Lawmakers across the political spectrum were surprised. House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, said Friday that a week or more of hearings were planned in the House Finance Committee.

House majority members said the amended bill was a compromise. House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, said the measure now included education policies that could continue to be revised.

In late February, Alaska Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, issued a letter to the state’s congressional delegation voicing concerns over ...