Lawmakers say budget work still top task
Published 6:00 am Monday, March 22, 2004
Lincoln County lawmakers say legislators are continuing work ongeneral bills, but a resolution to the state’s budget situationremains to be done.
“It’s yeoman’s work right now,” said Dist. 53 Rep. Bobby Moakabout recent legislative activity.
Thursday was the deadline for original chamber floor action ongeneral bills and constitutional amendments. Bills that passed onechamber will be sent to the other for consideration.
“Now we’re going to consider the ones coming from the Senate,”Moak said.
Dist. 92 Rep. Dr. Jim Barnett remains hopeful about hisprescription drug monitoring bill, which would create a statewidesystem for tracking medications. The bill did not meet an earliercommittee deadline but remains alive in another form.
“The full bill was killed, but it was put in as an amendment inanother bill,” Barnett said. “I think we’ll be all right.”
One of the more dramatic events of last week, Barnett said, wasalmost four hours of debate over Voter ID amendments. He said thedebate was characterized by a lot of “crying, arm-swinging andBible reading.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Barnett said.
The voting bill ultimately failed.
Proponents have said Voter ID would reduce the chances for fraudwhile opponents recalled the state’s history of racial injustice atthe polls. Barnett it was it was not totally a black-whiteissue.
“Some of the whites got emotional about it, too,” Barnettsaid.
A bill that remains alive is a proposal to give county officialspay raises. The raises, which would be the first in eight years forsome officials, would be around 20 percent.
Barnett said he supported the bill, but added he thought itshould be dependent on each county’s situation. He said countyofficials are more aware of what their financial situationsare.
“The supervisors in each county should do it if they want to,”Barnett said.
As for the state’s money situation, Barnett soundedpessimistic.
“Dollar-wise, we’re in deep trouble, just like every otherstate,” said Barnett, forecasting the possibility of job reductionsthat cannot be accounted for through attrition.
Moak expressed support for House Bill 1279. He said the billfully-funds state needs such as education and employee healthinsurance and provides some reassurance to workers about theirfuture.
“The Senate has taken bits and pieces and sent them back,” Moaksaid about the other chamber’s reaction to the bill.
Some officials have expressed concerns about various fee hikesincluded in the House bill. Moak defended some of the hikes bypointing out that the car registration fee, which would go from $5to $10, had not risen in 36 years and a specialty tag fee, whichalso increases by $5, does not affect everyone.
“I’m not concerned about the fees we have in the bill,” Moaksaid. “They’re not fees that are going to hit folks every day.”
March 31 is the next major deadline. That is the date fororiginal chamber floor action on appropriations and revenuemeasures.
The 125-day 2004 legislative session is scheduled to concludeMay 9.