Though the number of inmates has remained largely stable since 2019, state spending on the Department of Corrections is up more than 54%, far outpacing inflation. The skyrocketing spending has legislators for the first time in years considering sending inmates to private prisons in the Lower 48.
The resolution aims to put on the ballot a constitutional amendment to lower the override vote threshold for a governor's veto of revenue and appropriations bills, from three-quarters of the Legislature to two-thirds.
A court filing by the Justice Department continues the Trump administration's opposition to the proposed mine, a departure from the president's aggressive pro-development agenda that includes support of mineral production in Alaska.
The bill would significantly change how Railbelt customers who generate renewable energy, including solar and wind, are credited for the power they send back to the grid.
Supporters say the Alaska Legal Services Corp. is critical for assistance in housing disputes and financial abuse cases, for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. (via Alaska Beacon)
The ruling follows a decades-long legal effort by the states of Oregon and Washington, Native American tribes, and conservation and fishing groups to ensure better protections for migrating salmon, which are killed in large numbers by the dams.
