This Sunday, we honor and celebrate our mothers: Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mothers who, each day and every day, provide love and support to support their children and families.
It’s Day 110 and many of us are still working in Juneau. Construction is underway at the Capitol so we moved in to a small rental near downtown. After 4 days of debate, the House voted on SB 91, the “Crimnibus” bill that overhauls the criminal justice system in a way Alaska has not seen since 1978. Below is an update about this legislation and why we’re still here.
Today marks the 109th day of the second session of the 29th Legislature and we are still here in Juneau. There are three major issues in front of the legislature that are keeping us from adjourning. One of those issues, the Criminal Omnibus legislation, was passed from the House. It awaits a vote on “reconsideration” next week. It will likely pass on reconsideration and be returned back to the Senate where they will vote on concurrence (in other words, they will decide whether they like the House’s changes to the original bill). I will cover this topic more in a subsequent section, so be sure to read below.
Juneau – The Republican-controlled leadership in the Alaska House of Representatives has filed an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court of a lawsuit challenging Medicaid expansion in Alaska without approval of the full Alaska Legislature as required by law. The ill-advised lawsuit was dismissed in March by a Superior Court Judge after finding that the Social Security Act allowed the Governor to initiate Medicaid expansion and that existing state law required Governor Walker to provide Medicaid to the group of Alaskans eligible for expansion.
