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Alaska State Senate

Alaska Senate
Alaska Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 17, 2017
Leadership
Pete Kelly (R)
Since January 17, 2017
Majority Leader
Peter Micciche (R)
Since January 17, 2017
Minority Leader
Berta Gardner (D)
Since January 17, 2015
Structure
Seats 20
Alaska Senate Layout.svg
Political groups

Majority caucus

Minority caucus

Length of term
4 years
Authority Article 2, Alaska Constitution
Salary $50,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 8, 2016 (10 seats: districts B, D, F, H, J, L, N, P, R, T)
Next election
November 6, 2018 (10 seats: districts A, C, E, G, I, K, M, O, Q, S)
Redistricting Alaska Redistricting Board
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, Alaska.jpg
State Senate Chamber
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska
Website
Alaska State Senate

Majority caucus

Minority caucus

The Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

With just twenty members, the Alaska Senate is the smallest state upper house legislative chamber in the United States. Its members serve four-year terms and each represent an equal amount of districts with populations of approximately 35,512 people, per 2010 Census figures. They are not subject to term limits.

The Alaska Senate shares the responsibility for making laws in the state of Alaska. Bills are developed by staff from bill requests and information from the bill's sponsor. Bills undergo three or four readings during the legislative process. After the first reading, they are assigned to committee. Committees can amend measures or hold legislation and prevent it from reaching the Senate floor. Once a committee has weighed in on a piece of legislation, the bill returns to the floor for second hearing and a third hearing, which happens just before the floor vote on it.

Once passed by the Senate, a bill is sent to the opposite legislative house for consideration. If approved, without amendment, it is sent to the governor. If there is amendment, however, the Senate may either reconsider the bill with amendments or ask for the establishment of a conference committee to work out differences in the versions of the bill passed by each chamber. Once a piece of legislation approved by both houses is forwarded to the governor, it may either be signed or vetoed. If it is signed, it takes effect on the effective date of the legislation. If it is vetoed, lawmakers in a joint session may override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote (three-fourths majority is required if it is an appropriations bill).

The Alaska Senate has the sole responsibility in the state's legislative branch for confirming gubernatorial appointees to positions that require confirmation.


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Wikipedia

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