessary to be enacted into law.
The two bills enacted are 1) House Bill 195, which allows pharmacists to prescribe some medications, and 2) HB 314, which extends the sunset date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, and updates some regulations for the occupations.
Failing to get enough votes were Senate Bill 21, establishing a state-administered retirement savings program for workers without employer-provided accounts; HB 52, intended to strengthen the rights and safety of minors in psychiatric care; and SB 41, requiring mental health education in public schools.
Among the bills not considered during the override session was Senate Bill 24, sponsored by Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, which would raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 instead of 19, and implement a tax on products such as vapes. In an interview after Friday’s joint session, he said that decision was due to limited time and willingness of other legislators in considering which bills to vote on.
"I had to give up on it because the House did not want to deal with it," he said.
Some early movement on the gasline bill occurred Friday morning when the Senate Finance Committee, which has cancelled its meetings the past two days, advanced House Bill 381 to a floor vote after making changes that were discussed at length in closed-door meetings. The Senate will need to pass it — with members saying numerous amendments may be introduced during floor debate — and the House would need to concur on the changes before it can be sent to the governor.
Stevens said there are 15 amendments as of 2 p.m. for the bill when the Senate floor session resumes. The Senate was expected to convene by 3 p.m.
The House last Friday passed a version of the bill that, among other provisions, cuts property taxes the Alaska LNG Project developer would pay to state and local communities by an estimated 85% for 30 years. The Senate Finance Committee version doubles the House’s tax rate after 10 years, and again in 2060.
The developer and producer of the project say the tax breaks and other assistance in the House version are needed to make the project affordable. Legislators resisting the more generous incentives say specifics on the need for them are lacking.
"It is not perfect," Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, co-chair of the finance committee, said just before members voted to advance the bill. "There are concerns that members have at this table, that people have in the other body. There are concerns that the administration has. It has been the task of this committee to try to concentrate on a piece of legislation specifically to get a gasline built. I believe that there is going to be further deliberation, both by the full body of the Senate and (I) anticipate additional amendments at that time."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
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