25th Alaska State Legislature

• 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.{{cite news|title=Legislature adjourns on time |first=Wesley |last=Loy |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/legislature-adjourns-time/2008/04/13/ |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=April 13, 2008 |accessdate=April 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103164650/http://www.adn.com/2008/04/13/374722/legislature-adjourns-on-time.html |archivedate=January 3, 2011 }}

Shortly after the 2006 November election, a bipartisan coalition was announced between all nine Democratic senators and six of the eleven Republican senators.{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8506646p-8399832c.html|title=McGuire joins bipartisan coalition.|last=Hopkins|first=Kyle|date=December 20, 2006|work=Anchorage Daily News|archive-url=https://archive.today/20081003123919/http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8506646p-8399832c.html|archive-date=October 3, 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=April 4, 2007}} 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 had a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans were given one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/front/story/8451289p-8345508c.html|title=Bipartisan gang takes over Alaska state Senate - Committees: As other six watch, 14 senators divvy up leadership jobs for next year.|last=Demer|first=Lisa|date=November 29, 2006|work=Anchorage Daily News|archive-url=https://archive.today/20081003123906/http://www.adn.com/front/story/8451289p-8345508c.html|archive-date=October 3, 2008|access-date=April 4, 2007}}

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

The split was largely viewed as being over the Senate presidency. The minority leader was the Republicans' suspected, initial choice for Senate President. The coalition commanded three-quarters of the body.

A similar move was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side. The coalition was later disbanded.

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).

File:Alaska House of Representatives.png

• List of Alaska State Legislatures
• 24th Alaska State Legislature, the legislature preceding this one
• 26th Alaska State Legislature, the legislature following this one
• List of governors of Alaska
• List of speakers of the Alaska House of Representatives
• Alaska Legislature
• Alaska Senate
• [https://www.akleg.gov/basis/mbr_info.asp?session=24]{AKLeg.gov}

{{Reflist}}

All links listed below point to current pages related to the Alaska Legislature, not archives pertaining to this particular legislature

• [http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/ Alaska Legislature website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070813205205/http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/senate/senate.php Alaska Senate website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070813205100/http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/house/house.php Alaska House of Representatives website]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100213011138/http://www.aksenate.org/ AK Senate Bipartisan Working Group website]}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070831075751/http://www.aksenateminority.com/ The Republican Senate Caucus website]
• [http://www.housemajority.org The House Majority website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230134411/http://www.housemajority.org/ |date=December 30, 2016 }}
• [http://www.akdemocrats.org The House Democratic Legislators website]

{{Alaska State Legislatures}}

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Category:2008 in Alaska

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