Juneau — Today, the Alaska Legislature met in joint session and did not override Governor Dunleavy’s veto of House Bill 69. House Republicans supported sustaining the veto and working to forward both a meaningful BSA increase and needed reforms.
“Our stance on education has never changed,” said House Minority Leader Mia Costello (R-Anchorage). “And we stood firm again today. This was about rejecting an unfunded spending measure devoid of any further policy to improve education outcomes for our students.”
The final version of HB 69 would have added over $250 million in annual spending without structural education improvements or a plan to pay for it—placing the state on even shakier fiscal ground amid ongoing deficits and declining revenue.
“There is really no way to sugar coat this; HB 69 is not a good bill. It was rushed, is too expensive and during the entire process the majorities in both the House and the Senate seemed focused on one outcome, give as much money as you possibly can, and don’t worry about improving outcomes. That’s not how we craft good policy. That is not what Alaskans expect from their legislators. I’m sad that the majorities have wasted so much time and effort from stakeholders, when they could have been focused on working towards a compromise solution.” Said Representative Jubilee Underwood (R-Wasilla).
House Republicans emphasized that education funding must be paired with reforms that actually improve outcomes for Alaskan students. The original version of HB 69 that passed the House contained modest measures toward that goal, but they were stripped out in the final version sent to the Governor.
Governor Dunleavy’s House Bill 204, an education funding and policy bill which includes a $560 BSA increase along with targeted investments in reading proficiency and homeschool programs, as well as charter school and open enrollment policy reforms, has received early support from members of the Republican caucus.
“We fully support moving quickly on a more responsible and effective solution,” said Representative Bill Elam (R-Nikiski). “We must give parents public school choice, including brick and mortar, charter, and homeschool options. The power should rest with the people not the system, nor special interest groups. Alaska’s families want a better future for their kids, and that means investing in what works—not throwing money into a broken system.”
With just under a month left in the legislative session, House Republicans are ready and willing to working with their colleagues to advance Governor Dunleavy’s education package that balances meaningful investment with long-term fiscal responsibility.
“Today’s vote reaffirms our commitment to reaching a real solution” said Rep. Costello. “We owe it to our students, parents, and all Alaskans to both fund education and support education with meaningful reforms. We believe there is room for compromise. Now, let’s get to work.”