PFD constitutional amendment waits to be heard on House floor as education bill takes center stage

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – The wide-sweeping education bill from the House Rules Committee has taken center stage on the Alaska House floor this week, but in the background, also waiting to be heard is a constitutional amendment to the Permanent Fund Dividend.

With strong bipartisan support, the House Judiciary Committee moved House Joint Resolution 7 out of committee last month, after listening to public testimony in favor of it.

The constitutional amendment would in part amend Article IX, Section 15, of the Constitution of Alaska to require the state to pay a Permanent Fund dividend according to a formula in law.

Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, who is sponsoring it, said the resolution stems from the way the Permanent Fund dividend has been handled, saying it has been subjected to the budget process and “competes with government spending” where it “becomes the deficit reduction solution.”

He said this proposal requires the state to pay the annual PFD according to a formula in statute, rather than by the annual appropriations process.

Carpenter said because it’s a constitutional amendment, two-thirds of both the state House and Senate would need to approve it before it would go to the voters in the next general election.

Once on the ballot, it would need a simple majority by voters to get it approved, Carpenter said.

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