Legislative session was fruitful, friendly, and just a tad too long

Legislators ran the clock out -- and tacked on a good 30-plus minutes more -- but wrapped up the 2010 session feeling pretty good about having knocked out some major priorities.

Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, pointed out that Sunday night's overrun technically violates a voter initiative culling the constitutionally mandated 121 days to 90, but Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, wasn't overly concerned.

"It was necessary in order to get the business of the state done," he said after the last gavel fell just before 1 a.m. Monday. "If anybody should sue us, the Legislature will probably win. We have a right to meet and to make the decisions we made, and it's unlikely that any lawsuit will prevail against us and what we have done this evening."

With the work accomplished -- including a structure for Gov. Sean Parnell's scholarship plan and a tax break for cruise ships that's expected to stave off a lawsuit -- lawmakers on both sides said the extra inning was worth it.

"It was a very good session for Alaska jobs and for Alaska families; there's no question," Parnell said on Monday morning. "This session was marked by continued and open communication between our offices, leadership, legislators."

Most everyone was able to knock a priority off their lists. Democrats in the House pegged campaign finance reporting as a key issue, following through with legislation reforming Alaska's rules in response to a January U.S. Supreme Court decision. House Republicans missed out on oil tax reforms, but worked through major gas storage and production incentives and retooled a framework for carrying on in-state natural gas pipeline plans.

The Senate's bipartisan majority proudly stood behind a hefty capital budget addressing needs in every corner of the state and put action behind a commitment to repay $401 million borrowed from the state's savings accounts over past years. The Senate's four-member Republican minority issued protests on capital spending and other matters, but individually made some gains.

Many of the bills weren't as likely to show up in headlines through the 90 days, but marked big gains for proponents. Those include a measure limiting overtime for nurses; bills furthering economic development outside of resources; creation of a Southeast state forest that could open the door to new timber sales; and early childhood education support.

Among the others:

-- Lawmakers doled out tax credits like parade candy to children, but skirted around proposals to make changes to the state's oil tax, ACES. They did pass credits for corporate donations to educational institutions and for geothermal energy development. A Senate bill whisked together gas development credits sought by Marathon Oil Company (and carried by Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage) and credits aimed at triggering a stampede to reach Cook Inlet's hidden oil and gas reserves, conceived by Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai. Also included was a dollop of Parnell's oil tax reform plan, but not the in-field incentives he was hoping would propel work on the North Slope.

"Those were worth hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity, in my view," Parnell said. "I'll be back again next year with something to incentivize more work."

Some of the most significant credits for Cook Inlet gas production came within the Cook Inlet Recovery Act, crafted by Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage, to head off anticipated shortages. A quieter provision in the bill could have the most significant impact for Southcentral residents who pay heating and electric bills. That directs the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to consider the costs of inaction when weighing approval of contracts between utilities and the hoped-for gas storage facilities.

-- Members of both bodies trumpeted the passage of a first for Alaska -- a statewide energy policy founded on efficiency, with a clear intent to steer projects and funding toward renewables. Legislators traveled the state last summer, drawing residents of small villages and big cities out en masse to testify about how energy costs are crippling communities, and what solutions they would like to see.

The measure had bipartisan backing, McGuire noted.