Highlights from the Legislature on Wednesday

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BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 2, 2008

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- The Senate gave preliminary approval to the proposed $17.6 billion state budget (House Bill 1375) after Republicans failed to cut about $20 million from different parts of the proposal. The failed attempts including taking $1 million each from prison funding and from subsidies for homeowners who want to install solar energy panels.

- The House killed a bill that would have required a vacancy in the office of state treasurer, secretary of state, attorney general, or district attorney be filled by a vacancy committee of the same political party as the vacating officer within 30 days, rather than by the governor. The measure would have required voter approval.

- The House approved a bill (House Bill 1345) that would require that the oath of office be administered to a person who has been appointed to fill a vacancy in the general assembly within 14 days after the receipt of the secretary of state's certification appropriate house or on the convening date of the general assembly. The measure was introduced after Rep. Douglas Bruce refused to take his seat until after the Legislature convened so that term limits wouldn't keep him from serving another term.