O'Brien May Call Budget Bill Vote On Wed.

The budget bill or the collective bargaining amendment? (0.00 / 0)

Yesterday it was the latter he was toying with doing early.

Is he that blind to think doing it a day early would make the rally any smaller?

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:36:07 PM UTC

It is the budget bill (0.00 / 0)

http://www.wmur.com/politics/2...

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:55:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Though it seems like the Amendment would be separate (0.00 / 0)

editing a post would be nice...

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:57:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's been special ordered to the end of the regular calendar (0.00 / 0)

Bettencourt said, in his move to do so, that it was to comply with the 48 hour rule.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 14:51:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Also, now finally taking a vote on the crucial monk parakeet issue. (4.00 / 1)

At least fifteen minutes of debate, far more than on any other issue today. And that's just on the amendment.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 14:56:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

BREAKING!!!!! CACR6 (0.00 / 0)

Bettencourt has moved that CACR6 be removed from the table.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 14:58:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CACR6 was tabled weeks ago after failing a few votes short. (0.00 / 0)

It would require a 2/3 vote of the legislature to raise any taxes or fees.

DJ speaks in favor of removing from table. Division vote now.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:02:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CACR6 removed from table 248-118 (0.00 / 0)

Weber now about to speak to pending ITL motion (from when it was tabled weeks ago) ... preempted by DJ:

Betencourt moves to suspend rules (regarding deadlines for bills) to allow taking up of CACR6.

Weber: We've done this, we've had the hearings.

Jasper urges vote to suspend rules.

Gary Richardson questions Jasper about procedure and amendment in seat pockets that Jasper had referred to.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:09:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Richardson & Bettencourt doing PIs on suspension of rules vote. (0.00 / 0)

Richardson: Members not fully informed on amendment they've just seen.

Bettencourt: We have to suspend the rules to take this up.

2/3 vote required, according to Speaker.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:12:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

258-114, rules suspended. (0.00 / 0)

Current motion ITL.

Stepanek speaking against ITL: This'll prevent reckless last-minute midnight tax increases. People say this'll make it harder to raise taxes and fees, harder to take money from our citizens, harder to borrow money. My answer is a resounding "Yes."

Almy for ITL: It has always been hard to pass a budget. This is a solution in search of a problem, and it's a bad solution. There are occasions when taxes have to be created or raised. Sometimes taxes fade away, as our tobacco tax ultimately will. Sometimes they become obsolete, like the old stock-in-trade tax did. Arizona('s bond rating) was downgraded recently because of its supermajority requirement. Nevada ditto. Do not destroy our state; vote ITL.

DiPentima (to Stepanek): Will this require a 2/3 vote to downshift? Will we need 2/3 to cost-shift, downshift to local communities that'll have to raise their property taxes?

Stepanek: The legislature can do anything with a regular majority except raise taxes and fees. (Translation: homina homina homina)

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:22:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks, Tim (0.00 / 0)

I can't be there today, thanks for doing this. Why am I not surprised that they are trying to sneak that amendment through?  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:29:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Vote on ITL: 119-251 (0.00 / 0)

Tucker, Richardson do PIs on ITL

Deputy Speaker Tucker: We came within five votes last time... (therefore we should totally get a do-over.)

Roll call: 119-251

Jasper moves OTP (Ought To Pass) and amendment #1169h, which, hey, the general public has no access to.

Norelli says something parliamentary which has Mosca, O'Brien and Jasper conferring. O'Brien says, no, you're wrong, Norelli challenges the ruling of the chair, roll call vote.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:29:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ruling of chair upheld (surprise, surprise) 270-101. (0.00 / 0)

Almy speaking against adoption of amendment, which seems to have something to do with bonded debt.

Jasper tries to walk House through changes to CACR6: would require 3/5 of those present and voting, would include bonding with taxes and fees. Would protect bond rating, talked w/State Treasurer and bond counsel.

Jasper: Treasurer's precise words were, "This would be a negative against our credit rating, but it would not be an automatic downgrade." (Heck of a recommendation there, Shawn.)

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:38:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Richardson to Jasper: Moody's just downgraded NV, and (0.00 / 0)

Treasurer said it'd be a negative; why would we do this on an amendment that's had no opportunity for a public hearing?

