Ethics committee enters executive session citing AS 24.61.60 and committee rules

The Select Committee on Legislative Ethics moved into executive session during its meeting to consider matters the chair said must remain confidential under statute and committee rules.

Chair Joyce announced the committee would go into executive session “to discuss matters which by law must remain confidential under AS 24 61 60, uniform rule 22 b,” and cited the committee’s rules of procedure, section 5, on executive sessions. The motion to move into executive session was made by Deb (committee member) and carried without objection.

The chair said the session would cover topics that, if publicly discussed, could adversely affect the finances of a governmental unit or tend to prejudice the reputation and character of a person. The committee paused the public recording, went into executive session, and later reconvened in public session. The transcript does not disclose the subject matter discussed or any decisions reached during the closed session.

Because the committee invoked statutory and rule-based confidentiality, the public transcript contains only the formal citation and the committee’s vote to close the session.