Double deja vu in the House
The House went into session and passed eight appropriation bills - all bills they were passing for the third time. The first time, they got vetoed by the governor. The second time, the bills had been cobbled together by the House Appropriations Committee without its Senate half, to make up the usual Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. The third time, today, they were the new JFAC versions of the budget bills. The House then adjourned, and both parties headed into caucus. House Speaker Lawerence Denney said, "I think we're going to finish our business and go home again. At some point, we can't pass the gas tax and that's just pure and simple, and as long as that's part of what has to happen for us to go home, we may be here for a long time." For now, though, the House has adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.