This bill amends existing laws regarding the appropriation limit in Alaska, specifically addressing the budget responsibilities of the governor. It introduces new provisions that allow for certain appropriations to be excluded from the appropriation limit calculation, including revenue bond and general obligation bond proceeds, appropriations required to pay the principal and interest on revenue bonds and general obligation bonds, appropriations to a state account or fund that requires a subsequent appropriation, and appropriations to meet a state of disaster declared by the governor. Additionally, the bill establishes that appropriations from the treasury for a fiscal year may not exceed 12 percent of the average value of the real gross domestic product of the state for the five calendar years preceding the previous fiscal year, while also excluding government spending from this calculation. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the governor submit a report detailing the appropriations in the budget as they relate to the new appropriation limit, with updates required upon submission of supplemental appropriation bills and budget amendments. It also repeals a previous subsection related to the appropriation limit and states that the enactment of this bill is contingent upon a constitutional amendment that aligns with the new appropriation limit criteria. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
HB0051A, AM HB 51, introduced 01/22/2025: 37.05.540, 37.14.036, 37.14.031, 37.07.020, 37.07.070