State lawmakers will pick up multiple unresolved issues next year

The first session of the 33rd Alaska Legislature adjourned last month, with a lot of issues unresolved. “We were just tied up too much with the issue of the dividend and the budget and how we’re going to pay for things,” said Senate President Gary Stevens after adjournment.

The slow movement on priority bills was tied to the protracted disagreement between the House and Senate majorities over the size of the Permanent Fund dividend, but also questions about other priorities.

Lawmakers will reconvene in January 2024 for the second regular session in the cycle, allowing for hundreds of bills tha...