First hostage bill released

The Senate has moved HB 791 on its way, the bill to impose a two-year moratorium on new coal-fired plants. The measure had already passed both houses, but last week when House Speaker Bruce Newcomb hijacked several other bills and sent them back to House committees, including the GARVEE road bonding plan, angry senators withheld a signature that’s mainly a formality, preventing Newcomb’s moratorium bill from moving on to the governor. Now it’s off – which could signal that things are starting to fall into place. There are also rumors that a new water bill is surfacing in the House…