Alaska lawmakers felt less pressure to pass bills this session as they can return in January and pick up unfinished business in this Legislature's second term.
Alaska Department of Law spokesman Mark Morones suspects this is the reason the department-sponsored bill to criminalize marijuana did not pass both houses this year.
"We plan to hit the ground running next year," Morones said. Senate Bill 74 aims to overturn an Alaska court ruling that allows citizens to possess up to 4 ounces of pot under a resident's right to privacy.
Several bills that caught the public's interest did not reach the floors for final votes by the deadline Tuesday night. They will remain in their respective committees until the session reconvenes in January. Lawmakers may not discuss bills during a special session unless they are specifically on the agenda.
Time spent debating the Senate's plan to rewrite the public employee and teacher retirement systems, or PERS and TRS, took away committee time from other bills on the calendar.
"It's an issue that's big enough that needs a lot of time," said House Majority Leader John Coghill, R-North Pole.
The Senate canceled its schedule repeatedly and did not hear House bills in the last few weeks in response to the House delaying and temporarily rejecting the retirement plan.
House Bill 272, to legalize card rooms, passed the House but stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee's chairman, Sen. Ralph Seekins, R-Fairbanks, said during a meeting last week he was against the bill but would move it out for more discussion.
The Democratic minority characterized the first session of the 24th Alaska Legislature not as a traditional square-off between Democrats and Republicans, but rather a session in which members of the majority could not agree with each other.
When asked at a news conference Wednesday why the party cannot reach a consensus, Gov. Frank Murkowski replied, "I don't think just us Republicans are (gridlicked). I think everyone is."
Murkowski added that Republicans are also gridlocked because, "They are doing so many bills this year." Some 509 bills were introduced this session.
Time wasn't the only factor for legislators not taking up bills; in some cases it was politics.
A bill aimed at reducing methamphetamine production would put limitations on consumers buying Sudafed and other related ingredients.
Other legislation that awaits action includes the ethics bill that limit the financial holdings a state official can have in a company involved in state contracts and fines anyone $5,000 who goes public with their complaint.
An effort was made to give more support to rural communities that have suffered since the governor canceled a state revenue sharing program.
House bills 36 and 49 either reinstate the original program or offer grants to rural communities. Neither bill left the House this session.
"It's terrible for them because a lot of (municipalities) are closing their doors and canceling their insurance," said Rep. Woodie Salmon, D-Beaver. "A lot of war stories on that revenue sharing."
Compared to previous sessions, Senate Minority Leader Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, considered these past four months as "historic" for the moments when both parties agreed on major bills, such as the $2.6 billion operating budget that passed with a vote of 19-1.
"We have not been cowed or neutered, but on the big things like the capital budget and the operating budget we did the responsible thing," Ellis said.
• Andrew Petty can be reached at andrew.petty@juneauempire.com
