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This week in the Senate: examining the true cost of ‘sanctuary cities’
The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on "sanctuary cities" on May 21, a move that brings the issue of illegal immigration back to the forefront.
With $650-million budget hole fixed, lawmakers tackle the Big One
Now that the fiscal 2009 budget gap has been readjusted — hopefully for the last time — leaders will hunker down and try once more to hammer out a deal on the fiscal 2010 budget. “We got a lot to do on (fiscal 2010) yet,” Senate President Bob Burns said May 13, the day the Legislature fixed a $650-million hole in the fiscal 2009 budget.
Legislature fixes $650M deficit in fiscal 2009
The Senate and the House approved a plan on May 13 that suspends a payment of $300 million to school districts until the next fiscal year and instead allows them to tap into their excess cash balances to cover ongoing expenses. The plan is part of a two-bill package aimed at solving a $650-million budget deficit in fiscal 2009.
This week in the Senate: Only two committees scheduled to meet
On May 13, the Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform Committee will hear a presentation by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training.
This week in the Senate: Approps Committee eyeing May 5
Most Senate committees have cleared their calendars this week, expecting leadership to push hard for an agreement on the budget and in anticipation of a Senate Appropriations hearing on May 5. Committees that are scheduled to meet will tackle executive nominations in hearings that are expected to be relatively short and quick.
Still no consensus; Senate cancels budget hearing again
For the second time in two weeks, the Senate canceled a committee hearing on the budget - this time because it doesn't appear Republican leadership has enough votes to pass the proposal.
This week In the Senate: Will ‘perception of consensus’ pan out?
Senate and House leaders will hunker down to iron out areas of disagreement in their draft budget proposals this week. Legislative staffers have been instructed to prepare a spreadsheet comparing the two chambers' draft budget proposals.
