The 11-member Alaska House Finance Committee voted 6-5 to approve its draft of the operating budget, complete with a controversial dividend proposal, concluding 12 hours of debate spread over two days.
The Alaska Constitution bars the creation of dedicated funds for state revenue. The proposed amendment would, if passed by Alaska voters, amend the constitution to allow the Legislature to create a dedicated education fund.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has long been open to criticizing President Donald Trump and other members of her party, said state lawmakers can't count on war-driven oil price increases to cover the state's structural deficits in the long run.
