Alaska State Senate approves new committee on federal issues

Alaska’s Senate voted unanimously to create a special committee to address what the move’s backers call federal overreach.

The Senate passed a resolution from the Senate Rules Committee April 20 to create a Senate Special Committee on Federal Overreach.

The resolution calls for the new committee to submit reports to the Senate in January 2016 and 2017 about how to use state authority to oppose what it calls the unconstitutional exercises of federal power. The reports also are supposed to address how Alaska can work with other states on such issues.

The resolution suggests the governor form a working group to create a new organization focused on state-federal relations.

The resolution would create a five-member committee that terminates in January 2017. Costs are expected to be absorbed in the legislative budget.

Members appointed April 20 were Sens. John Coghill, Mike Dunleavy, Cathy Giessel, Dennis Egan and Bill Wielechowski.

- Associated Press