More than a third of the way into the Legislative session and things are starting to get very busy in the capitol building. Even though there are plenty of bills being heard in committee, the budget and marijuana regulations will still headline the week.
The budget recommendations assembled by the House Finance budget subcommittees will be introduced and adopted into the House version of the state operating budget beginning at 1:30 p.m. Monday in House Finance. Some committees made far deeper cuts from the governor’s proposed budget, while others made more modest cuts.
There’s talk that some of the deeper cuts could be moderated before adoption in the budget. Of particular concern is a move by a handful of committees to make blanket cuts equal to the automatic pay raises guaranteed by bargaining groups.
While the strategy likely isn’t completely off the table, it’s more likely to come through a top-down action by leadership than a bottom-up from committees.
The House Finance Committee also will be hearing public testimony starting on Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday will begin with testimony from Juneau, Homer, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su and Seward.
Via Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Local News
image credit APEonline
