Post by Logan on Jun 10, 2016 15:36:48 GMT -6
BOSTON (AP) -- A six-member House-Senate conference committee tasked with negotiating a final version of the nearly $40 billion state budget began Friday by voting to hold its deliberations behind closed doors.
The move was anticipated and consistent with the Legislature's practice of keeping the vast majority of conference committee negotiations out of public view.
The panel -- made of up three House members and three from the Senate -- gathered Friday for its first meeting in the office of Senate Ways and Means chairwoman Karen Spilka. Its job is to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
After brief opening statements from Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, and Rep. Brian Dempsey, a Haverhill Democrat and House Ways and Means chairman, the committee unanimously approved a motion to go into executive session. A group of reporters then filed out of the room.
Read more: www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_30000872/panel-votes-keep-state-budget-talks-private#ixzz4BDNsFLPh
The move was anticipated and consistent with the Legislature's practice of keeping the vast majority of conference committee negotiations out of public view.
The panel -- made of up three House members and three from the Senate -- gathered Friday for its first meeting in the office of Senate Ways and Means chairwoman Karen Spilka. Its job is to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
After brief opening statements from Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, and Rep. Brian Dempsey, a Haverhill Democrat and House Ways and Means chairman, the committee unanimously approved a motion to go into executive session. A group of reporters then filed out of the room.
Read more: www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_30000872/panel-votes-keep-state-budget-talks-private#ixzz4BDNsFLPh