Alaska House approves operating budget plan

The Alaska House has approved a state operating budget compromise. The Senate is expected to vote on it Monday.

The compromise, hashed out by House and Senate negotiators, doesn't include the dividend Alaskans receive from the state's oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund. Legislative leaders say they expect to deal with the dividend separately.

Disagreement over the dividend snarled efforts to finalize the budget with the start of the new fiscal year looming on July 1.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he's thankful for the progress that's been made. But he says the Legislature's job isn't done until it approves a full dividend.

Dividends have been reduced the last three years amid a budget deficit. Dunleavy has maintained the calculation should be followed and not changed without a vote of the people.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)