I call this meeting of the Legislative Council to order at 5.21.
It is February 11th, 2026.
Can we have the recording secretary call the roll, please?
Representative Carrick.
Here.
Representative Edgman.
Here
Representative Johnson.
Representative cop
Representative Schruggie here representative Stutes
Senator Klayman here
Senator Giesle here Senator Grey Jackson honored to be here senator Hoffman
Senator Keel here
Senator Steadman
Senator Tobin here
Vice Chair Stevens
Chair Hannon here
11 members present.
So with 11 member present,
we do have a quorum to conduct business.
The first item is approval of the agenda.
Senator Giesel, do you have emotion?
Madam Chair, I move and ask unanimous consent
that the legislative council approve the
agenda as presented.
I'll briefly object, are there any changes to the
agenda?
Seeing none,
I'm going to remove my objection.
And the Agenda is approved.
Our next first action item is approval of minutes
from the December 16th, 2025 meeting, Senator Giesel.
Madam Chair, I move and ask unanimous consent
that the Legislative Council approve the minutes
dated December, 16, 2025 as presented.
Is there any objection?
Seeing no objection, the Minutes are approved.
That brings us to
sanctioning of charitable events, Senator Giesel, the motion.
Madam Chair, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Legislative Council
ratify the Chair's sanction of the following charitable
events per AS246080A2B.
Number one, Juno Animal Rescue, 2026 Fundraiser.
Number two, Juneau Dance Theatre, twenty-six fundraisers.
And I'm going to object for purpose of discussion.
The 501c3 status of both the Juno Animal Rescue and the Juneau Dance Theater have been verified.
We'll also note that Senator Keel was the auctioneer and
I believe that at the Geno Animal rescue and
that they are satisfied with his actions on their behalf and
may ask him back for another round.
Are there any other things under the sanctioning?
If there is none, I will remove my objection.
And those items have been sanctioned.
That brings us to Capitol Snow Removal Contract Amendment.
We ask for an motion, Senator Giesel.
Madam Chair, I move that the Legislative Council adopt amendment number one of the agency's contract for snow removal services
provided by cutting edge development
Incorporated and I'm going to object for purposes of discussion and ask procurement officer Jc
Kestel and contracts often contracts officer
Ernest Daggle to come forward and explain the need for the contract amendment and answer any questions
Thank you chair Hannon and members of the committee for your time tonight
Included in your packet is a memo covering the need for this contract amendment explaining it a little bit
This contract is for snow removal services for the various parking lots here at the capital complex and
As many of you may already know a Juneau's experience the record amount of snowfall this year and we have
Expensed
close to $45,000 for this contract already,
as of the end of January.
We are asking for the committee's approval
to amend this contact to increase the not to exceed limit
to 90,00 for their remainder of this winter,
and to clean up some technical specifications
in the contract.
I'm happy to answer any questions that the members may have.
Senator Klayman
Thank You madam chair
It looks like we had loads and loads of snow in December and now we're into February and it seems to have just been rain
If if that continues and we don't get a whole bunch more snow before the end of June
Are we actually still within the original contract amount although?
Can't predict the weather
Through the chair senator Kleyman
Yes, that is correct.
This contract is only for services that are rendered.
So, ideally, we won't have very much snowfall
for the rest of this winter.
However, for anybody that's been here in Juneau long enough
or has been coming to Juneaux knows that sometimes
we get a significant snow fall as late as April.
So this is just to cover the needs
for remainder of the winter and only funds will only be
Thank you. Any other questions or concerns?
Okay, I am going to
Remove my objection, but we're going ask for a vote
Are all members prepared to vote on the motion? I
Think they are mr. Ut. Can you call the roll or can you do a roll call vote? On the Motion, please?
Representative Carrick, Representative Edgman,
Representative Cop,
Representative Schraghi,
Representative Stoots, Senator Clayman.
