Gov. Sarah Palin late Thursday cast her first veto, rejecting a bill that attempted to block a Supreme Court order giving state employee benefits to same-sex partners.
The bill, HB 4001, passed in November's special session of the Legislature on a mostly party-line vote, with minority Democrats calling it unconstitutional.
That was also the conclusion of the Department of Law and new Attorney General Talis Colberg.
The Legislature had also requested a delay in the court's Jan. 1 deadline for beginning the benefits, but on Dec. 19 the court rejected that request.
"The Department of Law advised me that this bill, HB 4001, is unconstitutional given the recent court order of December 19th, mandating same-sex benefits," Palin said.
"With that in mind, signing this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office."
It is not clear what the bill would have done in any case, as it barred a one-time action which has already taken place; the bill itself wouldn't have taken effect for 90 days after signing.
With regulations already in place, the benefits are due to begin Jan. 1.
Juneau's Lin Davis, one of the plaintiffs in the case that won the benefits, praised the veto.
"It's fantastic, it sounds really positive," she said. "It keeps us going in the direction of good public policy and providing a good business environment and retaining talented workers."
Colberg said earlier that he was reviewing the bill. Even though it came too late to stop the benefits, he said, it might have had undetermined consequences in the future.
Davis agreed. "It was a potential minefield, you just don't know," she said.
Palin, who has said she personally opposed the Supreme Court's order requiring the benefits, nonetheless said HB 4001 was not the proper way to stop them.
Juneau's three legislators, Democratic Rep. Beth Kerttula, Republican Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch and Democratic Sen. Kim Elton all opposed the bill. Republican legislative leaders were unavailable for comment Thursday evening.
Palin had earlier signed another bill out of the special session. That bill set a March statewide advisory vote on amending the Constitution to bar same-sex partner benefits for employees of the state, and local governments as well.
A press release announcing the benefits Thursday said the veto did not change the governor's disagreement with the court order.
"It is the governor's intention to work with the Legislature and to give the people of Alaska an opportunity to express their wishes and intentions whether these benefits should continue," the release said.
