Next week is the fourth week of the 2011 first special session – the last full week before sine die on May 25.

The lack of movement on either the operating or the capital budget or several significant policy issues is leading many on The Hill to suggest that a second special session will be needed to finish up. The Governor has indicated she would only call a second special session when policymakers were set to pass budgets.

Negotiations and proposals continue to move back and forth between the chambers and the Governor’s Office. In addition some details are being revealed as commitees work through NTIB bills. 

Next week’s schedule appears to be similar to the schedules of prior weeks. The Senate will return to Olympia on Monday at 10 a.m., followed by a budget committee meeting at 2:30 p.m.

The House wil return on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Earlier in the day the House Ways & Means Committee will meet followed by the House Capital Budget Committee.

The House Ways & Means Committee is scheduled to take action on HB 2088 which would set up an endowment for students studying in the STEM fields. HB 2088 creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middleincome jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.

The House Capital Budget Committee is scheduled to take action on SJR 8215– which would send a constitutional amendment to voters asking them to reduce the debt limit from 9% to 7%.  This policy proposal has been a point of contention between the Senate and the House, with the Senate in support and the House opposed. The scheduling of the bill in committee may suggest that a compromise has been reached or is near.