Senator Giesel,
Senator Grichakson,
Senator Kiel,
Chair Hannon yes 11 yay zero nay with 11 yeas and 0 nays the motion has
Passed and we hope that we do not have springtime snow
The next item is there is not a motion for it is an information item, but it's our annual independent audit
So I'm going to ask our finance manager Joel
Rogazinsky it was my first time on the record to present and answer questions
Good afternoon, Madam Chair, pardon me, and members of the council.
For the record, my name is Joel Rogazinski.
I'm the Finance Manager for the Legislative Affairs Agency.
Before you, you have the 25 audit conducted by our external auditors, LG Rayfield.
By statute, the legislature undergoes an annual independent audit of internal controls, as well as our financial statements.
The outcome of fiscal year 2025 audit was a clean audit with no exceptions.
I am happy to answer any questions.
Thank you Joel just remind me when you started with us June 16th. All right, so good first audit
We like them that way all right with no questions. Thank You
That will bring us to
item C faction legislative counsel's fiscal year
2027 budget proposal senator Giesle do we have a motion?
Madam Chair, I move that Legislative Council, per AS24-20130, approve
transmittal of the FY27 Legislative
Council proposed budget to the House and Senate Finance
Committees for their review and action.
And I'm going to object for purposes of discussion
and ask Ms. Geary to present the budget and answer question.
Thank you. Good evening, Chair Hannon, members of
For the record, my name is Jessica Geary, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Agency.
Before you today is the FY27 Legislative Council proposed budget and sectional narrative that
details each appropriation and allocation. In preparing this request, I met with the presiding
officers, the rules chairs, and the House and Senate Finance Committee staff, as well as the council
There are two appropriations in the legislative council request,
legislative counsel, which includes the administrative functions of the legislature,
as well as special committees and task forces, and offices such as ethics,
ombudsman and office of victims rights,
and the Legislative Operating Budget,
which include those functions directly connected to the operations of
the Legislature, such a session expenses,
This request does not include the legislative budget and audit committee, which is submitted separately to the finance committees.
These three appropriations make up the legislature's entire budget.
Rather than going page by page, I will highlight the significant items in this request, and
I am happy to answer questions at any time as we go along.
There are two allocations which require an increment.
The first is the Legislature State Facilities Rent.
We had initially projected to need a $46,000 increment
to support existing statewide lease costs.
However, the agency was able to negotiate a lower lease rate
for Fairbanks and refine our other estimates,
reducing the total increment request to $27,700.
The session expenses allocation has a 2,552,200
912,200 for cost increases related to supporting a regular session.
This allocation has been absorbing operating expenses for the last several fiscal years
by borrowing from the legislative operating budget, also known as the interim budget.
Or the special session contingency in those years where there were no special sessions.
That practice is no longer sustainable, hence the increment request to ensure adequate funding for a
regular sessions
There is also a $35,000 in additional receipt authority requested for the legislative lounge.
$750,000 to restore special session contingency funding that was reduced or vetoed in the FY26 request.
And finally, $855, 000 to provide funding to maintain statewide gavel-to-gavel services.
This brings the total increment request in FY27 legislative counsel request to $2,579,900.
By statute, this committee is responsible for authorizing the transmittal of this budget request to the finance committees for action.
By voting yes, you agree to pass this Budget to Finance for any additional work or changes they may make.
And as I stated earlier, I'm happy to provide further detail or answer questions.
Representative Carrot.
Thank you. Thank You, Ms. Geary, for that presentation. I guess this is
potentially more of a question for our rules chairs and either bodies, but this
increment proposal for increased costs for staff relocation, lodging stipends.
I'm just curious what potential that has to cover for
Cuts to staff range points for off for individual offices a few years ago, and so
This isn't directly related to that, but I just want to get a better sense of what?
912 that increment could cover and
if anybody on this ledge council or Miss Geary would like to opine be sort of curious the perspective
through the chair to Representative Carrick.
The one thing I might know is that when
staff relocation was initially approved,
there was no associated increments,
so those costs were absorbed.
