Lawmakers reject Stiver appointment to pot board

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Latest on the Alaska Legislature’s confirmation of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Cabinet and board selections (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

The Alaska Legislature has rejected the appointment of a marijuana critic to the board that regulates the state’s legal marijuana industry.

Lawmakers voted 30-29 to reject Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s nomination of Vivian Stiver to the Marijuana Control Board. At least 31 votes are needed to win confirmation.

Members of the industry cast Stiver as a prohibitionist. Stiver was involved in a failed 2017 effort to ban marijuana operations in Fairbanks.

Supporters said she’d bring a fresh perspective and fairly hear issues before the board.

The law establishing the board calls for up to two members actively involved in the industry though one of those seats could go to a member of the general public.

Dunleavy appointed Stiver to replace Brandon Emmett, who had been one of two industry representatives.

4:25 p.m.

Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price says she is honored to have won confirmation.

A divided Legislature voted to confirm Price during a joint session Wednesday. Price was among a list of Dunleavy Cabinet-level picks and appointments to boards and commissions who faced confirmation.

Price’s nomination to head the Department of Public Safety drew attention amid allegations of chronic absenteeism in a prior job.

The allegations were raised by a former supervisor, while two other former supervisors said she was not “disciplined or counseled” for absenteeism during their tenure.

Price said after the vote that she hopes to connect with lawmakers in the coming days to start making plans on working together to improve public safety and strengthen the department.

4:10 p.m.

The Alaska Legislature has confirmed all of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Cabinet-level nominees.

There were close votes for Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price, Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jason Brune (brew-nee) and Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum.

Some of Dunleavy’s picks also won unanimous support.

Close attention was paid to Price’s nomination amid allegations of chronic absenteeism in a prior role. Two former supervisors said Price was never “disciplined or counseled” for absenteeism during their tenure.

Sen. Peter Micciche (mih-CHIK’-ee) characterized the opposition to Price as a witch hunt, and other supporters said they were impressed with rank-and-file support for her.

But Rep. Zack Fields questioned whether she had the integrity for the job, citing what he saw as inconsistencies in her testimony.

3:45 p.m.

Alaska lawmakers have confirmed Amanda Price as state Public Safety commissioner despite allegations of a poor work ethic.

Price and Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration made a push in support of her nomination to try to dispel allegations she had been chronically absent from a prior job in former Gov. Bill Walker’s administration. The allegations were raised by a former supervisor, while two other former supervisors said she was not “disciplined or counseled” for absenteeism during their tenure.

The Dunleavy administration says it ran social media ads in support of Price, and Price held a news conference on the eve of Wednesday’s vote in an effort to move past what she said had become a distraction.

Wednesday’s vote was 34-25.

9:25 a.m.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Cabinet-level appointments and nominations to boards and commissions face confirmation votes from state lawmakers Wednesday.

The Legislature plans to meet in joint session Wednesday afternoon to weigh the appointments.

Among the nominations being closely watched is Amanda Price, Dunleavy’s choice to lead the Department of Public Safety.

Price and the administration made a push in support of her nomination amid allegations she had been chronically absent from a prior job in former Gov. Bill Walker’s administration. The allegations were raised by a former supervisor, while two other former supervisors said she was not “disciplined or counseled” for absenteeism during their tenure.

The Dunleavy administration says it ran social media ads in support of Price, and Price held a news conference on the eve of the vote.

AP-WF-04-18-19 0252GMT