(JUNEAU) - Today the Alaska Senate made a significant step to bringing an end to the special session. Senate President Ben Stevens (R - Anchorage) appointed senators to the two conference committees for the workers compensation reform (SB 130) and public employees retirement system reform (SB 141) bills.

Unfortunately, the House of Representatives still has not assigned house members to the two conference committees.

"I am disappointed the house did not appoint conference committee members during its floor session this afternoon. That means the special session will drag on even longer because the process for finding the common ground needed to get these bills passed is delayed one more day," said Sen. Stevens.

Senate President Stevens appointed the following senators to the conference committees.

This week the House of Representatives voted down both bills after they had already gone through the conference committee process. Legislative Research Services did some research and discovered that has not happened to any bill approved by a conference committee in two decades. The entire purpose of conference committees is to smooth out any disagreements between the house and senate so the bill can get passed.

Conference committees are made up of six legislators, three from the house and three from the senate. They are formed when a bill passes each legislative body but there are differences between the two versions that can be worked out.

The senate conference committee members are ready to get down to work and end the session as soon as the house makes its appointments.

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