Chenault: Insufficient House Support for 2nd Special Session

State House leaders say there isn’t enough support among members to call a second special session on Alaska’s coastal management program.

In a statement issued Monday, House Speaker Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) said a weekend poll of House members showed insufficient interest in taking up a compromise bill that would extend the program for one year.

“We are willing to continue negotiating with the Senate on a compromise to save the program. As it stands now, with the one-year offer from the Senate, not enough members support the call to return to Juneau,” Chenault said.

The coastal management program is an opt-in system which allows states to place certain restrictions on usage of federal lands and waters. A second special session on extending it would require approval from two-thirds of the state Legislature, or 40 of its 60 House and Senate members.

Chenault blamed additions by the Senate for making the compromise bill unacceptable.

“We agreed to five Senate changes to the original House bill, but anything other than that was not acceptable,” Chenault said.

The coastal management program was on the agenda of the Legislature’s first special session called by Gov. Sean Parnell in April, but a final conference bill failed twice on the session’s final day. Without further action, the program is set to expire July 1.

“We have tentatively scheduled a joint meeting with Senate leaders tomorrow to once again try and take up this contentious issue before the deadline,” Chenault said.