Alaska Senate

The Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The Senate consists of 20 members, each of whom represents a district of about 31,347 people (2000 figures). Senators serve four-year terms, without term limits. Half of the Alaska Senate is up for re-election every two years. With just 20 Senators, the Alaska Senate is the smallest legislative chamber in the United States.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

The Senate convenes at the State Capitol in Juneau.

Current composition

Leadership

The President of the Senate presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska does not preside over the Senate. Instead, the Lieutenant Governor oversees the Alaska Division of Elections, fulfilling the role of Secretary of State. Only two other states, Hawaii and Utah, have similar constitutional arrangements for their lieutenant governors.^{[citation needed]} The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority and Minority leaders, are (usually) elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.^{[citation needed]}

Current leadership

Republican split

Shortly after the 2006 November election, a bi-partisan coalition was announced between all nine senate Democrats and six senate Republicans.^[6] Democrats chaired 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 also had a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans were given only one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.^[7]

Because of the Republican split, the Democrats controlled a majority of committee chairmanships while Republicans in the governing coalition chaired the others. In the beginning, the majority leader was a Republican who has joined the bi-partisan coalition, and the minority leader was head of the five-member Republican organization. Hence, all three listed officers of the body were Republicans, as different aspects are in the majority (with the chamber-wide minority Democrats) while others are in the official minority. Later on in the session a Democrat in the coalition took over as majority leader.

The split was largely viewed as over the senate presidency. The minority leader was the Republicans' suspected initial choice for Senate President.^[7] The coalition commanded three quarters of the body.

A similar move to create a coalition was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side, without success.^{[citation needed]}

After 2008 elections

After the 2008 elections, Senate Democrats picked up a seat, holding half of the districts. They joined with 6 Senate Republicans to form a new coalition.^[8]

Members of the 26th Senate

See also

• Alaska State Capitol
• List of Alaska State Legislatures
  • 25th Alaska State Legislature (2007-2008), the preceding legislature
• Alaska political corruption probe

References

External links

• Alaska State Senate official government website
• Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Alaska