Legislative Commentary

With a few exceptions the news from the Senate’s fifth week of work was still being made at the committee level, where bills continue to receive public hearings and what’s called “executive action” – meaning a committee decides whether to recommend passage of a measure.

The week began on a positive note with a unanimous Senate vote for our innovative, early-action school construction bill. I previously mentioned Senate Bill 5445; it would make a $475 million appropriation to the state school-construction account months ahead of the usual schedule, enough to cover the anticipated size of school...