Governor likely to call another special session

This is getting to be routine with state lawmakers.

Is it the 90-day limit, or is it just stagnation in the face of politicians who hold power in one committee after another where bills go to die?

Take Rep. Mike Doogan’s effort to do something about talking on cell phones while driving. That’s a public safety issue that barely got a mention this time around. But, by golly, another verse to the state song had the whole lot of them literally singing the new tune.

The most galling part of this nearly do-nothing session was when Capitol business practically closed so a couple dozen lawmakers could go to Washington, D.C., to learn more about energy projects.

As we noted here before, it doesn’t take a score of lawmakers to go to a conference. Three or four, maybe, so Alaska could be represented at conflicting seminars, if need be. Those few should come back and give reports on what they found out. Then the business of the state could go on uninterrupted.

Now Gov. Parnell is saying he may call the Legislature back to finish working on his pet scholarship bill.

The bill would send good students to college or trade schools in Alaska with free or with partial tuition depending on their grades. It’s a worthy effort to not only encourage students to work harder in school, but by educating them at home, they may stay in Alaska to pursue their careers.

As it is now, so many students leave the state for college Outside and never come back.

It’s been widely reported that if a gas pipeline ever is built, there won’t be enough Alaskans with the necessary training to build it because the state’s workforce is aging.

Parnell’s on the right track to get this passed soon. Instead, the leaders in the Legislature want to form a task force to study it this summer.

That means water it down.

Let’s face it, if a student can’t muster a C average in high school, the likelihood of success in college or a trade school isn’t too good.

The bill also gives parents more incentive to be on top of their children’s progress in school. They have a financial investment at stake.

Parnell appears to be getting stubborn on this one and the taxpayers will pick up the bill for another session because our senators and representatives can’t get together on important bills, even ones that affect the safety or future of our state’s children.