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Tense start to special session as finance committees set to consider gasline bills while most lawmakers leave town
- Mark Sabbatini
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
House committee starts work Thursday, Senate committee will begin next Wednesday as lawmakers seek to resolve differences with each other and governor in 30 days
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
A 30-day special legislative session ordered by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to consider natural gas pipeline legislation began on Thursday, although most lawmakers are expected to quickly head home while the House and Senate finance committees consider details of a potential compromise agreement.
The Senate moved ahead quickly and smoothly on the plan, taking care of procedural matters by unanimous votes in a 12-minute floor session. But the subsequent House floor session was contentious and lasted nearly an hour, with ire between lawmakers planning to board soon-departing flights out of Juneau and others arguing members should stay in town to work on pipeline proposals.
Dunleavy ordered the session Tuesday when legislators stalled on bills that had significant differences between the governor, House and Senate in terms of what kind of incentives to give the project’s developer, since those would reduce the share of revenue flowing to state and municipalities.
The governor’s proposal favors a heavy incentive package, the House’s somewhat less and the Senate’s significantly less. Dunleavy argues the incentives are needed to make the pipeline economically viable given its enormous cost, but legislative leaders resisting his approach say details are lacking from the developer and administration about those costs and other aspects of the project.
The session officially began when 16 of the 20 senators — with the other four being excused absences — gaveled in at 10:41 a.m. Thursday. Senate Secretary Liz Clark read the governor’s proclamation ordering the session and the first item considered was a resolution authorizing a recess of longer than three days that passed unanimously.
Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, said work by the Senate Finance Committee that he co-chairs will begin at 9 a.m. next Wednesday. He said the plan is to meet during the committee’s usual morning hours of 9-11 a.m. and the hope is the House Finance Committee will meet at its usual times in the afternoon, thus allowing members of each committee to keep an eye on what the other is doing.
"We have had initial discussions with the governor on this issue too, so we'll be having dialogue with his agencies," Stedman said.
The House convened at 11:39 a.m. and, similarly to the Senate, authorized extended recess periods. But unlike the Senate, there were House members strongly opposing the idea — and attempts to voice objections were met with exasperation from members trying to complete the floor session quickly so they could catch departing flights.
"This issue that we’re about to discuss is probably the most important thing we have to get done this year. I'm sure that everyone in the state is watching us and wanting us to get this done expeditiously," said Rep. Mike Prax, R-North Pole, who was cut off by House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, as Prax started to repeat the reasons for his objections.
The House approved the extended recesses by a 22-18 vote, with one member of the Republican minority caucus joining the bipartisan majority caucus members.
There was also contention on a resolution to allow carryover of bills from the regular session to the special session, which ultimately passed by a 28-10 vote.
The House Finance Committee was scheduled to begin considering the gas pipeline proposal Thursday afternoon and "we have a full week of finance committee hearings on this bill next week," said House Majority Leader Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage.
Both the House and Senate adjourned their floor sessions until June 4. Kopp said he expects legislation ready for floor debate will be completed by then.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
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