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Civil rights advocates say it could send more rehabilitated Alaskans home.
Opponents of the effort to override the veto cited the governor’s threat to cut funding from the budget even if the $200 million bipartisan bill were to become law.
It would take 40 out of 60 lawmaker to override Dunleavy’s veto.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a $200 million education funding package that overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate.
The Legislature is planning to hold a veto override session early next week. It’s unclear if legislators have the votes to override the veto.
The bills would add protections for young people in residential psychiatric treatment centers such as North Star, and give the state more oversight.
The governor has until midnight Thursday to sign or veto SB 140 or it will pass into law without his signature.
Leading legislators say the state’s finances will likely still be strained with big-spending items left to consider.
Most of the rejected orders would have eliminated volunteer boards and transferred their roles to state agencies.
Notices of water reservations, commonly used by mining projects, would not be published in local newspapers anymore.
Time to pass a new education bill is fast running out. If Dunleavy fulfills his veto threat of SB 140, the Legislature could be heading to an override vote.
It would take a majority of lawmakers in a joint session to overturn any of the orders, many of which seek to eliminate public oversight boards.
If the governor’s order is allowed to go into effect, councils that for decades have overseen Wood-Tikchik State Park and the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve would be eliminated.
Members of the public will be able to address lawmakers representing Anchorage districts at a town hall event Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Hall, on the UAA campus.
The House Education Committee hasn’t met since Feb. 14, denying Gov. Mike Dunleavy a channel of support for his ideas.
The Joint Legislative Seafood Industry Task Force, modeled after a state salmon task force formed 20 years ago, would present findings and recommendations by January.
Rep. Julie Coulombe’s bill would move money intended for crime victims from Corrections to victim services.
A state board would develop mental health class guidelines for school districts. A similar bill failed to pass in 2022.
The governor included a $3,500 payout in his initial budget proposal, but paying it would require spending from savings.
Several administrators said painful cuts and savings drawdowns would still be necessary even with the $175 million formula increase approved by lawmakers.
As a major source of federal funding dwindles, state programs seek state money to continue care.
Alaska lawmakers are trying to craft an alternative education funding deal ahead of a March 14 deadline.
The bill aims to expand the number of families who can afford child care, and increase child care subsidies so they reflect the actual cost of care.