Last week, it looked like the Legislature was on track to adjourn on April 19, but it finally adjourned the first session of the 29th Legislature April 27, instead, and were called into special session this April 28 by Gov. Bill Walker. His call included funding the state budget, Medicaid expansion and Erin’s law.
State Budget
In the final days of the regular session, negotiations to get the House minority to vote for funding the budget with the CBR (Constitutional Budget Reserve) failed. The House and Senate majorities moved money from various savings accounts to fund the current 2015 budget, eliminating the need for a three-fourths vote to access the CBR. However, they still needed three-fourths vote to access the CBR to fund the 2016 budget. The 2016 budget needs to draw $3.2 billion from the CBR.
The Senate achieved the goal, but the House could only muster 26 votes for the budget, the CBR draw and the effective date. The budget needs only 21, the CBR needs 30 and the effective date needs 27. Without the effective date, the budget bill would not become effective until well into July, after the July 1 beginning of the 2016 fiscal year. Further negotiations with the House minority failed to change any votes on the CBR draw, but they did change votes to pass the effective date, so the House and Senate both adjourned the regular session April 27. Now we are in special session.
Workers’ Compensation
In the final days of the regular session, the Senate passed House Bill 178 that allows the Workers Compensation Appeals Board another few months to finish its work on the new workers compensation medical fee schedule. We still expect the schedule to be finished in time to be reflected in the January rates.
Restitution
Senate Bill 5 on including loss of income in restitution hearings has been transmitted to the governor for action. Click here to read a letter NFIB has sent to the governor encouraging his signature.
Fuel Tax
House Bill 158 passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting transmittal to the governor. This bill adds $0.0095 to a gallon of refined fuel to fund the spill prevention and response fund. This fund supports prevention and clean-up of petroleum spills on land and sea.
Past Reports
[Photo of Gov. Bill Walker courtesy of his official Flickr page]