Same with the lodging stipend
when that was first introduced.
There was not associated increment.
When the lodging stipen went from $30 per day
to $37.50 per days, there were a
a small increment of $117,000 that was added.
But the other thing contained within the session expenses budget, as you mentioned, all the staffing points.
And though each time there is an increase for
statewide salary adjustments and benefits and health insurance.
We do see salary adjustments for that,
but what we don't see and what
we do budget for is any of those staff
with longevity who have merit increases.
So of course, those costs go up each year.
We don' t budget it for them.
The other costs that is hitting this,
the session expenses budget is
legislator session per diem.
And so that rate can fluctuate
and we have never asked for an increment
to account for it.
So it's just.
sort of a series of costs increasing over the years
and never actually asking for an increment
to cover those cost increases.
Thank you.
I think that adds a lot of color to that line item.
And there are other questions there.
Representative Scott.
Yes. Director Geary.
I just wanted to.
Yes, I can get closer to the mic and speak louder. I wanted to commend the executive director for only having an increase of
$27,000 in the lease costs for 21
Legislative bill that that's not even keeping up with inflation and utilities. So
Obviously there was some renegotiation and in Anchorage when we met chair hand you'll remember this there were a couple facilities with
Outrageous bed prices that we got back that you recommended denial and we put it back out for spacely so
Clearly you got some significant cost burdens
Ameliorated and I just wanted to commend your you and your team on that
Thank you representative cop
Sorry, I know we're all very tired,
but through the chair,
I just wanted to ask,
Ms. Geary, has Ledge Council
or the legislature's budget ever included expenses
for gavel Alaska previously?
Through the Chair, Representative Carrick,
no, it is not.
Thanks.
Other questions?
I will remove my objection and we will once again mistrew it. You'll take a roll call vote on the motion
to again what we are doing is
Authorizing this budget to be sent to the finance committees of each body for approval
Miss Truett go ahead
Representative Carrick yes
Representative Edgman, yes
Representative Cobb. Yes.
Representative Schruggie.
Yes
Representative Stutes.
Yes
Senator Klayman.
Yes
Senator Giesel.
Yes
Senator Gray Jackson.
Yes
Senator Keel?
Yes
Senator Tobin.
Yes
Chair Hannon.
Yes
11 yay zero nay
With 11 yeas and zero nays, the motion has passed.
We are now going to go into an executive session to discuss a carpet purchase RFQ and matters relating to the council's executive order 137 litigation.
Senator Geesell.
Madam Chair, I move that legislative council go in to executive section under uniform rule 22B1.
The discussion of matters, the immediate knowledge of which would adversely affect the finances
of a government unit.
And 22B3, discussion on a matter that may by law be required to be confidential.
The following people may remain in the room or online for the executive session.
Jessica Geary, Santelich, Sabrina, Javier, Joel Rogazinsky, J.C.
Zach Lawhorn, Helen Phillips, Toulula LaStofka,
any legislators, not on legislative counsel,
and the staff of legislative council members.
Okay, with any objection,
we're gonna take a brief at ease and secure the room.
I'm going to call this meeting in the legislative council back to order
We'll have a roll call vote to re-establish quorum, but first for the record. I am going
to note that
Representative Johnson joined us at 548 while we were in an executive session
Miss Truitt, can you please call the roll to Re-established a quorn?
I actually didn't check to see if she was prepared
Now she is.
Representative Carrick.
Here.
Speaker Edgman.
Here
Representative Johnson.
Here
Representative Cop.
Here
Representative Schraghi.
Here
Representative Stoots.
Senator Klayman?
Here
Senator Giesel.
Here
Senator Gray Jackson.
Honor to be here.
Senator Hoffman.
Senator Keel?
