House and Senate leaders say they’re crafting a bill that would fund state government beyond July 1, when the current budget expires.
In a joint statement last week, Senate President Chuck Morse and House Speaker Shawn Jasper said "we hope this measure isn’t necessary, but want to be confident that our state will not be negatively affected by the Governor’s short sighted and risky decision to veto the budget.”
Governor Maggie Hassan welcomed the news, adding, "I continue to encourage them to return to the negotiating table to develop a compromise, bipartisan and balanced budget."
Talk of a so-called continuing resolution is the latest development in the standoff over a Republican-backed budget proposal that Hassan, a Democrat, has vowed to veto.
The $11.3 billion dollar proposal negotiated last week by a committee of conference would address a number of Republican priorities, such as putting money back into the state’s rainy day fund and increasing funding for mental health services, substance abuse treatment and people with developmental disabilities.
It would also include a series of incremental cuts to the state’s two main business taxes. While Republicans say they will improve the business climate, Democrats, including the governor, say the economy would be better served by re-authorizing Medicaid expansion for low-income adults and paying for a new labor agreement that gives state employees a raise.
