Senate committee approves budget bill, likely to be vetoed by governor

Democrats, Republicans and even the Senate’s lone Independent voiced their opposition against the House’s budget.

A Senate committee is expected to take up the budget Friday. Another extension would likely follow as local governments and schools opening later this month still wait to hear on big funding decisions within the two-year budget.

The same rules for vetoes apply during Special Sessions as during the Regular Session, meaning the Governor could possibly pocket veto the budget, not giving legislators enough time to override, and forcing a second Special Session.

A Senate committee approved a General Fund Budget, similar to the so-called “bare bones budget” passed by the legislature at the end of the regular session.

Lawmakers are at the halfway point of the session and have yet to pass a major revenue bill in either chamber. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, said.

“The enormity and complexity of issues that will still be remaining would make that a very challenging goal”, said Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, the House Appropriations Committee’s senior co-chairman.

The frustration is mounting, the clock is ticking and lawmakers only seem to be coming to one consensus; the same plan they had back in June. Orr argues. “Across state government, they’re going to have to start making plans for a budget that would look like $200 million dollars less in revenue than we had for this fiscal year to work with”.

“We’re replacing a sorry budget with a crappy budget”, Sen.

Bentley called the cuts “unworkable”. Thursday, Gov. Bentley released a list of different programs and buildings which would be forced to close if the house budget passed. Leaders in both houses say the lack of cry over the deep cuts is an indication Alabamians expects lawmakers to keep the budget within their means.

According to Bentley no budget now proposed is acceptable.

The House is scheduled to return at 1:30 p.m. There has been talk of working through the weekend, but the House has not set a schedule.