Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senator tells Benton County there’s little money for policy bills as deadline nears; raises concerns about excluded children and restraint investigations
Summary
Sen. Sarah Gilles de Blue told Benton County officials the state faces tight budgets at the policy‑committee deadline and that a set of bills addressing students with disabilities and the use of restraint and seclusion face opposition and complicated negotiations, with some work groups reportedly meeting without full participation.
Sen. Sarah Gilles de Blue told attendees at the Benton County legislative breakfast that Tuesday is the policy‑committee deadline and that the compressed schedule and fiscal constraints mean ‘‘there is no money for any policy bill’’ without a leadership priority or a shift in revenues.
The senator described heavy committee workloads — five committees for some members, late evening hearings and a pipeline where amendments must flow through counsel and the legislative fiscal office before a bill can be voted on. ‘‘Youcankick it out of the rules committee within a week or two,’’ she said, summarizing procedural options; but she added many bills that are not ready simply die at the deadline.
Gilles de Blue spent much of her remarks on bills affecting students with…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