Jasper: Hey, it's only 3/5 of those present and voting, not 3/5 of entire body, so not that bad for bond rating. High taxes and high spending are much higher negatives than the possible downgrade.

Chair calls for division vote.

No one calls for roll call, as call "Division!" goes out down the halls.

Finally, Soltani calls for roll call, seconded by sparse and very slowly growing handful, which is apparently sufficient.

PIs:

Weber: If I care about transparency, know this wording has had no hearing, know it can damage this state, etc.

Bettencourt: If I know that (this is perfectly good and Treasurer-approved) and if I really cared about transparency, I'd support a rule to ban floor amendments, ...

265-107 amendment adopted.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:47:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Debate on OTPA (0.00 / 0)

Rep. from Derry speaks against CACR6: what do we do when horse racing revenue evaporates? when dog-racing disappears? Why do we restrict future legislatures when past legislatures haven't restricted us for over two hundred years?

A number of other states have done this. We could copy them; California has a wonderful time putting together a budget; so does Michigan. Arizona has sold state buildings and leased them back from their owners; isn't that a great prospect.

Vaillancourt: I've never voted for a supermajority before, but I will today. Yesterday I looked up "steal" in the dictionary: it's taking without consent. So all taxation is stealing. Last speaker talked about horse racing drying up; what would we do with houses if gas prices go up? We'd adjust; maybe we wouldn't buy that extra sweater or jacket; we'd control our spending.

Itse to Vaillancourt: Isn't it true that this body can't pass a Constitutional Amendment, they can only pass it on to the people?

Vaillancourt: No kidding, moron. (Hah, just kidding. He was actually polite and used it as an opportunity to pontificate some more. But that's what he was thinking.)

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:57:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Richardson has horrible idea. (4.00 / 3)

"Wouldn't it be great if I could take off my Democratic T-shirt, and you could take off your Republican T-shirt?"

NO. NO IT WOULD NOT.

We're slashing arts funding enough already, the last thing we need is to commit aesthetic crimes against humanity by having a bunch of shirtless state reps wandering around.

Itse to Richardson: Don't you think people should have more of a voice in spending their money? (Or something like that.)

Richardson: We are the most representative body in the world. Our constituents sent us here to act responsibly. They know we know more about the budget than they do.

Jasper: The previous two legislatures did not act responsibly. It's time we said we're gonna make sure that if we want to pass a new tax or fee we have a good enough reason to convince 60% of our colleagues to do it.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 16:07:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Itse to Jasper: If downshifting occurs, (0.00 / 0)

Itse to Jasper: If downshifting occurs, won't people have opportunity to fix that?

Jasper: They certainly would, and they will.

Roll call on OTPA.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 16:11:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

256-117 CACR6 passes as amended. (0.00 / 0)

PIs:

Weber: Still no opportunity for public input on this language, should not take action based solely on bond counsel and Treasurer, should not trust Senate to fix problems

Jasper: If I know NV was downgraded for variety of reasons, that we too often have desire to tax too much, spend too much, if I trust the voters who sent ME here...

256-117 CACR6 passes as amended.

Bettencourt moves reconsideration.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 16:14:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Trust (4.00 / 2)

I don't trust that they are citing the exact conclusions of the treasurer and bond counsel.  These folks hear what they want to hear, and are all self appointed experts.



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 16:17:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Norelli vs. O'Brien (0.00 / 0)

104-269 Reconsideration fails.

Norelli: Parliamentary Inquiry as to whether process was bogus due to something or other involving reconsideration, intervening action, amendment, etc. (Probably that House had already voted on CACR6, and had not voted to reconsider it?)

Speaker: No.

Norelli: PI: Would, then, since you ruled that to be fine, it be possible to take up, under the same circumstances, without reconsideration, a bill that had come back from the Senate before crossover with an amendment? (I'm sure I got some part of that wrong, but it was something like that.)

Republican side of chamber laughs at Minority Leader.

Speaker: I'll make a ruling at that time.

Norelli: WTF? Why can't you just say it'd be allowed when you just allowed it now? (In slightly different terms.)

Speaker: Hypothetical, would need to look at circumstances at the time, blah blah blah.

