Alaska lawmakers are staring a special session in the face after racing past the fourth month in regular session without agreeing on a plan for a sustainable fiscal future.
Their regular 90-day session ended April 17 and the 121-day constitutional allotment for the extended session ends tomorrow(May 18).
Legislators have the option of extending the session for ten more days but both the House and Senate need two-thirds votes in order to do so.
Changes to Alaska’s oil and gas tax credit system have been a serious sticking issue for the House and Senate, with Minority members continually arguing for more cuts to the program.
Governor Bill Walker has demanded that this session produce a complete fiscal plan in order to bring Alaska out of its current multi-billion dollar budget deficit and sustain the state’s future.
He has promised to call them into a special session to complete any work not finished during this session, which lawmakers have said they expect.
