By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Alaska Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins says the House vote to form a majority and organize committees marks a “light year of progress” and a solid step forward for Southeast and coastal communities.
“We’re now organized and committees are functioning and legislation is being considered,” the Democrat said this week.
A vote on Feb. 11 by 15 Democrats, four independents and two Republicans elected Kodiak Republican Louise Stutes as House Speaker, by a 21-19 vote. A week later, one more Republican joined the group to approve committee assignments, on a 22-17 vote. Most Republicans voted against both.
(One member was absent for the second vote.)
The House gaveled in on Jan. 19, and for the next three weeks the representatives were split 20-20, with 15 Democrats and four independents joined by Stutes.
The lack of a clear majority kept formal legislation from being introduced and committees from being formed, but work and discussions toward that end continued until the Feb. 11 election of Stutes as speaker on a 21-19 vote.
On Feb. 18, the House confirmed committee assignments, with 15 Democrats and four independents joined by three Republicans – Stutes, Kelly Merrick of Eagle River, and Sara Rasmussen, Anchorage.
Kreiss-Tomkins was for the third time appointed chair of House State Affairs, and will serve on the judiciary and fisheries committees.
Kreiss-Tomkins called the vote around 10 a.m. on Feb. 11 to elect Stutes as “dramatic.”
“I wasn’t shocked but after weeks and weeks of rumors, ‘this might happen, that might happen,’ false climaxes,” the Sitka Democrat said. “I wasn’t in disbelief but kind of ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’”
He watched the votes come up on the board and coming through as expected.
Stutes is House Speaker. The vote on Feb. 18 confirmed Merrick will serve as co-chair of Finance and Rasmussen will hold one of the majority seats on the committee. Democrats and independents are serving as chairs of other standing committees, including Bryce Edgmon, an independent, for the House Rules Committee. Anchorage Democrat Chris Tuck is majority leader.
Kreiss-Tomkins said gaining the majority means some protections for Sitka and others in coastal communities.
“It mean coastal Alaska will not get the short end of the stick in the Legislature, and we’ll be able to keep the governor in check as needed,” he said.
He expressed concern about the fate of the ferry system, tribal affairs and Southeast fisheries, if the Republicans had gained control of the House.
With the key vote behind him, Kreiss-Tomkins says he remains “focused on legislation that can pass, that can get the governor’s signature.”
That includes issues related to protecting the Alaska Permanent Fund, creation of an independent governance system for the Alaska Marine Highway, and prison system reforms.
“I’m really excited about the next two years; we’ll be working as hard and fast as we possibly can,” he said.
Kreiss-Tomkins has already introduced a bill related to a special teacher licensure for immersion language programs (Native and world languages).