Soltani: Asks Speaker to find it to have been out of order for members to have laughed when Minority Leader was engaged in colloquy with Speaker.

Speaker (with no enthusiasm): The point is taken.

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 16:32:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

right (0.00 / 0)

Is he that blind to think doing it a day early would make the rally any smaller?

If the bill passes, all the more reason to show up on Thursday.  Unless he is thinking, the bill will be defanged, i.e., amended into something resembling Lynch's budget.  (I joke)  

whp

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by: whp @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:08:22 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

The only hope (0.00 / 0)

Of this bill being pared back is the Senate.

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:26:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

House Rule 48(a) (4.00 / 3)

states:

(a) There shall be a detailed briefing on the general budget bill presented to the House at least two days before final action is taken on such a bill.

That briefing took place today, Tuesday, so no final vote should be taken on the budget until Thursday.  Unless, of course, the House votes to suspend the Rules, which it could.

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. --Marcus Aurelius, courtesy of Paul Berch

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by: Lucy Weber @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:36:15 PM UTC

Adding, in reply to Dean: (4.00 / 1)

The collective bargaining amendment is contained in HB 2, the "trailer bill" which contains all the policy changes required to make the budget work. (Maybe "work" was a bad word choice.  Sorry.)  

HB 2 is not, technically, the general budget bill, so I guess it could be addressed on Wednesday.

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. --Marcus Aurelius, courtesy of Paul Berch

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by: Lucy Weber @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:40:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thank you! (0.00 / 0)

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:09:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

"Outside Parties"? (4.00 / 1)

[Art.] 32. [Rights of Assembly, Instruction, and Petition.] The people have a right, in an orderly and peaceable manner, to assemble and consult upon the common good, give instructions to their representatives, and to request of the legislative body, by way of petition or remonstrance, redress of the wrongs done them, and of the grievances they suffer.

June 2, 1784

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by: elwood @ Tue Mar 29, 2011 at 23:43:48 PM UTC

Apparently, Article 32 only applies (4.00 / 3)

if your petition is about guns, or if you don't like how your divorce came out.

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. --Marcus Aurelius, courtesy of Paul Berch

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by: Lucy Weber @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:01:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

O'Brien trying to create climate of fear and intimidation (4.00 / 6)

It is pretty sad that the Speaker is trying to paint good public servants as rabble rousers to be afraid of.  He wants to scare people. Now he is going to require people not on staff and who are not legislators come in one door only tomorrow and Thursday.  I can't believe that, the State House has never been closed off like that for session days. by crowding people into one door he creates a bigger likelihood of chaos.

He is the worst speaker, evuh, in the history of the universe.  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:16:50 AM UTC

Unbelievable (0.00 / 0)

Though at this point I suppose we should not be surprised by these games.  Looks like Boss O'Brien is bringing some 'Midway Mania Games' to his circus.

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:24:55 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

these same brave shouters (4.00 / 2)

and gun toting Teabaglicans who disrupted Democratic gatherings in 2010 are now cowering in fear?

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by: susanthe @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 00:41:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe... (0.00 / 0)

Maybe he is setting up a checkpoint to make sure no one without a gun is admitted.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 01:23:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

They'd be terrified (0.00 / 0)

if liberals started carrying guns. They count on Democrats to be passive and unarmed.  

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by: susanthe @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 13:33:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Public Safety (0.00 / 0)

Seems dangerous. You would think a fire marshal would have something to say about this?

Remember what happened at The Who concert all those years ago? Do GOPers listen to The Who?


"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 15:49:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Outside parties? (4.00 / 1)

Yes, Speaker O'Brien - those pesky outside parties like the Professional Firefighters of NEW HAMPSHIRE, the State Employees Association of NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEA-NEW HAMPSHIRE, the NEW HAMPSHIRE Community Behavioral Health Association, NEW HAMPSHIRE Citizens for the Arts, the NEW HAMPSHIRE Police Benevolent Association, and other residents will be up in Concord telling you that you're getting it dead wrong.

If citizen groups like those listed above are "outside parties", where exactly does that leave ALEC?

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by: dooper @ Wed Mar 30, 2011 at 13:02:14 PM UTC