Name: Lawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget plan
Brand: wmur.com
SKU: wmur-com-173
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Lawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget plan

preview

AdvertisementHouse Republicans aim to restrict governor's pandemic powersLawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget planHouse Republicans aim to restrict governor's pandemic powersHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSEXTON EXPLAINS. ADAM: IT’S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR WHAT’S GOING ON UNDER THE GOLDEN DOME IN CONCORD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CRAFTING THE STATE BUDGET. THE PANDEMIC HAS ONLY ADDED COMPLEXITY, NOT JUST TO THE PROCESS, BUT ALSO TO THE RELATIONS BETWEEN BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. THE HOUSE IS TAKING STEPS TO CURTAIL THE GOVERNOR’S EMERGENCY POWERS. NEXT WEEK, REPS WILL VOTE ON A BILL TO GIVE THE LEGISLATURE MORE OVERSIGHT OF EMERGENCY SPENDING AND AUTHORITY TO END OR RENEW A STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER 30 DAYS. LAWMAKERS SAY THEY DON’T WANT TO BE LOOPED OUT ANYMORE. &gt;&gt; THE PROBLEM WAS THIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU, BUT I FOUND OUT ABOUT A LOT OF THESE THINGS THE SAME WAY MY CONSTITUENTS DID, WHEN IT CAME OUT ON THE NEWS. ADAM: A REBALANCING OF PANDEMIC POWERS IS ALSO BEING WOVEN INTO THE STATE BUDGET BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE GOVERNOR TO VETO, BUT GOP LEADERS HAVE INDICATED THEY NEED THAT KIND OF INSURANCE POLICY TO GET ENOUGH VOTES WITHIN THEIR OWN PARTY TO SEND A STATE BUDGET TO THE SENATE. ALMOST EXACTLY FOUR YEARS AGO , THE REPUBLICAN FREEDOM CAUCUS PREVENTED THE HOUSE FROM PASSING A BUDGET OVER SPENDING CONCERNS. REPS SAY GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU JOKED ABOUT A GOP FAMILY FEUD IN 2017, BUT AT HIS LAST PRESS BRIEFING, HE DID NOT SEEM TO BE TAKING THIS SITUATION AS LIGHTLY. &gt;&gt; THEY SHOULD NOT BE ATTACHING NON-BUDGETARY ITEMS TO A BUDGET JUST TO HIJACK IT OR GET IT THROUGH. THE WHOLE PROCESS HAS GONE A LITTLE BIT OFF THE RAILS IN THE HOUSE. ADAM: WHILE MANY DEMOCRATS ARE ON BOARD WITH RAINING AND EMERGENCY POWERS, THEY DON’T WANT TO PREVENT THE GOVERNOR FROM TAKING WHAT THEY BELIEVE ARE REASONABLE STEPS TO ADDRESS THE PANDEMIC. IF IT TURNS INTO A BIGGER FIGHT AMONG REPUBLICANS, THEY WILL NOT GET IN THE WAY. &gt;&gt; THE GOVERNOR ALSO HELPED TO ELECT A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE. PAYBACK SOMETIMES IS NOT SO MUCH FUN. ADAdvertisementLawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget planHouse Republicans aim to restrict governor's pandemic powersAs state representatives hammer out the final details of the state budget, efforts to limit the governor's emergency powers in the pandemic are becoming increasingly intertwined with the two-year spending plan.It's not always clear what's going on under the golden dome in Concord, especially when it comes to crafting the state budget. The pandemic has only added complexity -- not just to the process, but also to the relations between branches of government. Next week, representatives will vote on a bill to give the Legislature more oversight of emergency spending and authority to end or renew a state of emergency after 30 days. Lawmakers said they don't want to be looped out anymore."The problem was this lack of communication," said Rep. Terry Roy, R-Deerfield. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I found out about a lot of these things the same way my constituents did, when it came out on the news."A rebalancing of pandemic powers is also being woven into the state budget by House Republicans. The strategy makes it harder for the governor to veto the proposals, and GOP leaders have indicated they need that kind of insurance policy to get enough votes within their own party to send a state budget to the Senate.Almost exactly four years ago, the Republican freedom caucus prevented the House from passing a budget over spending concerns. Representatives said Republican Gov. Chris Sununu joked about a GOP "family feud" in 2017, but at his last press briefing, he did not seem to be taking the situation as lightly."They should not be attaching non-budgetary items to a budget just to hijack it or get it through," Sununu said. "The whole process has gone a little bit off the rails in the House."While many Democrats are on board with reining in emergency powers, they don't want to prevent the governor from taking what they call reasonable steps to address the pandemic. They're also not going to stand in the way if this turns into a bigger fight among Republicans."The governor also helped to elect a lot of these people," said Rep. Doug Ley, D-Jaffrey. "Payback sometimes is not so much fun."As state representatives hammer out the final details of the state budget, efforts to limit the governor's emergency powers in the pandemic are becoming increasingly intertwined with the two-year spending plan.It's not always clear what's going on under the golden dome in Concord, especially when it comes to crafting the state budget. The pandemic has only added complexity -- not just to the process, but also to the relations between branches of government.AdvertisementNext week, representatives will vote on a bill to give the Legislature more oversight of emergency spending and authority to end or renew a state of emergency after 30 days. Lawmakers said they don't want to be looped out anymore."The problem was this lack of communication," said Rep. Terry Roy, R-Deerfield. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I found out about a lot of these things the same way my constituents did, when it came out on the news."A rebalancing of pandemic powers is also being woven into the state budget by House Republicans. The strategy makes it harder for the governor to veto the proposals, and GOP leaders have indicated they need that kind of insurance policy to get enough votes within their own party to send a state budget to the Senate.Almost exactly four years ago, the Republican freedom caucus prevented the House from passing a budget over spending concerns. Representatives said Republican Gov. Chris Sununu joked about a GOP "family feud" in 2017, but at his last press briefing, he did not seem to be taking the situation as lightly."They should not be attaching non-budgetary items to a budget just to hijack it or get it through," Sununu said. "The whole process has gone a little bit off the rails in the House."While many Democrats are on board with reining in emergency powers, they don't want to prevent the governor from taking what they call reasonable steps to address the pandemic. They're also not going to stand in the way if this turns into a bigger fight among Republicans."The governor also helped to elect a lot of these people," said Rep. Doug Ley, D-Jaffrey. "Payback sometimes is not so much fun."Loading more articles...

AdvertisementHouse Republicans aim to restrict governor's pandemic powersLawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget planHouse Republicans aim to restrict governor's pandemic powersHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSEXTON EXPLAINS. ADAM: IT’S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR WHAT’S GOING ON UNDER THE GOLDEN DOME IN CONCORD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CRAFTING THE STATE BUDGET. THE PANDEMIC HAS ONLY ADDED COMPLEXITY, NOT JUST TO THE PROCESS, BUT ALSO TO THE RELATIONS BETWEEN BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. THE HOUSE IS TAKING STEPS TO CURTAIL THE GOVERNOR’S EMERGENCY POWERS. NEXT WEEK, REPS WILL VOTE...

Lawmakers tie emergency power restrictions into state budget plan

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS