Budget session nears end

By KARLA POMEROY

With more than 40 bills on General File Monday, Sen. Gerald Geis (R-Worland) said that some bills likely would die and not pass this session.

Monday was the deadline for bills to pass the Committee of the Whole (first reading) He said there would be no way the Senate could get through all 40 bills. “There’s none I would have a heartburn over (if they did not pass). The state will run just fine without them,” Geis said.

The 2010 Budget Session is expected to wrap up no later than Friday and Geis said they could adjourn Thursday. He said first reading for the bills on General File would be Monday. Tuesday he expected the Senate to suspend the rules and handle second and third readings in the same day, giving the Senate and House Wednesday and Thursday for conference committees to iron out any differences.

Three bills have already made their way to Governor Dave Freudenthal’s desk — House Enrolled Act 1 (House Bill 48) regarding school finance audits and modifying the vocational education program periodic audit requirements; HEA2 (HB2) expanding the veterinarian loan repayment program; and HEA3 (HB7) election code revisions.

Geis said he voted against House Bill 13, which has been approved by both the House and Senate and is headed to the governor. The bill on underage drinking creates an offense for persons under age 21 years who attempt or gain admittance to liquor dispensing rooms or drive-in liquor areas as specified.

Geis’ said his objection comes under the exemptions which allows a person under the age of 21 to be able to possess alcohol or malt beverages if they are in the presence of their parents, spouse or legal guardians who are 21 years of age or older. He said he does not support allowing persons under age to drink in public just because they are with their parents.

“I didn’t like the way it was written,” Geis said.

Voting against with Geis was Sen. Ray Peterson (R-Cowley) and eight others.

Reps. Elaine Harvey (R-Lovell) and Lorraine Quarberg (R-Thermopolis) voted in favor of the bill.

Sheriff Ken Blackburn said he liked the addition in the bill that it now makes possession of alcohol or malt beverage a crime and not just consumption.

The Senate worked through the budget and didn’t make many changes from the Joint Appropriations Committee recommendation. Geis said the House had more changes and work was to begin in conference committee. The House added $10 million to the already $80 million allocated to counties, towns and cities. Geis said the Senate wanted to wait a year and see how the state’s revenues were doing. If revenues had improved the Legislature could increase funding to counties, town and cities for the second year of the biennium.

But, he noted, “It could be ‘raining’ even harder next year.”

Items up for consideration this week include:

• HB80 relating to certification and hiring of peace officers, detention officers and dispatchers; authorizing law enforcement units to hire currently certified persons without additional examination and background investigation. Basin Chief of Police Dennis Peters has pushed for the legislation, which was sponsored by Harvey.

Geis said he would support the legislation. “As long as they have passed all the tests they should be able to work anywhere in the state and not have to take them over,” he said.

• HB64 establishes a mandatory minimum sentence for first-degree sexual assault of a minor when the actor is at least 18 years of age and the victim is less than 13 years of age. The mandatory sentence is not less than 25 years and not more than 50 years.

• HB83 would prohibit adult sex offenders from being able to have access to school properties and events.