Alaska Senate adjourns after passing crime bill

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Alaska Senate set aside constitutional concerns and approved a crime bill Friday, but it sidestepped taxes when ending the special legislative session.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska warned lawmakers that a provision of the crime bill, passed by the House this week, would make presumptive sentence ranges for first-time Class C and Class B felonies the same.

The group said this would violate due process requirements. The ACLU of Alaska said the concept of graduated offenses is to ensure more serious crimes are sentenced more harshly. Class C felonies are...