The Capitol Report 2/5/18: Update on the budget process and overview of this week's committee meetings

The Capitol Report - Feb. 5, 2018

Greetings from Juneau. Today is the 21st day of the legislative session. The legislature is off to a busy start and there's a lot happening in the Capitol important to the University of Alaska.

The second session of the two-year legislative cycle usually has a more down-to-business tone. Legislators have a great deal of work ahead of them to reach agreement on a budget and fiscal plan to fund state government. This past week also saw the swearing-in of newly-appointed Representative John Lincoln (D-Kotzebue). In the coming weeks, the Governor will also appoint replacements for Senator Mike Dunleavy and Representative Zach Fansler who have both resigned.

The university was well represented at the Capitol last Friday when students, faculty, and university supporters held a rally on the Capitol steps urging lawmakers to fully fund the regents' budget. The event was attended by more than 70 people, including several legislators, and received positive media coverage. Representatives Adam Wool and Sam Kito spoke about the importance of the university and funding the regents' $341 million operating budget request. Thank you to the UAS Faculty Senate, UAS Student Government, and all who helped organize the rally.

Read the full report at alaska.edu/state/report.

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The Capitol Report, written by Miles Baker, UA Associate Vice President for Government Relations, is designed to keep the University of Alaska community informed about the current legislative session, particularly its impact on the university budget.

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February Archive