Alaska State Senate
Alaska Legislature
Type
Type	Upper house
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 17, 2023
Leadership
President	Gary Stevens (R-C) since January 17, 2023
Majority Leader	Cathy Giessel (R-C) since January 17, 2023
Minority Leader	None since January 17, 2023
Structure
Seats	20
Political groups	Majority coalition   Democratic (9)   Republican (8) Non-caucusing members   Republican (3)
Length of term	4 years
Authority	Article 2, Alaska Constitution
Salary	$50,400/year + per diem ($200/day, in session)
Elections
Voting system	Nonpartisan blanket primary / Ranked-choice voting (Beginning in 2022)
Last election	November 8, 2022 (19 seats: all except district T)
Next election	November 5, 2024 (10 seats: districts B, D, F, H, J, L, N, P, R, T)
Redistricting	Alaska Redistricting Board
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber Alaska State Capitol Juneau, Alaska
Website
Alaska State Senate

The Alaska State 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 legislative chamber in the United States. Its members serve four-year terms and each represent an equal number of districts with populations of approximately 35,512 people, per 2010 census figures. They are not subject to term limits.

Powers and legislative process

The Alaska Senate shares the responsibility for making laws in the state of Alaska with the Alaska House of Representatives. 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.^[1]

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).^[1]

For gubernatorial nominees requiring confirmation, the Alaska Senate sits in joint session with the Alaska House and the two bodies vote together on confirmation, with each representative and senator having one vote.

Committees

Current committees include:^[2]

Current composition

Past partisan compositions can be found on Political party strength in Alaska.

Membership

Past composition of the Senate

See also

• Alaska House of Representatives
• Alaska State Capitol
• List of Alaska State Legislatures
• Impeachment in Alaska

References

External links

• Alaska State Senate Archived July 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine official government website
• Project Vote Smart – State Senate of Alaska

58°18′08″N 134°24′38″W / 58.302198°N 134.410467°W / 58.302198; -134.410467