Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy sets state record for most vetoes in a single Legislature

Amid a series of disagreements with lawmakers in the state House and Senate, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has set a record for the most vetoes by an Alaska governor during a single two-year Legislature.

Through Friday morning, Dunleavy had vetoed 29 of the 115 bills passed by the 34th Alaska Legislature.

The previous record, 25 vetoes, was held by Gov. Tony Knowles in the 19th Alaska State Legislature, which ran from 1995 through 1996. 

Dunleavy’s record is particularly notable because the number of bills passed by the Legislature has dropped precipitously in recent years. 

During the 19th Legislature, Knowles’ vetoes accounted for 8.9% of all bills passed by lawmakers. Dunleavy’s vetoes cover more than 25% — one in four — of all bills passed by the 34th Legislature. 

Dunleavy is a Republican. During his first six years in office — the 31st, 32nd and 33rd Legislatures — either the state House or Senate was controlled by a solidly Republican majority. During the 34th, both the House and the Senate have been controlled by coalition majorities where Democrats and independents hold some leadership roles.

The Beacon asked the governor’s office why the governor has vetoed so many bills during the 34th Legislature and whether there is a fundamental disagreement between the Legislature and governor.

“The fact that Governor Dunleavy has vetoed a few more bills in a legislative session than previous governors does not necessarily indicate a fundamental disagreement between the executive and legislative branches,” said Jeff Turner, the governor’s communications director, by email. “Governor Dunleavy has always evaluated legislation on a bill-by-bill basis.”

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, declined to speak at length about the vetoes issue because legislators are currently negotiating with the governor on perhaps the biggest bill of the 34th Legislature: A multibillion-dollar property tax break benefiting the developer of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.

Legislators may vote next week on whether to send a revised version of the tax break to the governor for approval. 

Dunleavy has said he opposes the current version being discussed by a legislative conference committee. Asked this week whether he would veto the bill, he told Alaska’s News Source that it would be “tough” for him to accept it in its current form.

Eight other bills are awaiting the governor’s consideration. Those include House Bill 14, a comprehensive insurance bill; and House Bill 249, which changes the procedure for turning a car over to an insurance company after a wreck.

The governor has until Monday to act on HB 14 and until July 20 to act on HB 249.

The Legislature has not yet sent six other bills to the governor for action. Under the Alaska Constitution, that means the clock for final action has not begun.

While Dunleavy has the record for the most vetoes in a two-year Legislature, he does not hold the career record. 

Gov. Jay Hammond, who served as governor from 1974 through 1982, issued 74 vetoes, the most of any governor during their career. Knowles vetoed 69 bills during his eight years in office. Gov. Bill Egan, who served 12 years in office, vetoed 56 bills. Dunleavy, who will leave office in December, has thus far vetoed 44. 

Those figures do not include line-item vetoes in budget bills.