As Legislature convenes, Mat-Su Senator, new minority leader, seeks 'common ground with coalition

The state Legislature is back at work in Juneau with both the state House and Senate convening Jan. 21, last Tuesday. Although not part of either the Senate or House majority coalitions, Mat-Su’s all-Republican legislative delegation will make itself felt in the capitol building.

It’s going to be a constructive, positive role, said Sen. Mike Shower, R-Mat-Su, who will lead the newly-formed Senate Minority, which will have three senators from Mat-Su among its six members, all conservative Republicans.

“A lot of people are asking what we will do as a Minority in the Senate, but to me it’s crystal clear. We’re going to find common ground on issues with the Senate Majority (a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans) as well as the House and the governor,” Shower said in a press briefing last Tuesday.

The six Republican senators were recognized as a formal Minority when Republicans gained more Senate seats in state elections last November, reaching a numerical threshold for formal recognition. With that comes an allocation of committee seats for the Minority on legislative committees as well as more staff.

In the last Legislature Republican senators did not have the numbers for the Minority recognition which resulted in Mat-Su senators Shelley Hughes and Shower going into the political wilderness without influential committee positions.

Former Sen. David Wilson did join the previous Senate coalion and was able chair the Senate Health and Social Services Committee, which is important to Mat-Su because of its strong regional health care industry.

Also, being in the Majority meant that Wilson could advocate for Mat-Su within in the Senate leadership on regional needs like state money for roads. Wilson was defeated in his bid for reelection, however, partly because many voters did not like him working with Democrats.

This time around their numerical strength gives conservative Republicans in the House and Senate clout even being in the Minority. Republican hold 19 of 40 seats in the state House and the Senate margin of six out of 20 senators enables Republicans to exert influence on votes that require a “super” majority, for example in taking money from the state’s Constitutional Budget Reserve of almost $3 billion.

With the state’s finances thin this year due to lower oil production and oil prices there might be a need for a CBR draw to cover certain costs.

In terms of legislative priorities the one real need for Mat-Su is to ensure that the state pays its normal obligation in helping the Matanuska-Susitna Borough pay debt service on school bonds. That is in Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget and it is considered likely to be approved by the Legislature but if it isn’t Mat-Su’s taxpayers will be on the hook to make payment, which is a legal obligation for the borough.

Mat-Su also needs state help to fund a road program, which is always a need. That is more problematic this year because of the state’s tight finances. There are other projects for which Mat-Su, Palmer and Wasilla are seeking help. Wasilla got state money for airport work in 2024 but appropriations like that will be more difficult this year.

Mat-Su’s senators are hitting the ground running on their priorities, however. Shower said one of his continuing interests will be on election reform and integrity.

Hughes said she will be continuing work on education and health care, issues she has previously worked on, as well as continuing efforts to develop agriculture and improve food security. Last year Hughes chaired a 36-member special task force on those topics and will seek the formation of a food and farm “caucus” in the new Legislature comprised of legislators who are interested.

In health care, she will be championing a patient “right to shop” bill for lower cost medical services, she said in the Tuesday briefing.

Sen. Robert Meyers, R-North Pole, a member of the Senate Minority, said he will continue efforts on improvements in occupational licensing to help build the state’s professional workforce.

New in the Senate, and a member of the Republican Minority, is Sen. Rob Yundt, a former member of the Mat-Su Borough assembly. Yundt said one of his key interests is in improving state game management particularly in ways that help Alaska residents over nonresidents.

In another briefing for reporter Tuesday Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and other members of the Senate majority coalition said they intend to focus on a handful of priority topics, including energy legislation, education funding, elections reform and the revival of a pension program for state employees.

In the state House, Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, said the House Majority coalition is generally aligned with those goals.

Education funding is likely to be the No. 1 priority, with multiple legislators saying that they intend to fast-track a bill that will increase the base student allocation, the core of the state’s per-student funding formula for public schools.

“We’re going to take a hard look at a BSA increase,” Edgmon said when asked whether he expects any major bills to pass in the first half of the Legislature’s 121-day regular session.

“There will be an emphasis on getting that passed, hopefully before the school districts begin to put their budgets together in earnest in March,” he said.

The Alaska Beacon contributed to this article