[Local-Maine-Schools] (Skip Greenlaw): Report from Augusta

[Dick Atlee]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Report from Augusta
Date: 	Wed, 2 Apr 2008 21:40:05 -0400
From: 	skipgreenlaw <skipg at hypernet.com>

Good evening everyone,

You have to have some patience with me about sending you the latest list
of YEAS/NAYS.  I'll forward that info tomorrow, but I need to crash very
soon.

LD 1932 was not enacted as an emergency today in the House.  The vote
was 97-46, but with a whole host of swapping votes by some legislators
from yesterday.  A bill can only be reconsidered once on a specific
motion, such as emergency enactment.  The bill was sent to the Senate
where the emergency clause was removed by an amendment.  According to 
Brian Hubbell's report, the bill was passed with a 2/3s majority and 
returned to the house for action on Friday.

I am not certain why there is so much interest in getting this bill 
enacted by 2/3s.  I have written Brian tonight to ask him that question. 
  What difference does it make whether the bill goes into effect on 
April 3 or July 16 (which is 90 days from the projected April 16 
adjournment
date).  If the governor vetoes  the bill, it only takes 2/3s of those
present and voting to override a veto.  If on a veto override, the vote
was the same as it was today (97-46), the veto would have been overridden.

I don't know when Rep. Peter Edgecomb will have an opportunity to
present his amendment for repeal.  Sometimes, people create problems for
themselves.  A lot of legislators would like to have a separate bill to
vote on for repeal rather than trying to amend LD 2280 or LD 2281.
Someone boxed the education committee in to having only two bills to
address other consolidation issues.

Here is my best judgment on what may happen.  Both houses of the
legislature will enact LD 1932 on Friday and send it to the governor.
One legislator told me that the governor told her that he would act
promptly on the bill.  If he vetoes the bill, the House could be
debating the veto by Monday or Tuesday.  Legislative sentiment seems to
be that many legislators want to dispose of LD 1932 before they vote on
repeal.  If the veto is overridden in both houses and becomes law, I
doubt that "repeal" will pass.  However, if the veto to LD 1932 is
sustained, then I think that there will be a very good chance that
repeal will be passed.  Of course, repeal will attract a veto, but I
cannot speculate about whether there will be 2/3s vote to override in
each house.

Good night,
Skip