Committee Sponsors Bill to Give Legislature Flexibility, Options to Address Court Ruling
February 10, 2014
The Management Council, comprising of the top legislative leaders, unanimously sponsored a bill that outlines the process by which the special session could occur and designates a study conducted by a legislative Super Committee consisting of the Management Council and the co-chairman of the Joint Appropriations Committee and Joint Education Committee. The study must be completed on or before 90 days after the district court ruling has become final.
With potentially numerous statues impacted by the passage of SF 104, including the Fiscal Year 2015/2016 budget bill, legislators requested sufficient time to disentangle all of the interwoven statues and work with the Joint Appropriations Committee and the Joint Education Committee to manage the workload.
Leadership stated that the 20-day session must be focused on prioritizing the State’s budget needs, and a separate special session will be necessary to address SF 104.
“We are committed to enabling a transparent and balanced process,” said Senate President Tony Ross. “This is obviously a complex issue, so allowing adequate time and flexibility for discussion is imperative.”
The bill sponsored today will require 2/3 approval in the Senate where it will then go through the regular legislative process. The last day to file bills for introduction is Wednesday, February 12th.
“Our charge is to provide Members with the tools they need to work through this challenging issue,” said Speaker Pro Tem Rosie Berger. “A special session may be necessary to adjust SF 104 based on the final rulings from the district court.”
