After passing few bills beyond the required state budget in 2009, lawmakers could be looking to clear a table full of lingering leftovers when the 26th Legislature's second session starts Jan. 19.

Or, they could let them sit.

"Certainly there's a lot of legislation out there -- some of it's good, and some of it's probably not the best," House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, said. "Those bills that have merit will pass and those that don't, won't."

In the first half of the 26th Legislature, 440 bills were introduced, and a mere 61 were passed by both arms. That's significantly fewer than in recent years. The decline was attributed in part to the 90-day session, cut from 120 days by a voter initiative, and to the time devoted to understanding the federal stimulus package's implications for Alaska.

With a two-year session, a flurry of bills often arrives in the first 90-day period. Lawmakers only make their way through so many -- some are left because they're low on the priority list, others as political gamesmanship.

"I think it's really common for a lot of bills to just die, for a host of reasons," Rep. Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage, said. "But there is always time to pass bills the leadership is willing to pass."

All those leftovers remain in play through the interim, when committees can hold hearings on the proposals, and are back on the table for the second 90-day period, which starts Jan. 19.

In addition, lawmakers can pre-file new bills before the session starts. Those will be released on the two Fridays before the session begins -- this year, Jan. 8 and Jan. 15.

Some bills that passed in 2009 allowed the state to issue birth certificates for stillborn babies; permitted municipalities to offer property tax credits for home improvements that bolster air quality; increased the state's minimum wage; created special Iditarod license plates; and named a legislative office building.

Not many bills moved as lawmakers spent time on often contentious exchanges with then-Gov. Sarah Palin. Also, the Senate's bipartisan majority made it clear early on they wouldn't be likely to address bills dealing with far-left or far-right issues, such as abortion or the death penalty.

Chenault said it's not necessarily a bad thing when lawmakers hold back from approving a wave of new laws.

"The least amount of legislation we pass, the better off it probably is for the citizens of Alaska," he said. "It's fewer privileges that are taken away."

Others see room for action on bills they consider important policy, but that are lingering in various committees.

For example, Gardner, a member of the Democrat minority, introduced a measure to ban teen call phone use while driving. The bill -- House Bill 15 - wouldn't cost the state anything because the offense would be secondary, yet it was referred to House Finance.

"The bill is stuck in Finance, and I don't believe I'll ever get it out -- and I don't believe it will pass," Gardner said. "Because it's a minority bill they're not going to let it get through with my name ... As (Anchorage Rep.) Les Gara said to me, you can get a lot done if you don't care whose name is on it."

When legislators return to work in a few weeks, they'll find about 30 energy-related bills waiting for them, plus measures implementing a death penalty, nixing daylight saving time in Alaska, requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortions, creating a Southeast State Forest near Wrangell, adding a second verse to "Alaska's Flag," and mandating special elections to fill legislative vacancies.

Along with the 2009 leftovers, politicians this year will grapple with a couple of new bills on significant issues. Reps. Mike Hawker and Speaker Mike Chenault have a draft ready to prod investment in Cook Inlet natural gas storage and development, and Sen. Hollis French has prepared a bill that would offer a sizable tax credit to companies building storage facilities.

The House and Senate energy committees have been the busiest through the interim, shipping their members off to far-flung Alaska communities to get input on energy issues. They've turned out a draft state energy policy whittled from over a dozen to a clear three pages, and consolidated a handful of energy-related bills left over from the 2009 session as an energy omnibus package.