The next special session of the Alaska Legislature has been set to begin on August 16th. Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a proclamation on Thursday laying out the start date and the items up for discussion.
In a normal session, the legislature can discuss measures dealing with any topic under its purview. A special session, however, is limited to the topics presented when the session is called. In the case of the session that will begin next month, the items up for discussion include two potential constitutional amendments.
The first proposal pertains to limiting state spending and potentially changing how the constitutionally mandated budget reserve would be handled. The second proposed amendment would put more rules about Alaska’s Permanent Fund into the state constitution. Currently, the main body of the fund is constitutionally protected, but the legislature can decide in any given budget cycle what to do with the annual earnings. Those earnings pay for Permanent Fund Dividends. In more recent years, the earnings have also been used to shore up state revenue.
The final item on the governor’s proclamation is discussion of measures to increase the state’s revenue.
Legislators will be taking public comment in advance of the special sessions via multiple teleconferences.
