Alaska Senate passes budget, paves way for $525 PFD

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Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 4:52pm

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Alaska Legislators look towards the vote tally on Wednesday during a House Floor session at the state Capitol. (Klas Stolpe / KINY)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Alaska Senate took up and passed the budget proposed by the conference committee on Wednesday.

The proposed budget at first failed 10-8, one shy of the required 11.

Senator Lyman Hoffman moved to reconsider the vote, and the senate went into a break. After the break, the Senate voted again and passed the budget 11-6. Between tallies, Hoffman changed his vote from "no" to "yes."

Senator Bill Wielechowski voted "no" in the first vote, but was shown as "excused" during the second.

The vote to approve use of reserve funds for an $1100 dividend, which would have required three-fourths of the Senate to agree, failed on a 12-5 vote. The Legislative Finance Division has said failure of the three-quarter vote in both houses of the legislature would mean $525 dividend checks.

 

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