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Alaska State Senate

Coordinates: 58°18′08″N 134°24′38″W / 58.302198°N 134.410467°W / 58.302198; -134.410467
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Alaska State Senate
Alaska State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 17, 2023
Leadership
President
Gary Stevens (R-C)
since January 17, 2023
Majority Leader
Cathy Giessel (R-C)
since January 17, 2023
Minority Leader
Shelley Hughes (R non-coalition)
since January 17, 2023
Structure
Seats20
Political groups
Majority coalition
  •   Democratic (9)
  •   Republican (8)

Non-caucusing members

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle 2, Alaska Constitution
Salary$50,400/year + per diem ($200/day, in session)
Elections
Nonpartisan blanket primary / Ranked-choice voting
(Beginning in 2022)
Last election
November 8, 2022 (19 seats: all except district T)
Next election
November 5, 2024 (10 seats: districts B, D, F, H, J, L, N, P, R, T)
RedistrictingAlaska Redistricting Board
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska
Website
Alaska State Senate
Rules
Alaska State Legislature Uniform Rules

The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

With just twenty members, the Alaska Senate is the smallest state legislative chamber in the United States. Its members serve four-year terms and each represent an equal number of districts with populations of approximately 35,512 people, per 2010 census figures. They are not subject to term limits.

Powers and legislative process

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The Alaska Senate shares the responsibility for making laws in the state of Alaska with the Alaska House of Representatives. Bills are developed by staff from bill requests and information from the bill's sponsor. Bills undergo three or four readings during the legislative process. After the first reading, they are assigned to committee. Committees can amend measures or hold legislation and prevent it from reaching the Senate floor. Once a committee has weighed in on a piece of legislation, the bill returns to the floor for second hearing and a third hearing, which happens just before the floor vote on it.[1]

Once passed by the Senate, a bill is sent to the opposite legislative house for consideration. If approved, without amendment, it is sent to the governor. If there is amendment, however, the Senate may either reconsider the bill with amendments or ask for the establishment of a conference committee to work out differences in the versions of the bill passed by each chamber. Once a piece of legislation approved by both houses is forwarded to the governor, it may either be signed or vetoed. If it is signed, it takes effect on the effective date of the legislation. If it is vetoed, lawmakers in a joint session may override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote (three-fourths majority is required if it is an appropriations bill).[1]

For gubernatorial nominees requiring confirmation, the Alaska Senate sits in joint session with the Alaska House and the two bodies vote together on confirmation, with each representative and senator having one vote.

Committees

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Current committees include:[2]

  • Education
  • Judiciary
  • Resources
  • State Affairs
  • Transportation
  • Committee On Committees
  • Community & Regional Affairs
  • World Trade
  • Labor & Commerce
  • Rules
  • Health & Social Services
  • Finance
  • Corrections
  • Court System
  • Military & Veterans' Affairs
  • Labor & Workforce Development
  • Governor
  • Health & Social Services
  • Environmental Conservation
  • Public Safety
  • Commerce, Community & Economic Dev
  • Natural Resources
  • Administration
  • Law
  • Fish & Game
  • Education & Early Development
  • Revenue
  • Transportation & Public Facilities
  • University Of Alaska
  • Legislature

Current composition

[edit]
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End 29th legislature 5 1 14 20 0
30th legislature 5 1 14 20 0
31st Legislature 6 1 13 20 0
32nd Legislature 6 1 13 20 0
Begin 33rd Legislature 9 8 3 20 0
Latest voting share 85% 15%

Past partisan compositions can be found on Political party strength in Alaska.

Membership

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Qualifications and terms

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Senators must be a qualified voter and resident of Alaska for no less than three years, and a resident of the district from which elected for one year immediately preceding filing for office.[3] A senator must be at least 25 years old at the time the oath of office is taken.[3]

Senators may expel a member with the concurrence of two-thirds of the membership of the body.[3] This has happened only once in Senate history. On February 5, 1982, the Senate of the 12th Legislature expelled Bethel senator George Hohman from the body. Hohman was convicted of bribery in conjunction with his legislative duties on December 24, 1981, and had defiantly refused to resign from his seat. Expulsion was not a consideration during the 2003–2010 Alaska political corruption probe, as Ben Stevens and John Cowdery were the only Senators who were subjects of the probe and neither sought reelection in 2008.

Legislative terms begin on the second Monday in January following a presidential election year and on the third Tuesday in January following a gubernatorial election.[4] The term of senators is four years and half of the senators are up for election every two years.[4]

Leadership

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The President of the Senate presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska does not preside over the Senate. Instead, the Lieutenant Governor oversees the Alaska Division of Elections, fulfilling the role of Secretary of State. Only two other states, Hawaii and Utah, have similar constitutional arrangements for their lieutenant governors.[citation needed] The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority and Minority leaders, are (usually) elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.[citation needed]

Current leadership

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Position Name Party District
President Gary Stevens Republican C
Majority Leader Cathy Giessel Republican E
Minority Leader Shelley Hughes Republican M

Members of the 33rd Senate

[edit]

Alaska State Senate
32nd Alaska State Legislature, 2023–2024
District Name Party Residence Assumed
office
Next
election
A Bert Stedman Republican Sitka 2003[a] 2026
B Jesse Kiehl Democratic Juneau 2019 2024
C Gary Stevens Republican Kodiak 2003[a] 2026
D Jesse Bjorkman Republican Anchorage 2023 2024
E Cathy Giessel Republican Anchorage 2023
(2011–2021)
2026
F James Kaufman Republican Anchorage 2023 2024
G Elvi Gray-Jackson Democratic Anchorage 2019 2026
H Matt Claman Democratic Anchorage 2023 2024
I Löki Tobin Democratic Anchorage 2023 2026
J Forrest Dunbar Democratic Anchorage 2023 2024
K Bill Wielechowski Democratic Anchorage 2007 2026
L Kelly Merrick Republican Eagle River 2023 2024
M Shelley Hughes Republican[b] Palmer 2017 2026
N David Wilson Republican Wasilla 2017 2024
O Mike Shower Republican[b] Wasilla 2018[a] 2026
P Scott Kawasaki Democratic Fairbanks 2019 2024
Q Robert Myers Republican[b] North Pole 2021 2026
R Click Bishop Republican Fairbanks 2013 2024
S Lyman Hoffman Democratic Bethel 1995 2026
T Donny Olson Democratic Golovin 2001 2024
  1. ^ a b c Senator was originally appointed
  2. ^ a b c Not a member of the bipartisan majority

Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Legislative Process Archived December 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Alaska Legislature (accessed April 25, 2013)
  2. ^ "Committees". Alaska State Legislature. June 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Alaska Handbook to State Government Archived December 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine (accessed April 25, 2013)
  4. ^ a b Article 2 of the Alaska Constitution, Lieutenant Governor's Office (accessed April 26, 2013)
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58°18′08″N 134°24′38″W / 58.302198°N 134.410467°W / 58.302198; -134.410467