Sen. Bert Stedman of Sitka is no longer co-chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.
Newly elected senators held an organizational meeting Wednesday and chose leadership positions. Southeast Alaska is not represented in any of those positions.
Senator Charlie Huggins of Wasilla is the new Senate president; Sen. John Coghill of North Pole is the new Senate Majority Leader; Sen. Lesil McGuire of Anchorage is the new Rules chair; and Sens. Kevin Meyer of Anchorage and Pete Kelly of Fairbanks are the new Finance co-chairs.
In a news release emailed late Wednesday afternoon, the majority organization also announced that it would focus on increasing oil production, delivering affordable energy to Alaskans, and developing sustainable budgets.
It also announced interest in helping declining salmon runs, improving graduation rates and job training, and establishing Alaska’s role as the gateway of the Arctic.
