Palin leaves Alaska near end of session

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) will leave the state for a speaking engagement in Indiana just days before the legislative session ends. Some state lawmakers aren’t happy about it.

“There are some concerns (in the Capitol) about the focus of our chief executive because she’s taken a speaking engagement in Indiana for a 36-hour period with only 72 hours left in the legislative session,” Republican Rep. Jay Ramras told the Anchorage Daily News.

Palin is flying to Indiana to attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville on Thursday.

The Governor shot back at her critics, saying she shouldn’t need lawmakers’ consent to leave the state.

“I’ll be gone for one day,” the Governor said. “I already have been on record with lawmakers on this. I told lawmakers, you know what, ‘Please, don’t make me feel that I have to ask you permission, lawmakers, to leave the capital city,’ ” Palin said.

Palin and legislators have faced off over accepting federal stimulus dollars. Lawmakers want to accept all of the $930 million, while Palin is hesitant about taking up to a third of it which must be spent on education, energy and social services.

Other issues on the legislative agenda include the minimum wage, parental notification for teenagers’ abortions, and children’s health insurance.