Alaska governor planning new COVID-19 disaster declaration

JUNEAU, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy plans to issue a new disaster emergency declaration related to the pandemic next week, his office said Thursday.

Dunleavy spokesperson Jeff Turner said further details are expected to be released by Monday, the day before the existing order expires.

The Legislature earlier this year approved a declaration that ended Nov. 15. Dunleavy followed it up with a new, 30-day order, despite concerns raised by lawmakers about its legal underpinnings and requests by legislative leaders that he call a special session to address the issue. The Legislature’s top legal adviser, Megan Wallace, in a September memo, said there was no statutory provision authorizing the governor to issue a second declaration for the same disaster.

Dunleavy’s office has said the declaration he issued in March and that lawmakers extended until Nov. 15 was in response to the threat of an outbreak of COVID-19.

Dunleavy said the subsequent declaration was “based upon the determination of moving from the threat of a pandemic to an actual pandemic.” His office has said the declaration allows for such things as health orders, like those for travel-related testing, expanded telemedicine and suspension of certain regulations or fees.