Juneau — Gov. Mike Dunleavy has issued 29 vetoes against bills approved by the 34th Alaska Legislature, setting a state record for the most vetoes by a governor during a single two-year legislative period.
How this session compares to past Legislatures
The previous record of 25 vetoes was set by former Gov. Tony Knowles during the 19th Alaska Legislature (1995–96). What makes Dunleavy’s total notable is the smaller number of bills being enacted in recent sessions: the 29 vetoes represent more than 25% of the 115 bills passed by lawmakers this Legislature — about one in four — compared with Knowles’ vetoes, which were roughly 8.9% of enacted measures in his term.
| Governor | Legislature | Vetoes | Share of bills passed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Dunleavy | 34th (2025–26) | 29 | ~25% of 115 bills |
| Tony Knowles | 19th (1995–96) | 25 | 8.9% |
Political context and legislative control
Dunleavy, a Republican, served his first six years with at least one chamber of the Legislature under firm Republican majorities. The 34th Legislature has been led by coalition majorities in both the House and Senate, where Democrats and independents hold some leadership posts. That shift in chamber control coincides with the uptick in vetoes.
Administration response and ongoing negotiations
When asked by reporters whether the high veto count signals a deeper rift between the executive and legislative branches, the governor’s communications director emphasized individual review of measures rather than a wholesale conflict.
“The fact that Governor Dunleavy has vetoed a few more bills in a legislative session than previous governors does not necessarily indicate a fundamental disagreement between the executive and legislative branches,” Jeff Turner, the governor’s communications director, said by email. “Governor Dunleavy has always evaluated legislation on a bill-by-bill basis.”
Legislative leaders have been cautious in public comments while negotiating with the governor over one of the Legislature’s largest pending measures: a proposed multibillion-dollar property tax break intended to benefit the developer of a proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline. Lawmakers could vote soon on sending a revised version of that tax package to the governor.
- Immediate impact: Vetoed bills will not take effect unless the Legislature successfully overrides the governor, a difficult threshold politically and procedurally.
- Broader stakes: The frequency of vetoes highlights friction over policy priorities at a time of fewer bills and tight fiscal choices for the state.
- Next steps: Lawmakers may pursue overrides or rework legislation to address the governor’s concerns, particularly on complex fiscal bills.
The surge in vetoes underscores tensions in Alaska’s current governance dynamic: narrower legislative output, coalition leadership in both chambers, and executive scrutiny that can reshape or halt policy advances. As lawmakers and the governor continue talks on the pipeline tax measure and other major items, the veto record will be a central element in discussions about the direction of state policy and interbranch cooperation.
