Gov. Bill Walker canceled his call for a joint session Friday morning, saying legislative leaders have agreed to hold confirmation votes on 89 appointees before the session ends.
Revoking the proclamation avoids a situation in which the House and Senate had planned to meet Friday at 10 a.m. and adjourn without dealing with the confirmation question.
"I just wrapped up a meeting with House Speaker Mike Chenault and Senate President Kevin Meyer," Walker said in a statement shortly after 8:30 a.m. "They gave me their word that each of the 89 appointments would be given an up or down vote on Sunday. I trust them."
The statement said "revoking the proclamation is an important step toward a positive relationship with legislative leadership."
Legislators had earlier canceled a joint session for Friday at which they planned to take up the confirmation issue for the cabinet members and other people appointed by Walker to government positions and boards. They said they planned to do it Sunday, on the last day of the session. But Walker said he worried that the votes would never take place at all, which would amount to a default rejection of his appointees.
Alaska Dispatch Publishing