It’s been fun getting to know the new legislators. Hard working, friendly and happy are most, only a very few make you wonder why they even bothered running. Like last session, the first few weeks are spent learning, for the freshmen, and getting through our committee’s the policy and non spending type bills. We are about a third through the session and both the pace and the workload are now into the two minute hurry up offense mode as the transmittal deadline is now just two weeks away. That means all general bills not heard and passed out of committee by Friday the 27th are done for this session. Revenue and spending bills have a later deadline. Committees are finished meeting the Friday before and then the next week all day, and sometimes into the night, is spent in floor session. I’ve heard some say this reminds them of finals week back in the college days, not much time for sleep.
The headliner bills are now beginning to come to the first committee hearings. These are the show stoppers. The CKST water compact, federal lands management, Medicaid expansion, the governor’s bloated proposed budget spending, tax reductions. These are started now, and the happy, friendly times will be seriously challenged for a few weeks. These bills test the legislators and their relationships back home because of the neighbor vs neighbor type emotions on these issues. There are seldom clear paths… seldom easy decisions… seldom unanimous outcomes. Plenty of heartache for the legislators. The Governor said in his state of the state address, “we will stay in session however long it takes to get these right.” He used his veto over 70 times last session. The Republicans are split with two factions. The House chamber is set with 41 Democrats and 59 Republicans, which includes the responsible faction. Are there enough responsible Republicans to vote sometimes with the Democrats, giving them the 51 votes needed to pass legislation? How about the young Speaker of the House? Thirty-three years old in his third term, overseeing a room full of strong personalities. The political watchers are giving him a good early report card. He’s done a very good job of leading and communicating, and has good leadership in place around him.
I read a good description of this moment in the process by a local reporter, Mike Dennison, saying, “it’s like heavyweight boxers bouncing around the ring waiting for the fight to start.” Looks to me like it begins next week. Pull up your chair, tune in and hang on.
Rep. Ed Greef, HD 88
Florence