On the first day of the upcoming state legislative session in Juneau, Democrat lawmakers are planning to take up a resolution to amend the Alaska Constitution in order to lower the number of votes they need to override a governor’s veto on appropriation matters like the annual state budget.

Senate Joint Resolution 2, which is sponsored by hard-left Senate Democrat Matt Claman, will receive its first hearing on Jan. 20 – opening day of the session.

The measure, which would need to be approved by voters, would lower the veto vote threshold from three-quarters (45 votes) to two-thirds (40 votes).

A public hearing on this bill is set to start at 3:30 p.m. in the Senate State Affairs Committee, which is dominated by Democrats who have long been frustrated by Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s ability to veto massive spending hikes to education funding hikes, which their teacher-union allies support.

Alaska is an exception when it comes to requiring a three-fourths vote to override a governor’s appropriation vetoes. All other states have a lower threshold.

Alaska’s system was born of a desire by the state framers to ensure a strong executive branch that could conduct state administration, while being accountable to the people.

According to late Alaska Constitutional Convention delegate Vic Fischer a strong executive branch was also seen as a way to ensure a balance of power, given that the judicial and legislative branches were also well empowered by the founders.

“In balance with a strong legislature and independent judiciary, there was little concern about creating too strong an executive,” Fisher wrote in his 1975 book, “Alaska’s Constitutional Convention.”

 TAKING ACTION

To offer public testimony on the veto override bill, the public can call one the numbers listed here.

— Anchorage: (907) 563-9085

— Juneau: (907) 586-9085

— Other: (844) 586-9085

— Testimony can also be submitted in writing to senate.state.affairs@akleg.gov.

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