NOTN- The Alaska Legislature will reconvene in Juneau on Saturday for a special session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, with two major items on the agenda: education reform and the creation of a new Department of Agriculture. But lawmakers are also preparing to challenge some of the governor’s recent vetoes, including cuts to public school funding.

Under Alaska’s constitution, when the governor calls a special session, he sets the subjects lawmakers may address.

“He has, apparently, a new education bill. Most of it is stuff that we have seen before, that he’s proposed before, and that has not had a lot of support.” Said Juneau Senator Jessie Kiehl, “And the other thing he wants to take another crack at is creating an Alaska Department of Agriculture. We have a Division of Agriculture. He wants it to be its own State Department.”

But overriding vetoes may take center stage during the first five days of the session, a constitutionally limited window for legislators to reverse the governor’s decisions.

At the top of the list: restoring approximately $51 million in statewide public school funding that Dunleavy vetoed.

That override will require a three-quarters majority, or 45 votes.

“It is the highest, toughest veto override threshold in all 50 states or any of the territories.” Said Senator Kiehl, “I have talked to colleagues all over this state, Republicans, Democrats, rural, urban and the agreement is our schools are hurting, and they need that money.”

Lawmakers are also considering overriding a veto of a bipartisan bill that would empower the Legislative Auditor to review oil tax enforcement practices

That override will require two-thirds of the Legislature, or 40 votes.

In addition to the override votes, lawmakers may consider a commercial fishing bill and discuss items in the governor’s education package through the new legislative Education Task Force.

A recent report suggested that Dunleavy had asked some minority Republicans to stay home in an effort to block override votes. Kiehl said he believes most lawmakers plan to attend.

“My understanding is that in the last week or so, the governor has come the other way and said, everybody, go ahead and be there.” He said, “The Constitution has some rules for how you do your job when you raise your right hand as a legislator elected by the people and take on this duty, I don’t believe in cutting work when I’m on the job, I think the vast majority of my colleagues feel the same way.”

Bill introductions are scheduled for the session’s opening day, August 2, with hearings requested to begin Sunday, Aug. 3.