New Hampshire price range passes after uncommon bipartisan, bicameral cooperation

CONCORD, N.H. — For the primary time in many years, New Hampshire lawmakers have despatched the governor a two-year price range with out having House and Senate negotiators craft a compromise between the 2 chambers.

The House on Thursday shortly concurred with the $15.2 billion plan accredited by the Senate a day earlier and despatched it to Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who plans to signal it. It was a outstanding show of bipartisan and bicameral cooperation throughout what typically is a contentious course of.

“We just passed a bipartisan budget with probably the highest numbers we’ve ever seen,” House Speaker Sherm Packard stated. “This chamber deserves some congratulations.”

Typically, the House passes a price range to the Senate, which makes modifications and sends it again. The House often rejects it, and the 2 sides appoint a committee of convention to reconcile the 2 variations.

The final time the Legislature bypassed the convention committee course of was 1999, when the House rejected a price range put forth by the Republican speaker and conservative leaders and as an alternative handed a plan drafted by senators. The Senate then shortly concurred and despatched it to Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, who signed it with out fanfare. In distinction, Sununu reacted to Thursday’s vote by tweeting a video of a person dancing to the 1978 disco hit “Le Freak.”

“What’s it feel like when a bipartisan budget with huge wins for NH passes on its first try in the legislature? A lot like this!” he wrote.

The 1999 legislative session was marked by bitterness, overshadowed by a state Supreme Court determination ordering the state to discover a fairer solution to pay for public colleges. It took up a lot time, lawmakers postponed motion on almost 200 payments.

This 12 months, lawmakers have been keenly conscious that cooperation was the most effective path ahead, significantly within the 400-member House, the place Republicans maintain such a slim majority {that a} given day’s attendance typically has decided which get together prevailed.

Lawmakers will proceed working for priorities not included within the price range however have realized a beneficial lesson, stated Rep. Mary Jane Wallner, a Concord Democrat.

“Legislation we pass is much stronger when we work together, Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate,” she stated. “This budget is an example of policymakers putting forth their best efforts.”

The last price range allocates about $750 million lower than what the House accredited when it handed a plan collectively sponsored by Republican Majority Leader Jason Osborne and Democratic Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm. Lawmakers accredited the brand new model Thursday on a vote of 351-25 and the companion coverage invoice on a vote of 326-53.