The Legislature gaveled in this morning for the Governor’s special session, then recessed almost immediately.
Legislators say they have no bills to consider, so they recessed until the Governor provides further direction.
Governor Walker last night called the special session shortly after the Legislature adjourned from an extended session.
Gov. Walker: “Not having a funded budget is a big deal, it’s a big concern, we have all said that this session was about working on the budget and then we’re going to work on the revenue side. And now we’re going to take the budget into the summer and into that whole process we’re going to need to talk about revenues and not still talking about the budget. So the budget has got to be funded, it’s got to be a funded budget, so that’s a very significant budget that we all have, to make sure we end this session with a funded budget.”
He has requested that they work through the state’s operating budget, consider Medicaid expansion and reform, and review legislation which would implement sexual assault prevention programs in Alaska’s K-12 schools.
Yesterday lawmakers agreed to a compromise budget deal, but with House Democrats refusing to budge on education funding and Medicaid expansion, the budget would only be partially funded. Democrats refused to add their support to drawing from the constitutional budget reserve.