Senate Bipartisan Working Group organizes
The Alaska Senate Bipartisan Working Group announced its leadership roster following the Nov. 2 general election. The group said Nov. 3 that its leadership for the 27th Alaska Legislature, which convenes Jan. 18, includes:
Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, Senate president;
Sen. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, majority leader;
Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage, Rules chairman; and
Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, co-chairs of Senate Finance.
Stevens, Hoffman and Stedman held the same leadership positions in the 26th Alaska Legislature; Ellis was majority leader.
Stevens said in a statement that the Senate Bipartisan Working Group expects “a seamless transition from the current organization to the new one. We believe that our effectiveness as a bipartisan organization, working on behalf of all Alaskans toward goals that are in the best interest of our state, was proven over the past two years.”
Stevens said the remainder of the bipartisan organization will be announced after it has been finalized.
There is one new member of the Senate, Republican Cathy Giessel of Anchorage, filling what was formerly a Republican seat, leaving the Senate balanced with 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans.
—Kristen Nelson
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