This week marks the third week of the first special session of 2011. 

The House met in caucus this morning and then headed to the floor to consider a handful of bills. Among the bills considered and passed this afternoon was HB 1795 which will alter higher education tuition, financial aid, and accountability for the next four biennia.

The Senate convened today and moved a handful of bills forward in the process. The Senate is schedule to return to the floor tomorrow (May 10) at 10:00. No committee meetings are scheduled at this time.

The House and Senate continue to meet daily to find a compromise on the budget. Essentially the two budgets are approx. $330 million apart. However key policy issues continue to divide the two caucuses, most prominently teacher salaries and workers compensation.

Though new revenues have been received from the tax amnesty effort – approximately $270 million to the general fund- there is mixed ideas with regard how to apply these new dollars. The Governor proposes eliminating the 25th month for K-12 and others would like to buy back some programs cut in the budget.