25th Alaska State Legislature

The 25th Alaska State Legislature served for a term lasting from January 16, 2007 to January 19, 2009. All forty representatives and one-half of the senate (ten members) were elected to their terms on November 7, 2006. The remaining ten senators were elected to their terms on November 2, 2004.

Sessions

  • First session: January 16, 2007–May 16, 2007
  • Second session: January 15, 2008–April 13, 2008
  • Special session: June 3, 2008–August 7, 2008

In the 2006 elections, a voter initiative championed by freshman Fairbanks representative Jay Ramras was passed by voters, which reduced the statutory length of the session from the existing length of 120 days to 90 days. The changes to the law made by the initiative took effect with the second session of this legislature. Current legislation would make changes to accommodate a 90 session.

Although the second session adjourned on time, some members of the legislature claimed that legislation was rushed and public input was jeopardized.[1]

Senate

Composition

Alaska Senate
Affiliation Members
  Republican Party 11
  Democratic Party 9
 Total
 20
 Majority
 2

Bipartisan coalition

Shortly after the 2006 November election, a bipartisan coalition was announced between all nine Democratic senators and six of the eleven Republican senators.[2] Democrats will chair the Judiciary, Health, Education, & Social Services, Labor and Commerce, Community and Regional Affairs, and Transportation Committees, as well as co-chair the powerful Finance Committee. The Senate Republicans in the coalition will also have a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans will only be given one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.[3]

Because of the Republican split, the Democrats control a majority of committee chairmanships while Republicans in the governing coalition chair the others. The majority leader is the same legislator as it was in the last session, a Republican, who has joined the bi-partisan coalition. Because of this, the minority leader is head of the five-member Republican organization. Hence, all three listed officers of the body are Republicans, as different aspects are in the majority (with the chamber-wide minority Democrats) while others are in the official minority.

The split is largely viewed as over the Senate presidency. The minority leader was the Republicans' suspected, initial choice for Senate President.[3] The coalition commands three-quarters of the body.

A similar move was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side. It, however, was torn apart.

Leadership

The President of the Senate is Republican Lyda Green of District G (Matanuska-Susitna Valley). The Majority Leader is Republican Gary Stevens of District R (Kodiak). The Minority Leader is Republican Gene Therriault of District F (North Pole).

PositionNamePartyResidenceDistrict
President of the SenateLyda GreenRepublicanMatanuska-Susitna ValleyDistrict G
Majority LeaderJohnny EllisDemocratAnchorageDistrict L
Minority LeaderGene TherriaultRepublicanNorth PoleDistrict F

Membership

Alaska State Senate
25th Alaska Legislature, 2007-2008[4][5]
DistrictNamePartyLocationTerm Up
ABert StedmanRep-CoalitionSitka2008
BKim EltonDem-CoalitionJuneau2010
CAlbert KookeshDem-CoalitionAngoon2008
DJoe ThomasDem-CoalitionFairbanks2010
EGary WilkenRepublicanFairbanks2008
FGene TherriaultRepublicanNorth Pole2010
GLyda GreenRep-CoalitionMatanuska-Susitna Valley2008
HCharlie HugginsRep-CoalitionWasilla2010
IFred DysonRepublicanEagle River2008
JBill WielechowskiDem-CoalitionAnchorage2010
KBettye DavisDem-CoalitionAnchorage2008
LJohnny EllisDem-CoalitionAnchorage2010
MHollis FrenchDem-CoalitionAnchorage2008
NLesil McGuireRep-CoalitionAnchorage2010
OKevin MeyerRep-CoalitionAnchorage2008
PCon BundeRepublicanAnchorage2010
QThomas WagonerRepublicanKenai2008
RGary StevensRep-CoalitionKodiak2010
SLyman F. HoffmanDem-CoalitionBethel2010
TDonald OlsonDem-CoalitionNome2008

Alaska House of Representatives

Composition

The House chambers as they appeared during the 25th Legislature.
Alaska State House of Representatives
Affiliation Members
  Republican Party 23
  Democratic Party 17
 Total 40
 Majority 6

Leadership

PositionNamePartyResidenceDistrict
SpeakerJohn HarrisRepublicanValdezDistrict 12
Majority LeaderRalph SamuelsRepublicanAnchorageDistrict 29
Minority LeaderBeth KerttulaDemocraticJuneauDistrict 3

Members

Alaska State House of Representatives
25th Alaska Legislature, 2007-2008[4][5]
DistrictNamePartyLocation
1Kyle JohansenRepublicanKetchikan
2Peggy WilsonRepublicanWrangell
3Beth KerttulaDemocraticJuneau
4Andrea DollDemocraticJuneau
5Bill ThomasRepublicanHaines
6Woodie SalmonDemocraticBeaver
7Mike KellyRepublicanFairbanks
8David GuttenbergDemocraticFairbanks
9Scott KawasakiDemocraticFairbanks
10Jay RamrasRepublicanFairbanks
11John B. Coghill, Jr.RepublicanNorth Pole
12John L. HarrisRepublicanValdez
13Carl J. GattoRepublicanPalmer
14Vic KohringRepublicanWasilla
15Mark A. NeumanRepublicanWasilla
16Bill StoltzeRepublicanChugiak/Mat-Su
17Anna I. FaircloughRepublicanEagle River
18Nancy A. DahlstromRepublicanAnchorage
19Bob RosesRepublicanAnchorage
20Max GruenbergDemocraticAnchorage
21Harry CrawfordDemocraticAnchorage
22Sharon CissnaDemocraticAnchorage
23Les GaraDemocraticAnchorage
24Berta GardnerDemocraticAnchorage
25Mike DooganDemocraticAnchorage
26Lindsey HolmesDemocraticAnchorage
27Robert "Bob" BuchDemocraticAnchorage
28Craig W. JohnsonRepublicanAnchorage
29Ralph SamuelsRepublicanAnchorage
30Kevin MeyerRepublicanAnchorage
31Bob LynnRepublicanAnchorage
32Mike HawkerRepublicanAnchorage
33Kurt OlsonRepublicanKenai
34Charles "Mike" ChenaultRepublicanNikiski
35Paul SeatonRepublicanHomer
36Gabrielle LeDouxRepublicanKodiak
37Bryce EdgmonDemocraticUnalaska
38Mary Sattler Kapsner NelsonDemocraticBethel
39Richard FosterDemocraticNome
40Reggie JouleDemocraticKotzebue

See also

References

  1. ↑ Loy, Wesley (April 13, 2008). "Legislature adjourns on time". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
  2. ↑ Hopkins, Kyle. (2006-12-20). "McGuire joins bipartisan coalition." Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2007-04-04.
  3. 1 2 Demer, Lisa. (2006-11-29). "Bipartisan gang takes over Alaska state Senate - Committees: As other six watch, 14 senators divvy up leadership jobs for next year." Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved on 2007-04-04.
  4. 1 2 Alaska Division of Elections. (2006-11-07). "State of Alaska - 2006 General Election: November 7, 2006, Official Results." Retrieved on 2007-04-04. Archived March 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. 1 2 Alaska State Legislature. (2007). 25th "Alaska State Legislature by District." Retrieved on 2007-04-04.

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