Low-key startup for second session
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Washington's special legislative session got a quick and quiet liftoff Tuesday morning, with none of the drama, speeches and press conferences that usually mark the opening day of a session.
In the House, gavels fell at 9 a.m. with less than a dozen members on the floor. They soon recessed until Friday, in keeping with their plan to keep doing "rolling recesses" of three days at a time until agreements are negotiated on the budget and other key pieces of unfinished business. A number of House Democrats planned to meet in closed-door caucuses on Monday and House Republicans planned to gather later in the week. But mostly the opening days will be about negotiating on big House and Senate differences on the budget and policy bills.
The Senate stirred to life briefly and held a floor session later in the day, followed by caucuses. Senators re-passed some major bills from earlier in the regular session, including two constitutional amendments that would require a two-thirds vote in the House and majority approval of the voters this fall -- a requirement for saving some future extraordinary revenue growth, and a Debt Reduction Act to lower bond debt. Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, has said the Senate will hold a number of committee hearings on budget-implementing policy bills, as well as allow negotiators lots of time to meet.
The session is allowed to last up to 30 days under the governor's proclamation.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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