matt.akmemo.com
Alaska wonk. Husker. Roller coaster, Magic card and staying in enthusiast. Writes akmemo.com
Hanging out and hanging on.
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142 following
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Haha yeah I totally slept on getting a preorder and was reminiscing about the old days of late-night releases when @akclee.bsky.social pointed out that it looked like GameStop had em for the midnight (8pm here) launch, so how can I say no!
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Yeah! Pretty much their argument!
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Meanwhile
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And the duties to making the motion to adjourn the session go to freshman Rep. Ted Eischeid.
The 2025 #akleg legislative session is adjourned.
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Rep. Mina also brought a cool set of earrings to the floor, she has a little birthday limmerick for Rep. Carrick.
Rep. Carrick thanks everyone, remarking on how celebrating a birthday at a time when you're leaving a not-quite-home to go to home that's not-quite-home is lonely (can confirm).
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Rep. Dibert with the earrings to end all earrings.
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The limbo file is empty!
House Speaker Edgmon says it looks like they've concluded their work for the session, so they go straight to the special orders, where Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, closes with a prayer song wishing everyone safe travels.
"Safe travels home."
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They also pass the mental health budget.
They get into some of the concurrence votes, approving the Turo bill HB123 on a 39-NRAUSCHER.
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And at least they just get the effective date, 27-13 (needed 27). It allows the budget to start working on July 1 and usually wasn't a leverage point untli the ultra right-wingers showed up.
Eastman and his ilk helped popularize it.
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Other than the part where the deficit gets filled with the AK Higher Education fund, I guess that may be a bit of a silver lining for AIDEA opponents who have been none too thrilled with the state investment banks' performance.
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And the minority Republicans vote against using the Constitutional Budget Reserve to cover the current year's budget deficit, which means the backstop language covering the $200M-ish deficit with AIDEA money and the Alaska Higher Education Fund goes into effect.
Thought they loved AIDEA!
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And the operating budget passes the House on a 23-17 vote.
Gonna need 30 for the CBR to cover the current year's deficit.
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And back into it, House Speaker Edgmon gives a bit of kudos to legislative aides who put some big effort into the conference committee budget.
Rep. Allard rises to say to vote against the budget.
Edgmon says wrap-up already happened.
Onto the vote.
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me, with my hood pulled up because it got kinda chilly:
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Josephson adds that for all the challenges facing the state, they were able to make some meaningful investments in education, child care and child advocacy.
Annnnnnd an at-ease
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On the pending supermajority vote to balance the current year's budget with a draw from the Constitutional Budget Reserve vote (three-quarters, so 30), Josephson says, "We have a constitutional duty to pay our bills."
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The House is getting onto the conference committee report on the operating budget. Rep. Josephson, the House Finance co-chair who oversees the operating budget, is going over the deets.
He notes all the goods are at: www.legfin.akleg.gov
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And after some special orders, the Senate has officially adjourned from this year's legislative session.
Senate President Gary Stevens thanks everyone "for getting us to this point, a day early and before midnight. Pretty remarkable."
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Getting real into end-of-session motions here, with legislators getting their excused absences in.
In case you were wondering, this afternoon's Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee has been cancelled.
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A 19-NSTEDMAN on the House changes to SB 156, the commercial fishing and ag bank loan bill.
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And, yes, I know I need to get down more!
I just really leaned into my hermit-y nature during the pandemic and enjoy my house! Also, where'd I play magic cards?