Day 22 - Feb. 25, 2008

As the session nears the crossover date, the legislative pace has begun to quicken.  Both houses are spending longer sessions each day conducting business on the floor, and committee meetings are scheduled for early mornings as well as late afternoons.
 
The House took up the Amended Budget today, HB 989.  The Senate passed the bill with amendments that highlighted disagreements between the houses on education funding.  The House passed a substitute to HB 989 and sent the bill back to the Senate which disagreed with the House substitute.  A conference committee on the budget was appointed and is expected to start meeting as early as Sunday.
 
The House also took up HB 904 which would require employees of day-care centers to have state and national fingerprint record checks prior to employment.  HB 904 passed the House with 159 to 1.