JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The absence of a Fairbanks lawmaker from the state Capitol on Wednesday caused a bit of a stir.
Democratic Rep. Scott Kawasaki, like a number of other lawmakers, was gone to attend a meeting of The Energy Council in Washington, D.C. But he did not have an excused absence.
House Minority Leader Chris Tuck called it a technicality.
He said he signed off on Kawasaki’s travel request last month but someone in Kawasaki’s office didn’t turn the paperwork in to the majority. Tuck said “everybody” knew Kawasaki planned to be gone.
Republican Rep. Mike Hawker, who was chairing House Resources Wednesday, said Kawasaki “led us all to believe” he would be present for a quorum. Four other committee members had excused absences Wednesday, and a planned hearing was not held.
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