This week on Jones Street started with the promised release of a House budget - and the expected standoff between legislative leaders.
The House and Senate have been meeting cooperatively and behind closed doors on budget priorities since early in the year. Word came down late last week that the two chambers were at an impasse when it came to their leaders' priorities.
The House decided to go ahead, rolling out and passing a 270-plus page budget with $31.7 billion in spending – and the Senate shrugged it off with a surprise move: releasing its own bare-bones proposal. The main difference between the two plans is the House's proposed 6.5% increase in spending over last year, compared to the Senate's 5.5%. Both proposals include funds for Opportunity Scholarships and to address the childcare funding gap.
The Senate Judiciary Committee considered a new draft of H385, Various Energy / Environmental Amendments, which we flagged last week. It doesn't change our concerns around environmental policies that we outlined in last week's update. It makes some changes to the language that would have allowed coastal developers to build atop significant archaeological finds, and it adds a section to allow for more hardened shore structures on Bald Head Island. This Coastal Review story gives details.
We expect the House to schedule a veto override vote on Wednesday for H198, DOT Legislative Changes, the bill that doubles the tree cutting zone arounds billboards and allows for the cutting of native redbuds. It's not on the calendar yet; keep an eye on our Facebook and X/Twitter for updates.
Due to staff absences and the Independence Day holiday, the Letter from Jones Street will be on hiatus for the next two weeks, June 28 and July 5. We'll still be at the legislature to keep an eye on things, and we'll share any urgent action items and news on our social media channels.