Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/22/2026 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR2 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SJR 2 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 2-CONST. AM: VOTES NEEDED FOR VETO OVERRIDE
3:30:58 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 2. Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of
the State of Alaska relating to actions upon veto.
3:31:21 PM
SENATOR MATT CLAMAN, District H, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SJR 2, paraphrased the following
summary and commented that, [as seen in Joint Session today]
even getting to a two-thirds veto is difficult.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Senate Joint Resolution 2 amends Article II, Section
16 of our Constitution to lower the override
requirements for revenue and appropriations vetoes
from three-fourths of the legislature sitting in Joint
Session, or 45 votes, to two-thirds, or 40 votes.
It corrects an imbalance between the legislative and
executive branches. It will make the veto override
requirement the same for all legislation and eliminate
ambiguities between fiscal bills and typical policy
bills. And it will allow the voters of Alaska to
decide what kind of accountability they want in their
government.
SENATOR CLAMAN opined that a lower threshold would encourage
engagement between the executive branch and the legislature.
3:32:27 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN joined the meeting.
3:32:33 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI stated it is difficult to reach a supermajority
threshold and even harder to achieve a "super-duper" majority
threshold of 45 votes. He noted that this threshold makes
practical sense and is consistent with constitutional principles
of a republic, ensuring appropriate checks and balances.
3:33:02 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked whether other states use lower vote
thresholds, whether a supermajority is typical, and whether any
states allow an override by simple majority.
3:33:28 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN replied that most states require a two-thirds
vote to override a veto for most legislation. A few states have
higher thresholds for specific situations. He said Arizona
requires a three-quarters vote for revenue measures, and another
state requires three-quarters for emergency legislation. He said
only Alaska, Arizona, and one other state have override
thresholds higher than two-thirds. By contrast, about six or
seven states allow veto overrides by a simple majority, and
roughly seven or eight states require a three-fifths vote, which
is lower than two-thirds.
3:34:32 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked whether this threshold would keep
Alaska generally in line with most states while still placing us
on the higher end near Arizona.
3:34:46 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN replied in the affirmative.
3:35:46 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN noted that two-thirds vote appears in the federal
Constitution, to pass amendments in both the House and Senate,
whereas a three-quarters requirement does not appear.
3:36:05 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked for confirmation that in Alaska it
takes only two-thirds vote to propose a constitutional
amendment, which is actually a lower threshold than what's
required to override certain bills.
3:36:25 PM
SENATOR CLAMAN replied yes.
3:36:30 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.
3:36:32 PM
SENATOR BJORKMAN moved to report [SJR] 2, work order 34-
LS0175\A, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached fiscal note(s).
3:36:54 PM
At ease.
3:37:11 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting on SJR 2.
3:37:21 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked if there was any objection reporting SJR
from committee. He found no objection and [SJR] 2 was reported
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.
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