Senate committee forwards governor's appointees to joint session after names read into record

The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee in Juneau on April 27 read a slate of governor-appointed candidates for state boards and commissions and voted to forward the names to a joint session for consideration.

Chair Senator Bjorkman briefly objected to a motion to advance the list so the names could be read into the record; Conrad Jackson, staff to the chair, then read the memo listing appointees from Governor Dunleavy and the boards to which they were appointed. The list included nominees to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and numerous professional licensing boards.

Conrad Jackson read appointees including Jennifer McConnell (Alaska Labor Relations Agency), Anthony Ladd and Randall McClellan II (Workers' Compensation Board), Dana Walukowitz (Alcoholic Beverage Control Board), Aneta Atwell (Board of Massage Therapists), and dozens of others representing communities such as Anchorage, Wasilla, Fairbanks, Bethel and Homer. Jackson also noted that six appointees previously seen in resume packets had been withdrawn from consideration.

A committee member moved to advance the names to a joint session; with no objections after the names were read, Chair Bjorkman ordered that the names be forwarded. Bjorkman reminded members that signing the committee report does not reflect how an individual member will vote in the joint session.

The committee took a brief recess to sign paperwork before moving to the next agenda items.