Here
Senator Stedman
Senator Tobin here
Vice Chair Stevens
Chair Hannon here 12 members present with 12 Members present. We have a form to conduct business
We are going to turn once again to RFQ
692 the Senate and House Finance Committee rooms carpet purchase
senator Giesel
Madam Chair, I move that Legislative Council authorize the Legislative Affairs Agency to
award the purchase of carpet to a vendor responsive to RFQ692 in an amount not to exceed $66,000.
That will object for purposes of discussion and ask procurement officer JC Kestel and
contracts officer Ernest Daggle to come forward to answer any questions we may have about
or RFQ, excuse me.
Thank you, Chair Hannon and members of the committee
for the record. My name is J.C. Kestel,
procurement officer for The Legislative Affairs Agency.
As described in the memorandum from our
facilities manager, Sarah Schlesch,
pertaining to the carpet replacement,
the Senate and House Finance Committee Room,
along with the adjacent offices,
has outlived its carpet life, so to say.
These rooms in these offices, these committee rooms
in this offices have carpet that is close to 30 years old
in the Senate Finance Committee Room in offices
and over 30-years-old in
the existing House Finance committee room
and it's showing its wear and tear.
More so in
the senate finance committeeroom than this one.
The agency has conducted RFQ 692 for the replacement of the carpet in these committee
rooms along with the adjacent offices.
The RFq closed yesterday and we have received a couple of bids that we would like to, that
we're awaiting the samples to arrive for.
These samples could take several weeks and the agency would to see these samples before
ensure that the products match the specifications that were outlined in the
RFQ and the quality is there. So the agency is requesting legislative
counsel's approval to award the vendor that is considered most responsive to the
RF Q with the lowest cost and that would I'm happy to answer any questions
Seeing no questions, I'm going to remove my objection and ask miss Truett to call the roll on the motion to
call vote
Representative Carrick
Representative Edgman, yes
Representative Johnson. Yes
representative cop
Representative Schraghi. Yeah
representative Stutes
Senator Klayman. yes
Senator Giesel. YES
Senator Gray Jackson.
Yes.
Senator Keel.
Yes
Senator Tobin.
Yes
Chair Hannon.
Yes
12 yay zero nay.
So with 12 yes and zero
nays the motion has passed.
That leads us to executive order 137 state
Supreme Court litigation cost.
Senator Geisel.
Madam Chair, I move that Legislative Council approve an amendment to the existing contract
with Stole Reeves relating to litigation involving the governor's issuance of Executive Order 137
to increase the contract amount by $85,000 for a total amount not to exceed $185,00 for
And again, I'm going to object for purpose of discussion
and ask Legal Services Chief Counsel Megan Wallace
to just briefly describe the action
we are taking in that motion.
Yes, good evening.
This is Megan Wallis Chief Council for Legal services.
On September 10th, 2025,
for Stole Reeves to undertake litigation relating to the Governor's issuance of Executive Order 137.
On December 31st, Legislative Council got a favorable ruling from the Junior Superior Court
The governor subsequently appealed that decision to the Alaska Supreme Court.
the cost for defending an appeal of this matter and so the request before
ledge council is for is to approve an additional $85,000 to cover the
cost of defending this appeal before the Alaska Supreme Court and I'm
available if there are any questions. Are there questions from the members?
and ask Ms. Truitt to take a roll call vote on the motion.
Representative Kerrick.
Yes.
Representative Edgman.
Yes
Representative Johnson.
Representative Cop.
Yes
Representative Schraghi.
Yes
Representative Stutes.
Yes
Senator Klayman.
Yes.
Senator Giesel.
Yes
Senator Gray-Jackson.
Yes
Senator Keel?
Yes
Senator Tobin.
Yes
Chair Hannon.
Yes
11-Yay zero nay.
So with 11 yays and zero-nays,
the motion has been adopted.
That brings us to the bottom of our agenda.
Senator Grey Jackson.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I just want to take a moment to thank the staff for your presentations.
Thank You.
ThankYou, madam chair.
Thankyou, Senator.
Anyone else?
Then we are going to be adjourned at 615.