2008
Legislative Session Ends
Speaker James
Amann Relinquishes Leadership
The General
Assembly concluded its 2008 session at midnight
on May 7, 2008. As always, the final days of
the legislative session were long, hectic, and
filled with last-minute activity, none of which,
however, revolved around passing a revised budget
for FY 2009. As previously reported, Democratic
leaders and Governor Rell reached an agreement
late last week to let the 2009 budget enacted
last year stand. This will break a 15-year tradition
of reopening the budget every year since the
state adopted two-year budgets in 1993. Toward
the end of session, House and Senate Republicans
attempted to add their FY 09 budget alternative,
known as the “Do Something Budget,” to several
bills being debated. Through parliamentary maneuvers,
Democrats ruled that the amendment could not
be added to the underlying bills. The threat
by the Republicans to add their alternative
budget to the many bills awaiting action slowed
legislative business in both chambers.
Click
here for more.
