Transcript Document

The Legislative Process in
Alaska
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Courtesy of the Juneau
Legislative Information
Office
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The Alaska Legislature
The Alaska
Legislature meets
each year in
Juneau.
 Each legislature
consists of two
sessions, lasting
for a period of 90
days each.

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
Our legislature is
“bicameral”. That
means that it is
composed of “two
chambers”. They
are the House of
Representatives
and the Senate.
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House of
Representatives
Senate
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 The
Senate has twenty members who
serve four year terms, and is presided
over by the Senate President.
 Each member represents one of the
twenty senate districts in the state.
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
Each senate
district has two
corresponding
house districts.
The House of
Representatives
has forty members
who serve two year
terms, and is
presided over by
the Speaker of the
House.
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
For example:

Senate District B
encompasses
House District 3
House District 4
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The Idea

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Bills, and ultimately
laws, all begin as ideas.
An idea can come from
a legislator, group of
legislators, a
committee, the
governor, a
professional group, a
lobbyist, an individual
citizen, etc.
The idea for a bill can
come from you!
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The Bill
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All bills must be
introduced by a
legislator, a legislative
committee, or the
governor via the Rules
Committee.
 Therefore, your idea
must be communicated
to one of these folks,
who will “sponsor” the
bill.

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Introduction and Reading
First, the bill is drafted and
printed. This is done by the
Legislative Affairs Agency, Legal
Services.
 Next, the bill is introduced by
the sponsor during floor session
of either the House or the
Senate, depending on which house
(body) the bill originated in. This
is known as the “first reading”.
 During this reading the bill is
referred to committee(s).

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Legislative Committees

Each body has ten
standing
committees which
consider issues
within their
jurisdictions. They
are:
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Education
 Finance
 Health & Social
Services
 Judiciary
 Labor & Commerce
 Community & Regional
Affairs
 Resources
 Rules
 State Affairs
 Transportation
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
Each committee
has an odd
number of
members and is
presided over by
a chairperson.
 In order to
conduct business,
half the number
of members, plus
one, must be
present. This is
called a “quorum”.

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Once a bill has been
referred to committee, a
hearing(s) may be held.
 The sponsor presents
the bill to the
committee, public
testimony is heard and
the committee members
discuss and argue
(debate) the matter.
 Modifications, additions
or deletions to the bill
may be suggested and
adopted. These are
called “amendments”.

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When formal debate has concluded, the
members vote to move the bill out of
committee.
 The bill then moves on to its next
committee of referral.
 After the bill has moved through all its
committees of referral, it is scheduled for
floor action in the house of origin.

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Let’s say the bill originated in the House
of Representatives. It will now be put to
the full House for debate, and further
amendment.
 This is called the “second reading”.

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After amendments have been offered and
voted on in second reading, the bill moves
on to the “third reading” usually on the next
day the House convenes.
 Here, it is voted on for final passage (an
affirmative vote by a majority of the full
body).

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 If
the bill requires further
amendment, it is returned to
second reading.
 If it does not require further
amendment, and the bill passes
the House, it must go through
the same process in the Senate.
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If the bill travels
through the entire
process in the Senate
without further
amendment, it is
considered to have
passed both houses.
 The final version of
the bill is then signed
by the Senate
President and the
Speaker of the House
and delivered to the
Governor.

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 At
this point, the Governor may sign
the bill into law, allow the bill to
become law without his/her signature,
or veto the bill.
A veto is an official action by the
Governor which nullifies the action of
the legislature.
If the bill has not been vetoed, it will
become law ninety days later, unless a
different “effective date” is specified.
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From a Bill to an Act to a
Law

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Now that the bill has
become law it is called
an “act”.
The act is given a
chapter number and
becomes a “session
law”.
Session laws are
reviewed by the
Legislative Affairs
Agency and then sent
to be published.
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
That which began as an idea has become law
and is now part of the codified body of
laws, enacted by the Legislature, and known
as the Alaska Statutes.
Alaska Statutes
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
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If you would like more detailed information about
the legislative process or about the Alaska
Legislature in general, please visit our website at:
www.legis.state.ak.us
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