30th Alaska legislature adjourns

The 30th Alaska legislature adjourned early Sunday morning after passing state operating and capital budgets along with several other bills.

Governor Bill Walker says he does not intend to call the legislature back for a special session as in previous years. In a Sunday morning statement, Walker thanked lawmakers for their work during the 118-day session.

“Lawmakers in the House and Senate — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — worked together to reach a budget compromise.” Walker wrote. “I commend the Legislature for passing a budget on time, and addressing the vast majority of the budget deficit. Steps taken during this administration have closed 80 percent of what was a $3.7 billion dollar deficit. Alaska has turned the corner.”

Senate President Pete Kelly (R-Fairbanks) said the senate has achieved many of the legislative goals set out over the last two years.

"We stopped an income tax that I think would have been debilitating to this state, we stopped taxes on oil companies at a period of time that they were laying off thousands and they happen to be our leading industry and we have now with SB 26 stabilized the dividend, I think we guaranteed it to the future," Kelly told reporters after the adjournment.