I'd like to call the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting to order. Let the record
reflect. It is Thursday, January 22nd, 2026. Time now is 3.30 pm. We are here in the
Belts Committee room in Juneau, Alaska. Members, President, Senator Wielikowski,
Senator Gray Jackson, senator Tilton, my self-chair Kawasaki.
We do have a quorum to conduct business. I would like
to thank Kerry Tipoe from Senate Records and Chloe Miller as moderator
On today's agenda, we just have one item and that is the second hearing on Senate joint resolution number two regarding the constitutional amendment and votes needed for a veto override.
We have Senator Clayman and his staff Carly Dennis here. They'd like to summarize the bill one last time. Take a minute or two.
Welcome to the Senate State Affairs Committee. Thank you. It's good to be back.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
For the record, I'm Matt Clayman, State Senator for Senate District H in West Anchorage.
Thank you for again hearing Senate Joint Resolution 2.
As we mentioned before, Senate joint resolution 2 would propose an amendment that would be presented to the voters to amend Article 2 Section 16 of
the Constitution to lower the override requirement for revenue and appropriation vetoes from three-fourths of
the legislature in joint session to two-thirds.
Improve the balance between the legislature and the executive branch and I think it's a good question to put in front of the voters
We remain the only state in the country to have over-ride thresholds of that of
that level and and certainly we
Saw today that even getting to a two-thirds
Override threshold is not easy. And so I I
think that if anything I lower threshold will
Encourage engagement between The executive Branch and The legislature
And if there's questions, happy to answer any questions you all may have.
Are there any question?
For the records, Senator Bjorkman is present.
I guess I don't have any any other questions either.
I appreciate this coming forward.
I think for folks who did watch today and do understand the difficulty of a super majority
threshold, this is the super, super-majority threshold that we had to reach today at 45
votes.
And I think it makes a lot of practical sense, along with just a
lot constitutional sense as a republic that we have a check and balance system that's appropriate.
So with that, Senator Wilakowski.
Thank you, I appreciate the bill, a resolution I intend to support it.
My question is, are there states that have
lower thresholds? Or is this fairly standard? Are there states where it's just a majority
that you need to override? What's the status of the other states? And I know you have a
document in this file, but for the public that's listening and maybe it doesn't see our documents,
I think it'd be helpful for them to understand. So in broad measures, I would say the majority
of states have two-thirds override threshold for pretty much every kind of legislation.
three quarters for revenue matters, meaning new taxes, but not for appropriations matters in Arizona, it's two-thirds, and I can't remember which state but one of the states has a three-quarter override for emergency measures, you know, like so the legislature passes something that says this is an emergency and that that state has three quarter for
Those are the Alaska, Arizona, and that other state that I don't remember are
the only places that have anything above a two thirds override threshold.
And then there are a minority number of states, I think there's six or seven that allow override by just a majority vote.
And there is seven or eight that haven't override by three fifths, which of course is lower than two thirds.
So Mr. Chair.
Senator will look out.
where probably the majority of states are,
but still at the upper limit of absent those couple others,
like Arizona, of sort of the higher end
of where most states
are to the chair, Senator Wilakowski, correct.
Thank you, senator Wilakesowski.
Any other questions or comments?
I will like to say that this bill appears to be moving quickly, but it has been in the
presence of the committee for the past year and a half, and folks have had an opportunity
to bring in testimony.
There's nobody online to testify today in case we were to open it back up.
But you can also send emails to all of committees.
This has another committee of referral to the finance committee so they can send e-mails
at aka.elieg.gov, and it will join that public testimony that we are providing here.
Are there any other comments?
Vice Chairman?
Chair?
Chair.
I would just note one other little small detail about two-thirds.
In the federal constitution, by a two thirds vote in the House and the Senate, amendments
By a two-thirds vote, but again, you see that two thirds vote showing up in the federal constitution but not at three quarters requirement.
Senator Wielkowski.
And just a point, it is kind of interesting that to actually place an amendment to change the constitution is a 2 thirds voting Alaska.
And so we actually have a lower threshold to changed the Constitution, or at least to put it before the voters, then we do to override certain bills.
Through the chair, Senator Wilkowski, yes.
Now, senator Bjorkman.
Mr. Chair, I move SCR2, work draft 34-Lima Sierra 0175
backslash A is an amchica.
Be reported out of committee with individual recommendations
and attached to fiscal note.
I will actually all object in.
have a brief at ease I don't that's not the
And call the meeting back to order
Are there any objections to moving Senate concurrent resolution number two from committee?
Hearing and seeing none Senate concurrent resolution number two that is work draft 34 LS
0175 backslash a is reported out of committee with individual recommendations on the attached fiscal note
That'll conclude the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting for today
I'd like to thank everybody who's here on Tuesday January 27th. We will hear an update from
Randy Ruraro from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority on current issues and progress reports.
We will also have on schedule bills previously heard or scheduled.
On January 29th, we will have bills earlier scheduled previously.
Without any other business coming before the Senate State Affairs Committee,
this meeting is adjourned. Let the record reflect. Time is now 3.38 pm.