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The first week of Alaska's 30th legislative session, in photos

Updated: December 2, 2017 Published: January 21, 2017

The Alaska state Capitol in Juneau on January 20, 2017.

Senate pages, from left, Jacob Pennell, River Maketa and Sarah Bertram polish the wood and brass on the Senate floor in the Alaska state Capitol on the day before the legislative session begins.

Alaska's 30th legislative session began this week, as 46 lawmakers returned to Juneau, joined by 14 newly elected members. Take a look inside the House and Senate chambers, in committee meetings, cabinet rooms and the hallways and steps in between, as work ramps up over the course of the first week.

Members of the Alaska Senate held a press conference before the Legislative session officially opened on January 17, 2017. Standing are Peter Micciche, from left, Lyman Hoffman and Pete Kelly. Seated is Kevin Meyer.

New Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham, talks with his 5-year-old daughter, Emma, before he takes the speaker’s chair.

James Brooks, reporter for the Juneau Empire, walks up the Capitol stairs wearing a flashy suit coat.

Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, talks with Kris Sell, a Juneau police lieutenant, outside the Capitol. Sell, holding a sign that says “Spread kindness like confetti,” participated in a rally for encouragement of lawmakers, part of the “Year of Kindness” campaign.

Reps. Andy Josephson, from left, Harriet Drummond and Geran Tarr are sworn in.

Mason Fairclough, 2, grandson of Sen. Anna MacKinnon, holds hands with a Senate page during an invocation.

Gov. Bill Walker talks with Atticus Grenn, son of Rep. Jason Grenn, I-Anchorage.

Rep. Jason Grenn gives his wife, Jana Grenn, a kiss after he was sworn in.

New Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon is congratulated by Reps. Geran Tarr and Jason Grenn.

Gov. Bill Walker gathered with some members of his Cabinet and members of his staff in his conference room before delivering his State of the State speech.

Gov. Bill Walker is escorted into the House floor by Rep. Dean Westlake, left, and Sen. Tom Begich. Walker gave his State of the State address to a joint session of Alaska’s House of Representatives and Senate.

Members of the Alaska Legislature, as well as members of Gov. Bill Walker’s Cabinet, staff and family, listen to the State of the State speech.

The State of the State speech was displayed on several televisions in the Triangle Club Bar in downtown Juneau. Several legislative staff members watched the speech there.

Clouds hang low over a residential area near downtown Juneau on Jan. 17.

Sens. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, and Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, talk before a floor session begins.

Rep. Dan Ortiz of Ketchikan asks a question of Alaska Revenue Commissioner Randy Hoffbeck during a seminar on Alaska’s financial future hosted by the governor’s office.

Northrim Bank chairman Joe Beedle answers questions of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Jan. 19 in Juneau.

Lobbyists Royce Weller and Ashley Reed talk on the benches on the third floor of the state Capitol.

Senate President Pete Kelly, R-Fairbanks, jokes around with Sen. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, before the start of a floor session.

Six foreign exchange students from high schools in Sitka and Juneau toured the Capitol building on Jan. 20 and were given a tour by pages from the House of Representatives. From left are Reginna Toby of Indonesia, Tomas Muller of Chile, Mia Haberzettel of Germany, Ibrahim Nyiti of Tanzania, Namrita Kumari of Pakistan, and Lina Hamed Abu Zubaida of Palestinian Gaza. House page Laib Allensworth is at right. The group included four students who are in Alaska as part of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program. The program of the State Department offers scholarships to students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend one academic year in the U.S.

Rep. Gary Knopp, R-Soldotna, talks with his colleagues o the House floor.

Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin, stands with other lawmakers at a rally against abortion on the steps of the Capitol.

Reps. Jennifer Johnston, R-Anchorage, and Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, talk with Rep. Chuck Kopp on the House floor before the start of a session.

Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, stands on the Capitol steps for a rally against abortion.

A dusting of new snow on the neighboring island of Douglas is visible from the House Finance Committee meeting room in the Capitol.

The House Finance Committee listens to a presentation by Pat Pitney, director of the governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

House Finance Committee chair Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, calls for a short break while Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome, stretches.

The lights of downtown Juneau glow after sunset on Jan. 20.

Alaska Legislature

Marc Lester

Marc Lester is a multimedia journalist for Anchorage Daily News. Contact him at mlester@adn.com.

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