| Alaska Legislature | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Houses | Senate House of Representatives |
| Term limits | None |
| New session started | January 18, 2011 |
| Leadership | |
| President of the Senate | Gary Stevens, (R-Coalition) since January 20, 2009 |
| Speaker of the House | Mike Chenault, (R) since January 20, 2009 |
| Structure | |
| Members | 60 |
| Political groups | Republican Party (34) Democratic Party (26) |
| Authority | Article 2, Alaska Constitution |
| Salary | $50,400/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election | November 2, 2010 |
| Next election | November 6, 2012 |
| Redistricting | Alaska Redistricting Board |
| Meeting place | |
| Alaska State Capitol Juneau, Alaska |
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| Website | |
| Alaska State Legislature | |
The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution, consisting of the lower Alaska House of Representatives, with 40 members, and the upper house Alaska Senate, with 20 members. With a total of 60 lawmakers, the Alaska Legislature is the smallest bicameral state legislature in the United States and the second-smallest of all state legislatures (only the 49-member unicameral Nebraska Legislature is smaller). There are no term limits for either chamber.
The Alaska Legislature meets in the State Capitol building in Juneau.
Contents |
Annual sessions begin in January and are limited by statute to 90 calendar days. Special sessions of 30 calendar days may be convened by a consensus of two-thirds of each house.
In the 2006 elections, a voter initiative was passed that reduced the statutory length of the session from 121 days. The 2008 session was the first 90 day session. Although the session adjourned on time, some members of the legislature claimed that legislation was rushed and public input was jeopardized.[1]
Unlike other state legislatures with longer sessions, the comparatively short Alaska Legislature session allows many lawmakers to retain outside employment, especially in the state's many seasonal industries, such as fishing and tourism. In this, the Alaska Legislature retains some of the volunteer nature that characterized most state legislatures until the middle of the 20th century. This has led to recurring but minor controversy around the potential for conflict of interest inherent in legislators' outside employment.[2]
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