Even though the books have closed on legislative day 33 and the General Assembly has begun a week out of session, much remains to be done  before the legislature adjourns on day 40.   However, in a session that will likely be the longest since 2003 (legislators finished their work on April 25th), small steps of progress are being made late in the game.

As both chambers adjourned for this week’s recess on last Thursday, neither the FY10 Amended budget nor the FY11 budget had been pushed toward passage. The FY10 Amended continues to await conference committee reconciliation after passage in two separate forms by the House and Senate.  The House has taken no formal action on the FY11 budget so far.  It continues to rest in the House Appropriations Committee where it has been the subject of several hearings over the  past two months.

Even with this lack of formal action, signs are being shown that passage may be soon to come.  Revenue figures from March will likely be available when the General Assembly reconvenes on April 12, providing more information that could be useful in finishing the FY10 Amended budget.

In regard to the FY11 budget, before recessing on Thursday, the Senate passed a version of the Governor’s hospital tax proposal, a move that was seen as proactive to continued budget progress.  The House Appropriations Committee has scheduled several meetings on the day they return to order.

Though budget activity has been slow over the past few weeks, action on other notable legislation has been somewhat steady.

House Bill 1128, the provision that would allow University System institutions to carry forward certain funds between fiscal years, was approved by the Senate Higher Education Committee after passing through the House in mid-March.  This USG priority now awaits a full Senate vote.

Senate Bill 308, the concealed carry provision, has also been on the move. The bill passed the Senate on March 24 and was assigned to the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.  In a  House hearing last week, a committee substitute to the bill was presented that preserved the current prohibition of firearms on USG property, however no vote has been taken on the measure.